Rev. Dr. Faith Cornwall was the first woman ordained in the Tennessee Conference of The United Methodist Church in 1974*. I did not know this until I was saying goodbye to her on my last Sunday at McKendree Village. During the summer of 2009, I was the Chaplain Intern at McKendree Village, a United Methodist-owned nursing and assisted living facility outside Nashville.
As I was saying my goodbyes to the many older adults that were near and dear to my heart, Faith handed me a ziploc bag with something red in it. Opening the bag, I realized it was a red stole that clergy wear during worship.
I looked at her with a puzzled expression. Faith smiled and responded, “I see your gifts. You’ll be ordained one day. I can’t use it any longer.” Faith was abrupt, to the point, hard around the edges, and of few words. Red stoles are important to clergy because it is most often the color stole you receive on the day of your ordination. For many clergy in the United Methodist tradition, a red stole is the first stole one ever wears.
As I came to the end of a long line of goodbyes, I walked back over to Faith and said, “I can’t take this. I have a feeling I know when you received this.” Shaking her head, Faith responded, “Ministry was hard for me. Women being clergy were too new when I was coming up. Take this because you will need all the confirmation you can get during your ministry.” She rode away on her motorized scooter, ending the conversation.
Faith’s stole has been packed safely away during four moves since leaving Nashville. As I prepare for ordination on Tuesday, June 16, Faith’s stole is being incorporated into the red stole my home church, Chapelwood UMC, is quilting for me. My red stole, with pieces of Faith’s red stole, will be placed around my neck once Bishop Watson has affirmed, blessed, and ordained me.
Brothers and sisters, when we decide to follow Jesus and know him as our Savior we become a member of the Priesthood of All Believers. Through the waters of baptism, God places a call upon all our lives to be faithful servants and use our gifts. If I could, I would place a red stole upon each of our shoulders as confirmation and commissioning that we have work to do for God’s Kingdom here on earth. You have gifts. The world needs you. You get to extend the invitation to be part of God’s family to a broken and fragile world. We are part of a Priesthood that is set apart to do the will and work of grace. Take up the mantle of the red stole to love, serve, and give for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Rev. Blair Tolbert is the Associate Pastor of Carrollton First United Methodist Church. She has served congregations in Athens, Grantville, LaGrange, and the students of LaGrange College. Blair would like to thank Judy Captui and Shirley Erickson for their loving work to create her red stole. Contact Blair at blair.tolbert@ngumc.net.
*The United Methodist Church began ordaining women in full connection in 1956. Read more about the life and work of Rev. Dr. Faith Cornwall here: http://jamesfuneralhomelkn.com/rev-dr-faith-martha-cornwall
