Called to Serve

Barbara Fuller spoke with Taylor Adams last year at the CBAC's annual gathering, Oasis. Barbara was ordained in 1995. She shares about the experience of tragically losing her husband Gerry and how she went on to serve in ministry as a single mother. She talks about her ministry in Canada as well as overseas in Moldova and how her theology concerning women in ministry changed through experience. Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries. Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Shirley DeMerchant was ordained in 1998. She has served at Hosanna Presbyterian Church in South Korea, and has been senior pastor at Stevens Road United Baptist Church in Dartmouth. Shirley talks about her experience working overseas, the importance of team ministry, and how she's avoided making gender a divisive issue in church. Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries. Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Christine MacDormand was ordained in 1984. She describes her ministry over forty years, including planting a church in Pugwash, Nova Scotia. She also shares about the financial and social challenges she faced serving as a single woman in ministry and about some of the groups that influenced her outside the Baptist tradition. Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada.  Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained   to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our   project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and  challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their  ministries. Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Miriam Uhrstrom was ordained in 1985 and went on to serve as a pastor both individually and alongside her husband Karl. She shares their experiences going before the examining council and what it looked like to serve as a clergy couple. She also explains what studying music taught her about being a pastor and how she has been able to work well with others in spite of theological differences. Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained  to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our  project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries. Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

This is a special week on the podcast as we are doing an episode swap with the podcast Atlantic Baptist Stories, another oral history project led by Dr. Maxwell. You can find out more about the project here: https://acadiadiv.ca/acbas/oral-history-project/ You will hear from Twila Grosse, a member of Cherry Brook United Baptist Church and past treasurer of the African United Baptist Association. Twila talks about her own church experiences, but she also shares about the experiences of her sister, the late Rev. Tracey Grosse, who was the first ordained female person in the AUBA and the first ordained woman of colour in the convention. Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.

Kathy Neily was ordained in 1986 and went on to serve at Bedford Baptist Church and First Baptist Charlottetown. Kathy shares her story of being called and ordained to ministry, the challenges of balancing her call with parenting, and how she experienced God’s healing first-hand. Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their  ministries.

Sharon Budd was ordained in 1987 and in 2013 she retired from her long-term ministry at Melvern Square United Baptist Church. In this interview, Sharon emphasizes that for her, serving as pastor has been a very positive experience. Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries. Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Sara Palmater was ordained in 1986. She recalls being present at the 1987 convention assembly when the group voted on whether to continue allowing women to go before the examining council. Sara also shares about the different shapes ministry can take and the importance of living out her calling regardless of the circumstances of life. Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry  in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries. Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Joyce Hancock was ordained in 1987. She served as director of Christian Education at First Baptist Dartmouth as well as a missionary overseas in Indonesia and Brazil. Today she works with NorthWind Family Ministries in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Joyce speaks about her ministry to Brazilian youth living on the street, some of the challenges and advantages of serving as a single woman, and how she’s been mentored and encouraged by the support of other women in ministry. Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada.    Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to   ministry  in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our  project  shares  and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and   challenges they  faced, and the impact they've made through their   ministries. Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Ida Armstrong-Whitehouse was ordained in 1976 and went on to pastor several churches, as well as serve in chaplaincy. In this interview, she describes some of the changing attitudes she faced over the years serving as a woman in ministry. Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada.   Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to  ministry  in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project  shares  and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and  challenges they  faced, and the impact they've made through their  ministries. Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Heather McGregor was ordained in 1994 and went on to serve as a hospital and nursing home chaplain. In this interview with me, she describes the particularly challenging experience she had going before the examining council on her road to ordination, and the contributions she made towards improving that experience for future ordination candidates. Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada.  Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry  in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares  and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they  faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries. Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries. Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.