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Clergy Respite: Scarritt Bennett Hosts Ecumenical Women of Faith Breakfast

“I call myself a mutt,” said one of the 40 clergy women gathered in Bennett Hall the morning of March 24^th for a moment of community. “I grew up Southern Baptist, was ordained Church of Christ, I’ve served as a Chaplin and now I pastor a non-denominational Christian congregation. Any kind of wedding or funeral you need, I can do it!”

Knowing laughter and amens rippled across the hall as the women traded introductions.  The leadership paths for women in the church have been anything but direct, with opportunities for advancement few and far between. Most denominations, failing to recognize women as capable leaders by virtue of their gender, denied women the opportunity to earn clergy credentials until the mid-20^th Century. The United Methodist Church just celebrated 70 years of ordination for women, which is indeed bittersweet.

Scarritt Bennett Center Executive Director Rev. Sondrea Tolbert welcomed clergy from a variety of different Christian traditions and shared a bit of her own story. “This place is saturated!”, shared Rev. Tolbert, remembering her ED installation service at Scarritt Bennett when celebrants toured the campus and blessed each building and each open space as places set aside for refuge, healing, wholeness, inspiration and preparation to carry out God’s call on our lives.  

Women serving in leadership across the church are always on the move and those who prioritized self care on that early spring morning in Bennett Hall leaned in as Scarritt Bennett staff shared the many ways they could find respite on campus throughout the year.

Scarritt Bennett program directors Rev. Kelly X and Rev. Linda Furtado shared upcoming events and spent some time exploring ways that Scarritt Bennett could come alongside and enrich the work of these women of faith.

Rev. X, Director of Racial Justice Ministries, lifted up panel discussions and workshops she hosts throughout the year including an upcoming a weekend retreat for Black women at the end of May entitled R.I.S.E: Reclaiming Intentional Spiritual Ease, which will include yoga, African dance, reflective conversations and a pajama party.

Rev. Furtado, Director of Spirituality and the Arts, lifted up opportunities for the clergy to collaborate around small group and individual retreats, get involved with Scarritt’s women’s book club, Storylines, attend poetry readings, concerts and gallery exhibits.  

All of Scarritt Bennett’s program offerings can be found on the Scarritt Bennett calendar.

Both Rev. X and Rev. Furtado host their own podcast series which are a perfect fit for all that clergy windshield time – dashing from hospital visits to finance committee meetings before finally settling down to write the week’s sermon, blog or next chapter in the latest book. Conversations at the Intersection is hosted by Rev. X as a space to allow real conversations around how faith and justice intersect with leading educators, activists and advocates. Rev. Furtado hosts The Art of which explores what goes into doing creative and spiritual work with excellence with leaders across spiritual and artistic disciplines. Find both podcasts here.

As the breakfast came to a close, Rev. Tolbert invited the clergy women to a deeper understanding of Scarritt Bennett as a partner in ministry and a place of respite. She invited the women to turn to their neighbor and ask how they might pray for one another.

A sweet spirit permeated Bennett Hall as these women of faith shared their challenges and prayed for one another in what felt like a moment out of time during a quiet spring morning in the middle of the week in downtown Nashville.