Mitchell preaches African-American Clergywomen Luncheon
The Rev. Cathy Mitchell brought a keynote thanking her clergy sisters for the Christian encouragement they offer. Photo by Matt Brodie.
By Jessica Brodie
GREENVILLE—A crowd packed into the Greenville Convention Center Monday at Annual Conference for the African-American Clergywomen Luncheon, ready for a word and a celebration of 32 years of committed service to the Lord.
The Rev. Cathy Mitchell brought a keynote thanking her clergy sisters for the Christian encouragement they offer, not only today but in their early years as a group as well.
“Not many organizations survive 32 years and continue to grow in strength and numbers,” Mitchell said, noting AACW started with 13 women and now they are more than 100 strong, with supporters at every level of ministry.
“I’m proud to say I am a product of this ministry,” Mitchell said.
Lifting up the movies “Hidden Figures” and “The Six Triple Eight,” she shared how women often had to do more with less; the AACW is no different.
“Not only is this still happening but now we have a government that is turning back the hands of time every day,” Mitchell said to amens.
She shared how in Exodus 5:7, Pharoah refused to give the people straw to make bricks; they had to go and gather their own straw.
African-American clergywomen have had to do the same. In seminary, her professor shared their father didn’t believe in women pastors—that is, until that father met a woman pastor who made him realize just how hard females have to work to serve the Lord. That pastor had to climb into a window to unlock a door to the church week after week—and rather than complaining, she kept going.
In spite of great obstacles and sometimes discrimination, Mitchell shared, “Women—much like Israelites and the Hidden Figures and The Six Triple Eight—are expected to do the same as their male counterparts, to preach a word, to give someone hope on Sunday morning, still expected to serve their community, go by the hospital, teach.”
She added, “The South Carolina African-American Clergywomen have been climbing into windows to find our straw year after year, making sacrifices, serving two to three churches, sometimes while caring for children and parents.”
She closed by sharing some basic principles AACW have modeled on how to do this well and with joy, pressing on so their good work is complete:
Be committed to standing on a strong foundation and strong shoulders;
Be committed to God’s vision, not our own;
Be committed to the itineracy;
Be committed to perseverance; and
Be committed to kingdom-building.
“We have got to work to do, and we don’t have time for a pity party,” Mitchell said. “Wherever there are people, there are people in need of a word, in need of Jesus.
“All we need is a heart for Jesus, and God will make a way.”