From the Dean
Glenda McDowell is known to many in the All Souls Community. I first met her shortly after coming to the Cathedral. Paths continued to cross in work between St. Matthias and All Souls and in the work of our diocese. In 2007 we shared keynoting for a conference of Lutheran, Episcopal and Methodist clergy (LARCUM) entitled, “The Gift of Conflict.” We talked about how conflict is simply an inherent reality of any community and, as with creation itself, creates a space where trust, self offering and the finding of deeper life is made possible.
Glenda has worked for many, many years in conflict and mediation with The Mediation Center of Asheville and most recently as a conflict and mediation resource person with Asheville City Schools. In the latter she works with young people to learn and practice means of mediation including using students as the main facilitators when real incidents of conflict arise.
What stands out about Glenda are several things: She is pretty fearless. I know as with most of us she is not beyond anxiety, yet she is willing to venture into difficult matters trusting that the folks involved can find a way through what they are facing. She is not naïve about human limitations and our capacity to do crazy and painful things when we are in fear, but she believes in the capacity of the human soul to overcome fear and hurt. She is not afraid to say what she sees and does so in a disarming manner. I think this latter characteristic has to do with an honesty about herself and a lack of naïve pretense about her own virtue. On numerous occasions I have found myself talking with her about issues challenging to both of us while experiencing a deep field of trust. She is also incredibly pragmatic.
Glenda has been in our diocesan process of discernment toward the Vocational Diaconate. She will be ordained at All Souls with another deacon candidate on Saturday, January 21 at 11 a.m. Upon her ordination she will begin a term of deacon internship at All Souls. Her first day with us will be Sunday, January 29. I invite you to be present for both her ordination and her first day with us in order to welcome her to this community.
One of the agreements we have worked out with Glenda and the Bishop is seeing her ministry as not simply something for All Souls but an extension of our cathedral calling. That is, she will visit other congregations in the diocese from time to time to preach and teach as do other members of our staff. It is a way we get to offer our life to the wider life of the diocese. It is also a way in which these visits allow us to experience life in other parishes and bring back to All Souls what we learn from them. These visits and how they have created relationship between All Souls and the other parishes in the diocese is an article in itself. Simply stated, we are grateful she and the bishop agree with and support this understanding of mutually shared resources as part of cathedral ministry. We are grateful for the ways this has generated deepened congregational relationships.
I am excited about what Glenda will bring to us: a hungry spirit, an adventurous being, an expectant soul. She is excited about what she will learn from us. As we sojourn from the season of watching for the birth of the Word made flesh into a season of epiphany and manifestation of that Word in our flesh, she will be a great companion on this journey. I think she will help us continue to grow into what we hold up in our mission statement, ‘where trust is present, risks are taken…’
Peace,