Rainbow clergy

So if I ask you to picture a class of seminary students at the Presbyterian seminary in Chicago, what would you imagine?

Fifty years ago, that class might have looked like a bunch of white European men wearing beards and smoking pipes.

Today that class looks like a rainbow of diversity. I know, because I spent a day at McCormick Seminary in Hyde Park with other clergy who are supervising seminary interns. When I entered the room, I saw clergy and seminarians who were black, white and Asian; young, middle aged and senior; male and female; gay and straight; Presbyterian, UCC, and Baptist; wearing jeans, wearing dresses and wearing suits.

Our new pastoral intern is Rick Steele, who started seminary at age 60 after a long career in telecommunications. He spent the summer leading a mission trip of 80 people to rural, impoverished Kentucky; teaching Vacation Bible School; and supporting a not-for-profit children's center on the south side of Chicago.

The face of our church leaders is changing as quickly as the face of our culture and society. Both McCormick (Presbyterian) and Chicago Theological Seminary (United Church of Christ) are training a diverse, dynamic, Spirit-led group of students to lead the church into the future.

Let's give thanks for a rainbow of clergy, who will bring God's Word new life! Let's give thanks for our seminaries and their hard work in training clergy for this new world! And let's give thanks for the people -- young and old, gay and straight, male and female -- whom God will call into ministry from our very own congregation. Do you see someone who has gifts for Christian ministry? Let them know. Let me know.

We will be blessed, challenged and transformed by our pastoral intern this year. Get to know Rick Steele. He's been sent to us for a reason.