Sometimes, well, a lot of the time, being a woman in ministry can feel like April Fools' Day. You think that you are going to get to a place where people no longer give you a funny look when you tell them what you do, but it seldom happens.
Here are some standard April Fools' "jokes" women hear all the time.
- If you could just fill in and help with kids for a while, I'm sure other opportunities will open up.
- It's a direct path from graduating ministry to having a full-time, livable-wage church position.
- No one will care what you wear.
- We'll find a place for you when your husband finishes seminary.
- The guys will include you once you're ordained.
- You're in a denomination that ordains women. You won't face discrimination.
- The people in your congregation aren't influenced by hardline, patriarchal, complementarian authors and pastors.
- No one will ever ask you, "Don't you want to married?" or "When are you going to have kids?". (Because we ask male ministers that all the time...)
- Can you just plan the banquet, get all the volunteers, and speak at it? It will just be easier if you handle all the details.
These are just a sampling of things I've heard or experienced. Have some of your own? I'd love to add them to the list.
If you're a woman in ministry, you are no joke! Thank you for the hard work you do even when people treat you like patron saint of April 1st.