This year, clergywomen across The United Methodist Church joined together in celebration of 70 years of women receiving full clergy rights in the Methodist tradition. From Arkansas to Minnesota, California to Kentucky, Oklahoma to Pennsylvania, and throughout our connection, women gathered to honor those who courageously answered God’s call and helped open doors for the generations who followed.
The collage accompanying this article is more than a collection of conference photographs. It is a visual testimony to faith, perseverance, courage, and connection. Every face represents a story of calling. Some women entered ministry when opportunities for leadership were limited and their voices were often questioned. Others are serving because those women refused to surrender the call God placed upon their lives.
The Arkansas Conference was honored to stand alongside clergywomen from across the connection in marking this historic anniversary. We celebrated the trailblazers who came before us, the women faithfully serving today, and those who are still discerning where God may be leading them.
This anniversary also reminds us that celebration and continued commitment must walk together. While we give thanks for the progress that has been made, we remain committed to creating spaces in which women are recognized, supported, empowered, appointed, and heard. When women have a seat at the table, they also have a voice—and that voice strengthens the ministry and witness of the whole Church.
May we continue to honor the legacy of those who opened doors, encourage the women walking through them today, and prepare the way for those who will follow. We celebrate 70 years with gratitude, while looking toward the future with faith, courage, and hope.