GREETINGS TO THE LIGHT SHINING PEOPLE OF CHRIST THE KING,
On Jan. 22, Deacon Sally Azar became the first woman ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. "With my ordination," she says, "I hope that not only young women are inspired to pursue theology but that women of all ages who may have wanted to study theology but didn't think it was possible will be encouraged to do so." Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and our synod’s Bishop Amy Current participated in the ordination service, along with 17 of the ELCA's synod bishops and leaders.
Pastor Sally Azar studied at the Near East School of Theology and is a master graduate of intercultural theology in Gottingen, Germany. She will serve the English-speaking congregation at the Church of the Redeemer. She will work to build bridges with the Arabic speaking congregation while working with the youth. She is a council member of the Lutheran World Federation.
Christians are a minority in the Palestinian territories with 47,000 Christians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2017 according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (al-monitor.com, 1/22/23). Most Christians belong to the Greek Orthodox and Latin Catholic Churches which do not ordain women. In the Holy Land, Protestant churches have small local congregations and run schools and hospitals.
Her father, Bishop Sani Azar preached at her ordination. He remembered the times standing together in this church and then recounted her baptism, confirmation and the disruptions she used to cause during service with the people saying, “let her play” with Jesus’ words of welcome for the little children. He has seen her organize the hymn books, light the candles, teach Sunday School, participate in youth work and represent the church in local and international theological meetings.
He concludes with these words, “The bible verse you have selected asks you to Trust in the LORD with all your heart (Proverbs 3:5-6). What does that mean to you? Dear Sally, You’re now the first female pastor in our church. Serving as a female pastor in the church is not different than the service of any other male pastor. You all work for Jesus and not for oneself. You must look after the sons and daughters of the congregation as Jesus looked after the lost sheep. Do not wait for that sheep to come to you. In your service with the congregation, you will have so many doors. Don’t despair if you knock on those doors and they don’t open. Don’t despair if you pray and your prayer is not heard immediately. You have the responsibility of caring for the children, youth, adults, and elderly. The pastor of these people must both accept them as they are and look after them.
When I started my service in this church, I thought I can change many things immediately. In time, I learned that the ways of God are different than our ways. God’s timing is different than our timing. We have an Arabic proverb that says, “People make plans but God is the one who makes things happen”. Pray before you take any act and let God’s will prevail, not your own.”
Bishop Azar proclaimed a message for us all. I give thanks to God for this new door that is open to our brothers and sisters in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and for Pastor Azar. I give thanks to God for all my sisters and brothers that paved the path for my own ordination to Word and Sacrament Ministry. I am thankful for the sacrifices they made so that I can serve in the capacity of ordained ministry. Reflecting on Micah 6, I see the interweaving of justice and sacrifice coming together in Pastor Azar’s call and my own and I am grateful. God makes things happen! And we get to be a part of what God is up to in our world. Thanks be to God!
Bold Inquisitive Belief Loving Expansively,
Pastor Connie Spitzack
