I believe the burdens and blessings of church work should be shared by all. I believe men should have more of a presence at home with their families and women should have more of a presence in the running of church affairs. I agree that men and women have unique gifts; I believe those gifts are meant to complement each other in all facets of our communities. We each have inherent gifts that are challenged, smoothed, and amplified by working together in all things.
I want a greater check and balance of power in the church because yes, we are all imperfect people. I want all our voices to be weighted equally. I want divinely inspired women to be able to have say over their stewardships. I want our church to be a safer place for strong women of God—the same God who endowed them with that strength. I feel—physically feel—both my own deep pain and the pain of other women in the church who feel disregarded. I want my God-given voice to be truly heard, and measured like anyone else’s. And my sister’s voice, and my daughter’s, and my mother’s.
I believe such changes will bring all of us closer to God—men, women, and children. I know that for some, it seems impossible to imagine our church organized differently than it is now, but we believe in a God who parted the Red Sea. That same God can help us sort out these details.At my core, I fervently disbelieve that patriarchy, a system that by default is headed by men, is God’s way. It defies all logic for me. Just as we want more for our children, our Heavenly Parents want more for us. There is a better way; I believe that to be true. I support ordaining women because I believe They do, too.
I believe women should be ordained.