First Things First

I am a PK - a preacher's kid and preacher's grand kid. My father is from the Baptist tradition and my mother is Pentecostal. My grandfather was a Baptist pastor. In fact a long line of relatives, both male and female, are clergy. I guess it's what my family does.

I grew up in a fundamentalist, conservative Christian home. The first chance I got I stop doing church. I spent most of my childhood in church almost everyday of the week except Monday. Growing up in the Catholic city of New Orleans meant that my family was the odd one.

I married a Roman Catholic and would attend Mass with him; I found that I enjoyed Mass and the priest's homily. It was only after I answered God's call to preach that I realized that I had to find a church where my call to holy orders would be recognized. Thus began a journey. I went to the Methodist Church, the African Methodist Episcopal, and the Baptist Church before becoming frustrated and again staying home.

One Sunday morning I was driving and praying and crying when I took the wrong turn home. I saw this grand edifice across from city hall and decided to go inside the church. I thought it was too early for service and I would go inside to meditate. When I walked in I was shocked speechless. There was a woman priest celebrating Eucharist; a black woman. It was the first time I had seen a black, female priest in person.

I was home. I knew God had answered my prayer. You see that morning I lamented to God that there was no where for me to go. I had no mentor. I was alone. God said, "You are never alone."

That was 5 years ago when I first entered seminary. That's how long it's taken me to get to the point of having a discernement committee. So it goes in the ECUSA.