Evanston, IL – On Thursday, October 26 the Illinois Mennonite Conference Church Life Team, along with Central District Conference Minister, Doug Luginbill and CDC Ministerial Committee member Ardean Friesen (via skype), interviewed Pastor Debra Sutter for ordination at Reba Place Ministry Center.

Debra Sutter is a pastor at First Mennonite Church of Champaign-Urbana, where she has served on the pastoral staff since 2015. She has been a member of the church since 1991.

Following a time of questioning, the team voted unanimously to affirm Debra’s ordination. This concludes a two-year period of licensing towards ordination, which is a season of confirming the initial call to ministry. Debra, the congregation of First Mennonite, and the credentialing bodies of CDC and IMC all confirm that there is evidence of God’s call to ordained ministry in Debra’s life and ministry.

This is a joyful time in Debra’s life, the local church, and the wider church where we celebrate that God calls and equips God’s people to serve God’s church. We recognize that God does this in many ways. One of those ways is the call to pastoral ministry in the church.

An ordination service is planned for November 19, 2017 at First Mennonite Church.

For more information about ministerial credentials within Mennonite Church USA congregations, please read A Shared Understanding of Ministerial Leadership, published by Menno Media.