Acknowledgement and Celebration of My Call

Rose Lee-Norman is Associate Pastor of Family Ministry at Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis Minnesota.

When I came to Sanctuary Covenant Church 6.5 years ago I knew it would be a call unlike any other. It was a call that aligned so many of my passions – urban ministry in North Minneapolis, a call to reconciliation and justice, and children and family discipleship, yet I was still so young and new in my calling as a pastor. I have grown and been stretched in many ways  and by many people over the year. In particular was our Senior Pastor Pastor Dennis Edwards who not only acknowledged my call to ministry, but also pushed me further in it. Through his shepherding I have grown in ways I never thought possible. I have conquered almost every ministry fear I had going in to my call and I have felt supported through every step of the way.

Not only does he give me equal and regular opportunities to preach and lead as the other male associate pastors on staff, he has affirmed and uplifted my specific gifts in significant ways. Not long after I began preaching more regularly we co-preached during a church-wide series on reconciliation. As we preached on reconciliation among gender and specifically giftings in the church, he said something that will forever be etched in my mind and my heart. He said that when I am preaching and leading our church he is under my authority and teaching. It is something so simple, yet was and still is so significant. God used that moment and those words to legitimize my call in a very deep way. It wasn’t his approval I needed of my call, but his acknowledgement and celebration of it that made such an impact. His humble and intentional leadership has allowed me to discover my gifts, to make mistakes, to value my calling, and to utilize and strengthen my pastoral leadership. I am thankful for his faithful shepherding and stewardship of my development as a pastor.