Hillary Watson Affirmed for Ordination

Lombard, IL – On Tuesday, January 23 the Church Life Team (CLT) of Illinois Mennonite Conference (IMC) affirmed Hillary Watson, associate pastor at Lombard Mennonite Church, for the credential of ordination. Hillary is now an ordained minister within Illinois Mennonite Conference and Mennonite Church USA.

L to R – Anne Munley, Doug Roth, Michael Danner, Hillary Watson, Curt Fenton, and Melissa Bietler

Hillary’s ordination is the culmination of a 4-year process. During the last four years, Hillary was active in ministry. Her call was tested and her gifts were demonstrated in the church community. Her call was confirmed and her gifts were affirmed.

Ordination candidates prepare a written response to questions about their faith, theology, spiritual disciplines, leadership, and Anabaptist witness. The candidates responses serve as the basis for the interview. The CLT reports joy in reading Hillary’s writing and engaging her in substantive discussions sparked by her journey.

Michael Danner, of IMC, says, “I look forward to seeing how God will continue to use Hillary’s gifts and passion for others in ministry.”  Please pray for Hillary as she lives into this calling. A celebration is being planned by leaders at Lombard Mennonite Church.

The IMC Church Life Team consists of Anne Munley, Doug Roth (chair), Charlotte Lehman (absent for this interview), and Curt Fenton. Michael Danner, Conference Executive Minister, also participates in credentialing interviews.

To learn more about the ordination process and what ordination means within an Anabaptist/Mennonite context, read A Shared Understanding of Ministerial Leadership, available at mennomedia.com

IMC and CDC Ordain Debra Sutter

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.