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Women's Ministries

Mural Project

The mural displays an affirmation of the rich spiritual gifts of woman as bestowed upon them by their creator, revealed through human history, and through their contributions to the sacred fabric of Judeo-Christian civilization.

LEAH(fl. 1700 B.C., Hebrew)

Leah was the niece of Rebekah, sister of Rachel, mother of Dinah, and the first daughter named in the Bible. She married Jacob and had seven children. Her sons went on to be major figures in the development of Judaism, and her story, though bleak, is meant to illustrate the importance of all mothers in Jewish life.

MIRIAM (fl. 1575 BC, Hebrew)

Miriam, the sister of Moses, was a prophetess, teacher, and leader of the Jewish people. While Moses led the men of Israel to freedom, Miriam guided the women.

MARY MAGDALENE (1st century, Jerusalem)

Mary Magdalene was one of the first women to follow Jesus. She was closely associated with him throughout his ministry. She is often portrayed as a woman with low morals, but there is no statement in the Bible to defend that assertion. Some say that she is portrayed as such as a contrast to Mary, the mother of Jesus. She represents women who are steadfast in their faith.

JUDITH (6th C.C.)

Judith was a very devout, learned, and courageous woman whose story is told in the Book of Judith which is not in the Protestant Bible. It is in the Apocrypha, which is not in the Authorized Version of the Old Testament. The Book of Judith is presumed to have been written in order to inspire the Jews to acts of heroism. The Jewish army of the time was weak and unable to act against the Assyrians who held and persecuted Jews as slaves. Judith prayed for strength and took vengeance on their Assyrian enemies. She is credited with assassinating the Assyrian general Holofernes in order to save her people.

HILDEGARDE OF BINGEN (1098-1179)

Hildegarde of Bingen was one of the greatest and most original thinkers of medieval Europe. She was an abbess, scientist, leading medical woman, scholar, musician, composer, political and religious leader, and visionary. Her writings are among the earliest important mystical works of the Middle Ages.

QUEEN ESTHER (fl. 475 BC, Hebrew)

A beautiful Hebrew woman who became Queen of Persia. When the king of Persia chose her to be his queen, he did not know that she was a Jew. After their marriage, he issued a decree ordering the massacre of the Jews. She told the king the she was Jewish and eventually convinced him to not only reverse his order, but to pass a law allowing the Jewish people the right to defend themselves against their enemies. The holiday of Purim is celebrated in Esther’s honor

DEBORAH ( fl. 1351 BC, Hebrew)

The only woman of her time to possess political power by common consent of the people and the sole woman judge mentioned in the Scriptures. She was considered to be a prophetess before prophetic functions were given to Samuel. She collaborated with a military man to overthrow the oppressors of the Jewish people. Her prophecy that God would deliver their enemy into the hands of a woman was fulfilled, and to celebrate the victory, the "Ode to Deborah" was composed. She is referred to as the mother of Israel and is thought to have peacefully governed the Hebrews for forty years.

MARY OF NAZARETH (1st century, Nazareth)

Young wife of Joseph and mother of Jesus. She has always been a model for a deeply religious mother.

MARTHA OF BETHANY (1st century, Jerusalem)

According to scripture, she was one of the first women to open her home for the practice of Christianity, preparing meals for Jesus and his disciples.

MARY OF BETHANY (1st century, Jerusalem)

Sister of Martha and another early follower of Jesus. She anointed Jesus feet with oil.

LYDIA (1st century, Macedonia)

A successful business woman in the city of Philippi. Lydia sold purple die, the imperial color of the Romans. An early convert to Christianity, perhaps the first in Europe. Her entire household was converted to Christianity, and her home became a haven for Paul and his followers.

PRISCILLA (1st century, Rome)

An early Roman convert to Christianity. She and her husband traveled with Paul to Ephasus, where they preached and held services in their home. She edited Paul’s letters and was instrumental in having them copied and distributed throughout the empire. She was one of the most influential women in the early church.

MARCELLA (325-410)

Marcella was born into a noble, wealthy Roman family. She was forced to marry early and was widowed while still young. Instead of remarrying, she devoted herself to Christianity. She withdrew from society and transformed her palace into a center for women who were interested in a simple life of purpose. In Marcella’s community, called the Little Church of the Household, women studied religion, the Scriptures, and were educated in the Christian way of life. They traveled and preached, set up religious schools for women, established hospitals, and ministered to the sick and needy.

This African-American woman represents the millions of devoutly religious women who have suffered physically as slave women, were sexually abused by their masters, watched while their husbands, daughters, and sons were sold as slaves never to be seen again. There is neither room nor words in this mural or book to adequately define their suffering and praise them for their achievements.

Through the centuries, millions of Protestant women devoutly worshipped God and supported their churches, but were not allowed to serve in leadership positions. Early Protestant leaders subverted the stories of women who were important followers of Jesus, spiritual leaders of early Christianity, and martyrs for their faith. Women were allowed to speak publicly to both women and men in churches in the nineteenth century and ordained as spiritual leaders in the twentieth century, but their acceptance as equals to their ordained brothers is not complete.

#16

The story of Sojourner Truth exemplifies the fragmented knowledge that remains of the vast oral tradition of women. Born into slavery and illiterate, Sojourner Truth became a brilliant orator who spoke for oppressed people with courageous zeal. Sojourner traveled alone throughout the United States and effectively sang gospel songs and preached sermons to friendly and hostile audiences from 1843 until her death. Her passions included the conversion of prostitutes, the abolitionist movement, women’s suffrage, and racial themes, motivated by her deep spiritual revelations. The body of women’s oral traditions suffers from centuries of exclusion by men in religious, political, and academic positions of power.

JOAN OF ARC (1412-1431, France)

When Joan began to hear voices that convinced her that she would save France. At the age of seventeen she led a small army that defeated the English and her prophecy was fulfilled. Later the English captured her and charged her with witchcraft for wearing male attire, cutting off her hair, and listening to her inner voice rather that to the authority of the Church. She was confined and tortured for three months. Without any legal proof against her, she was burned at the stake. Twenty-four years after her death she was acquitted of all charges.

SUSANNAH WESLEY ( 1669 -1742)

Susannah Wesley was the wife of John Wesley, leader of the original Methodists of the Church England. She raised a large family as her husband traveled, preached, and ministered to the underclass people of England and America. She represents the thousands of patient loving wives of Methodist Pastors throughout the world.

#19

Cassie Bernall was a high school student at Columbine High School. She was one of the students killed in that violent tragedy. Reportedly her assailant asked her, "Do you believe in God?" just before shooting her. She reportedly answered, "yes." Cassie represents all women who, through the centuries, violently lost their dignity, freedom, and lives for no other reason than their faith and vulnerability.

A woman who will represent Native American women whose lives were devastated by European missionaries and conquistadors. Their daughters were taken as wives and mates. Their husbands and sons were killed as savages. Their homes were ravaged and their culture was destroyed. They accepted a new religion and they were banished to unfamiliar lands. Over the years they have suffered discrimination and marginalization in American life.

A woman who will represent the millions of women who were put to death during the time of the witch hunts. Women were overwhelmingly singled-out as became victims of religious persecution by the leadership of the Christian Church. Women were easy targets of uneducated superstitious people who did not have answers to the human conditions of the times. The resolute religious leaders capitalized on the fears of peasants to gain political and religious power.

ANNE HUTCHINSON (1591-1643)

Anne Hutchinson was raised in England, trained in theology by her father, and emigrated to the Massachusetts Colony with her husband and family. She became actively involved in the religious issues of the time. A follower of John Calvin, she organized theological discussions with women, who were not allowed to attend the regular after-sermon debates. Eventually up to a hundred women were meeting weekly to hear Anne’s commentaries and to voice their own thoughts. Anne teachings contradicted the teaching of the church, which required blind submission to its doctrines as was then demanded by a woman’s husband. Anne argued that the Holy Spirit dwelt in everyone. She was brought to trial for heresy, accused of stepping out of her place, of being "husband rather than wife, a preacher rather than a hearer, and a magistrate rather than a subject." She was excommunicated and banished from the colony and sought safety near New York. She and several of her children were killed in an Indian raid.