Embodied

For women raising children while leading in ministry, life is a deep set of particular blessings intertwined with challenges.

The book is for clergy who are also mothers, with powerful encouragement to share the teeth-gritting beauty of this tension with those who can support us. Stories worthy of tears, chuckles or groans from the lives of "clergy mamas" may echo the reader's as the author confronts the assumptions people make about mothers who lead. Every chapter ends with reflection questions for clergy mothers-and some specifically for the people who need to engage with them.

The exhortations of this book are grounded in solid theological reflection. Ultimately, the author points to a practical, lived theology of the determined assertion that every Christian-not just mama, not just the clergy-is crucial to raising the family of God.

This is the moment to lift up the gifts of women in ministry and the broader ministry of motherhood, creating an environment for all leaders and their relationships to thrive.

Auteur

Lee Ann Pomrenke was ordained as a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 2005, has served congregations in Montana, Virginia and Minnesota, and maintains ties to colleagues in these regions and across the country. The striking similarities between what her work as a pastor and as a mom, and the frequency with which these two roles cause friction and joy among colleagues voiced in-person or in online support groups for women clergy sent her deep into Scripture to observe God's own mothering behaviors. She has put significant energy into developing my writer platform, and writes for Living Lutheran, The Episcopal Cafe, and Red Letter Christians, as well as for institutional publications (Collegeville Institute, Luther Seminary, Wesley Seminary's Lewis Center for Church Leadership).