There is a Graham Kendrick song that says "I want to be history maker, I want to be a world shaker" and whilst I kind of get what it tries to say, viz, "I would like to play my part in the in-breaking of God's Kingdom of Shalom" (which hardly makes for a snappy little ditty does it?), my instinctive reaction to it has always been 'no I don't, I'm happy enough just to be part of the 'crowd of witnesses' (ok, pedants, cloud).

Anyway, this week sees the 15th Anniversary of some history makers in Wales including my blogging-buddy Perpetua who was one of the first women ordained priest by the Church in Wales... see her reflections here.  Now I am pretty sure that neither P or any of her 'cohort' woke up one morning and thought 'I want to make history' let alone 'I want to make history thus' but do so they sure did.  I love the photos she has posted, ear to ear smiles that radiate through the ether...

In those fifteen years of faithful ministry, quiet and unobserved by the fame-machine, I wonder how it has been for these pioneer-sisters?  The anxious times, the sad times, the lonely times, the wonderful times, the privileges, the challenges, the doubts, the questions, the highs, the lows, the thrills, the new insights, the glimpses of grace...

I find it all rather bewildering that I, too, am a history maker, a flawed, inadequate, competent, hardworking, anxious, laughing, learning, growing... etc etc disciple of Christ who, it seems, God trusts not to foul up big time in the task of pioneering sole female Baptist pastorates in Scotland.

On Saturday I will be dancing (metaphorically) as I attend the ordination-and-induction of another woman Baptist minister in Scotland.  Alas, the second 'sole charge' woman is still a pipe dream, but God has this sneaky habit of calling women and leading them into ordained ministry.  I hope by the time (DV) I reach 15 years since ordination (only 7 to go!) women sole charges in Scottish Baptist churches will be a lot less pass-remarkable.

God bless you P in your continuing ministry, and F as you are formally recognised and commissioned.