Twice a year I spend time with other leaders of theological
schools—all women—for professional development and fellowship. We call ourselves the WiTS (Women in
Theological Schools), and we pray that we will always have our WiTS about us as
we lean into our vocation.
We present
case studies, reflect on the challenges of our institutions, and share our
personal struggles, all under the code of silence or “seal of the
confessional.” I am helped immensely by this collegial gathering, gaining
perspective I would not otherwise have.
A focal
topic this past weekend was to think about our spiritual practices. One president remarked, “The longer I am in
this work, the longer I need to pray.”
She sounds like Martin Luther who had so much to do that he just had to
pray two hours a day in order to get the rest of it done!
The Gospel
reading for this coming Sunday includes Jesus’ bold instruction about
prayer. “If in my name you ask me for
anything, I will do it” (John 14:14).
The sense the reader gets from this passage is that Jesus is inviting
his followers into the same sort of conversation he had regularly with his
Abba. Later in the Gospel, we learn that
this kind of prayer is only possible because the Spirit will remind us of his teaching.
There is
always a sense of ambiguity about prayer, for we never master the
practice. We have Jesus’ encouragement
to pray as he prayed, and we hear Paul’s poignant insight, “we do not know how to pray as we
ought.” What we do know is that “deep
prayer” (Sarah Coakley’s description) is transformative to the one praying and
the circumstances for which he or she intercedes.
For what do
I need to pray as the spiritual leader of Central? Each morning I pray for
wisdom, compassion, and patience. These
seem to be essential ingredients to leadership, and keeping these in balance
can temper judgment. There are many ways
to mess up in my position.
At this time in the seminary’s
life, I pray for those who are graduating in a few short days. Many are already in significant places of
ministry; others will be seeking new positions.
I pray for our board as it gathers on Thursday and Friday. Trustees function as wise stewards of the
seminary’s mission and resources. I pray for our Leadership Team as it works
closely with the board. I pray for our faculty as they complete the long haul
of the semester’s work. Their labor in
forming students serves the church and larger community in essential ways. I pray for the staff, also. Without their attentiveness to details, the
celebrations surrounding commencement would not happen!
Of course, I pray daily for the
resources to sustain Central’s God-beckoned mission. This is when I am really “asking for
everything.” We need a substantive
endowment to fund the important work of preparing a diverse, world-wide
community of seminary students. I ask
for this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Molly T. Marshall
Central prepares women and men for
seeking God, shaping church, and serving humanity.
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