Women take the reins at three tall-steeple mainline churches
In quick succession, three women have been chosen to lead historic tall-steeple churches in major cities.
In May, Shannon Johnson Kershner became the first woman solo senior pastor at Chicago’s Fourth Presbyterian Church. In June, Amy Butler was elected senior pastor of New York City’s Riverside Church. And in July, Ginger Gaines-Cirelli began leading Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C.
“For women to speak in those pulpits and speak boldly as public voices in these very public buildings is very powerful,” said Serene Jones, president of Union Theological Seminary, who recently hosted a dinner party to welcome Butler to town.
