Rev. Michelle's Message July 9, 2026

You may have seen in the news a few weeks ago the story of the Southern Baptist Convention and their historic decision to continue to ban the ordination of women as well as all churches allowing women to preach or act as pastors.

It’s hard to believe that in the year 2026 we are still dealing with such sexism in the Christian Church in the United States. While Unity is pretty far separated from the Southern Baptists and it may be easy to think this decision doesn’t really affect us, we are all, in a sense, members of the “greater church” and the decision to continue the ban on women preachers affects many folks, women and men alike. When the wisdom, spiritual understanding, and lived experience of women is excluded from ministry, we all lose.

This unfortunate decision is also disappointing because it represents a “digging in of heels” into the status quo when so many denominations are modernizing their policies and widening their circle of inclusion to encompass more and more of God’s children. Meanwhile, the Southern Baptists (as well as the Catholic Church and others) are living in the Ice Age.

The ban on women preachers in the church stems from patriarchy, not necessarily church history. For example, women were some of the first evangelists (people who carried the message of Jesus), and it was a woman or women (depending on the gospel) who were the first to encounter the risen Christ. And it was the women who stood at the cross and witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion while the men scattered to the four winds.

To exclude women from ministry is to discount the rich history of saints and church leaders such as Mary Magdalene, St. Hildegard of Bingen, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Therese of Lisieux, to name but a few.

Today women continue to stand out as brave and competent leaders of the church, such as Nadia Bolz-Weber, an irreverent and incredibly insightful Lutheran preacher, podcaster, author, and activist who is covered in tattoos and preaches mostly to alcoholics, sinners, and homeless people. Then there is Anglican Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde who so bravely spoke truth to power at the National Prayer Breakfast where President Trump was present. There are many, many others I could name who are doing the hard work of being a woman leader in Christian ministry.

Even though women make up the majority of Unity ministers, we mustn’t forget that Vicky and I stand on the shoulders of all of these women who have preceded us and who continue to boldly preach, to lead, and to speak out in a culture and system in which the patriarchy is alive and well.

This week we will look at one of the most misunderstood women in the Bible, the woman at the well in chapter 4 of the Gospel of John. What will we learn from this brave woman who is so often discounted and relegated to the margins of church tradition?

Could there be more to her than we notice at first glance? Come find out this Sunday.

Warm Summer Blessings,

Rev. Michelle