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to 158 members of the Womâ€" en‘s Auxitiary of the Waâ€" terloo Lutheran Seminary at their annual meeting Wednesday at _ Wilfrid Laurier University. Rev. McGee, a graduate of the _ Waterloo _ Lutheran Seminary, was the guest speaker for the dayâ€"long affair. She held her auâ€" dience captive as she deâ€" scribed what it is like to be the first woman ordained by the Eastern ~Canada Synod of the Lutheran Church in America. By Terry James The old order has been turned down. Life will nevâ€" er be the same again. This was the message Rev Rev. McGee, formerly a native of Minnesota, adâ€" mitted that she often gets tired of being asked what it‘s like to be in her posiâ€" tion but she realizes she serves as a model to other women who are trying to take on more responsibility in their church. ‘"This example of a womâ€" an in the role of pastor is crucial," said Rev. McGee. **The enrolment of women in seminaries has bounded in the past few years," said Rev. McGee. ‘"‘This change will be signiâ€" ficant in the future but we are not there yet. We are in a time of transformaâ€" tion. The young Lutheran minâ€" ister admits that she could have used a model. As a student . in the seminary she never once had a feâ€" male pastor administer the sacrament to her. "I needed this model for myself," said Rev. McGee. "I had a hard time making the emotional jump of seeâ€" ing myself in that role. I knew I could do it but my imagination didn‘t extend that far." > Rev. McGee looks for ward with joy to a time when it is the norm and not the exception to see, a woman participate in all aspects of the church. Graduate of Waterloo seminary EGBK & & ()1 tAR BMW anc Woman minister serving _ ;3 'RmkF Loo ;MQ'&'J‘ as model for others yos &mmmm Kitchenerâ€"Waterioo‘s _ Authorized (Waterloo) Ltd. 15 University Ave., E. * Sales * Service * Parts and Dealer SBRIR\ UIRB some Christian religions do not allow women into the ordained ministry and this hurts her. â€" *"*Women in the church are going to have to be present on â€" boards, committees, church councils and in the ministry. They are going to have to make themselives visible to their congregaâ€" tions," said Rev. McGee. ‘‘My own experience is ‘positive but this is not true for all women." Rev. McGee described her parish in Morrisburg, a community 50 miles east of Ottawa on the St. Lawâ€" rence River. Upon graduâ€" ating from the Waterloo seminary she anticipated a call from a young congreâ€" gation made up of profesâ€" sional people living in the suburbs. When the young pastor received her callâ€" ing from Morrisburg all she could say was "the Spirit moves â€" in strange ways."" Her parishioners make up the oldest protesâ€" tant congregation in Onâ€" tario and most of the memâ€" bers are close to retirement age. ""I kept asking myself, how will people see you? Will there be a problem in counselling â€" sessions beâ€" cause you are female? If I were to get married what problems would I encounâ€" ter?" Rev. McGee controlled her fears and decided that she would just have to be open to each community as she encountered them and keep an open mind. Like most people emâ€" barking on a new career she had her misgivings. ‘*Women are charged with being overly defensive,"~ she said. "We need a sense of humour if we are going to survive and grow toâ€" gether." The pastor soon realized that she was not the only one with fears and uncerâ€" tainties. Many of her paâ€" rishioners were not sure of how they should approach her. The womens‘ groups RIL PAMELA MCGEE, the first woman to be ordained as a Lutheran Pastor in Canada was the guest speaker at the annual meeting of the Women‘s Auxiliary of the Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, on Wednesday. Sept. 28. § were hesitant in asking her to help at functions. After all do you ask your minister to bring a casserole to the pot luck dinner or don‘t On one occasion two of her parishioners called her aside with what they conâ€" sidered to be a serious problem. They didn‘t know what to call her. "I told them my name was Pam and they could call me Reverend or pastor if they wanted but just don‘t ever call me minisâ€" tress or pastoress."‘ How did Rev. McGee beâ€" come involved in the minâ€" istry? As a youth ‘she was involved in the life of her & \t»""°%) New Hamburg & Baden! 60 Huron St., "REACTION®"‘ Home‘g,f Country & Western SMOKEY MOUNTAINEERS THE IMPERIAL Snyder‘s W. Baden Old Tyme Country Fri. & Sat. Home Cooked Meals Available ‘ is just minutes away in Entertainment For Everyone The pastor of her home congregation gave Rev. Mcâ€" Gee a pamphlet on the Deaconess program but he was far from encouraging. It was not until she enterâ€" ed university and became involved in the campus ministry that she became certain of what she really wanted out of life. On May 7, 1976, Miss Mcâ€" Gee became Rev. McGee and took up her calling in ‘*My life at home was not very stable and I looked to the congregation for fatherâ€" ing and mothering," she said. Morrisburg home congregation in Minâ€" nesota. Fabulous New Menu from $1.85 New Winter Hours Thurs. â€" Sat. 181 Waterioo St., New Hamburg "*THIN ICE" NUMBERS 5 p.m. â€" 1 a.m. Fri. & Sat . 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