Oxford Circle ordination marks a first for Lancaster Mennonite Conference

Peter M. Sensenig
Interim Associate Pastor
Oxford Circle Mennonite Church

The August 3, 2008, ordination of Lynn Parks at Oxford Circle Mennonite Church, a Franconia Conference Partner in Mission, in Philadelphia is the first official Lancaster Mennonite Conference ordination of a woman. Parks, along with her family, congregation, and the wider church, celebrate a renewed sense of God’s affirmation and calling with this important milestone.

Parks recognized that one of the hardest parts of ministry was taking on the identity of pastor. “For a long time, I would not tell people that I was a pastor but would simply say that I worked at our church,” she said. “Being ordained, for me, is an important part of embracing that identity.”

After a long discernment period the Bishop Board, which oversees all conference credentialing activities, decided in May 2008 to allow diversity within the conference on the ordination of women. Prior to Parks’ ordination bishop Linford King had performed two ordinations in the Lancaster District, Elizabeth Nissley of James Street Mennonite in June 2007 and Janet Breneman of Laurel Street Mennonite in January 2008.

Now Parks joins these women and a growing number of other women being ordained or transferring their ordination credentials from other conferences. They represent the reality of a fresh vision of conference pastoral leadership that includes both women and men.

Philadelphia bishop Freeman Miller officiated over the ordination. “As I have watched her preach, teach, counsel, guide and equip many at Oxford Circle for effective life and witness, my appreciation for her skilled leadership has grown steadily every year. So it seemed only fitting and right, at the request of the congregation, publicly and fully to affirm her gifts in an ordination service,” said Miller.

In his sermon conference moderator Keith Weaver reminded the congregation of their own responsibility to follow God’s leading. Oxford Circle senior pastor Leonard Dow led the service, which included statements of affirmation from fellow ministers and members of the congregation. Church council chair Tim Leaman and Mark Lyndaker-Studer, pastor at Neshaminy-Warwick Presbyterian Church where Parks works part time in pastoral visitation, both affirmed her giftedness. Parks’ husband Vandy, daughter Bethannie, and mother Ann Sawyer also participated in the service.

Dow described Parks as “radical in her patience. In a world today that demands ‘our rights’ now, Pastor Lynn’s love for the church and appreciation for discernment is indeed radical. My prayer is that all within the church can affirm this gift she has given to the church as much as we have at Oxford Circle.”

Parks first felt a call in 1999 as she became increasingly involved in teaching adults during Dow’s first year as pastor. She was praying for God to bring an associate to the church. Her husband Vandy had been the interim pastor the previous year, and she recognized the pressure that Dow was under as the only pastor. “God used all that to increase my interest in becoming more involved in ministry,” said Parks. “And then one day I clearly heard God speak to me that God wanted me to be associate pastor. I ignored that thought for a few weeks but it wouldn’t go away, so I talked to my husband Vandy and he affirmed it immediately. Within a week pastor Leonard Dow also affirmed it and we began the process of discernment with bishop Freeman Miller, our extended family, church council and finally the congregation.”

In eight years of ministry at Oxford Circle, Parks has seen the multi-racial congregation double in size and become increasingly involved in community outreach. The Oxford Circle Christian Community Development Association (OCCCDA), the nonprofit affiliated with the church, is currently in the midst of a major fundraising campaign along with the church to purchase a building that will house a rapidly growing community center doing holistic ministry, as well as a larger meeting space for worship. “Pastor Lynn enthusiastically shares our congregation’s strong passion to combine evangelism and social ministry to transform broken lives,” said Ron Sider, board member of OCCCDA and member of Oxford Circle.

Parks values the role that education plays in equipping for ministry, having recently completed the Master of Divinity degree from Regent University. “Finding time to complete an M.Div. while pastoring was a constant challenge,” said Parks. “I was greatly helped by support from my husband, my extended family, and the congregation. The studying and ministry practice went hand in hand, and I saw my time at seminary as a benefit to the congregation. It is a constant balancing act in trying to prioritize family time, ministry responsibilities and study.”

Parks is much appreciated at Oxford Circle for her leadership training through a program called the Discovery Class and its follow-up two year mentoring program. Practicing what she preaches, Parks continues in a co-mentoring relationship with two women in the church who also gave words of blessing at her ordination. Anita Lyndaker-Studer, executive director of OCCCDA, said of Parks, “Her skills in leadership development and discipleship stand out as a blessing to our congregation. The Discovery Series that Pastor Lynn led has been instrumental for me personally in terms of finding and following God’s call on my life.” Arbutus Sider said of the ordination, “We are grateful that we are celebrating Pastor’s Lynn’s ordination, not on the basis of her gender, but because of her giftedness, calling and affirmation.”

“God has called and equipped me to be a pastor,” Parks said. “Now that is fully affirmed by the church that I serve and that helps me to embrace my pastoral identity and to minister more effectively.” The congregation, the conference and the church continue to rejoice that God is faithful in calling and equipping leaders like Lynn Parks for effective service in God’s mission in the world.

To extend healing and hope in the Oxford Circle community believing that God’s purpose of reconciling all people to Jesus leads us to minister on spiritual, physical, social & economic levels.