By Sue Sprang

SYNOD – This is Part 7 of our series celebrating the 50th anniversary of the ordination of women in the Lutheran Church by focusing on the women clergy of our synod. Here they cross seriousness with fun – creating a bit of whimsy.  

QUESTION: If you were to choose one, some, or all of the following to write – book, song, movie, reality TV show, opera, and/or Broadway play – about your time as a pastor, what would your titles be? 

Pastor Jane Mountain: “I would write a symphony, and it would be entitled ‘Dancing with the Trinity in Community.’”

Pastor Kjersten Sullivan: “It would be a memoir or a how-to book with the title ‘Where Did the Chicken in the Parking Lot Come From? And Other Questions without Answers.’”

Pastor Pauline (Polly) Stadley: “This is not an easy question, but it would have to be a book and would never be a reality TV show. The title would be:  ‘The Times They Are A-changing’ or ‘You Can Do Anything… Be Anything.’”

Pastor Megan Crouch: “Okay, so I’ve actually thought about writing a book about being a pastor. Because I have OCD, it would be called ‘OCD Theology: My Often Obsessive, Sometimes Compulsive, and All too Frequently Disordered Journey of Life and Faith.’ If I could have anyone write a Broadway play or song about my time as a Pastor, I think I would want it to be titled ‘Lin-Manuel Miranda.’”  

Pastor Julie Bailey: “I am not sure what the title would be of the whole book, but I know some chapters (or maybe songs!) – as I have written them in my head several times:

‘Did Your Mother Really Name You Vicar?’

‘Will There Be a Pastoral Procession? (and other questions I didn’t understand)’

‘Birthday Cakes and Other Congregation-Splitting Decisions’

‘You Never Told Us: What Do You Do for a Real Job?’

‘How Long Do You Plan on Staying?’

‘When Was It That Sounded Like a Good Decision?’, and

‘Let’s Stop This Conversation Before the Women Get Emotional.’”

Pastor Jessica Rivera-Walker: “I would write a book turned Broadway musical, ‘Faith, Coffee, and Fabulous Shoes’ –   featuring songs like: 

‘We’ve Never Done That Before’ 

‘Church Ladies Make the World Go Round’

‘Appropriate Shoes’, and  

‘Pastor, You Look Tired.’”

Pastor Ruth Overdier: “A theme for my title would be ‘grace.’   ‘Amazing Grace’ is trite, and not my favorite hymn. So, for now, no title available.”