By unanimous vote, the General Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has nominated an Oklahoma minister with wide-ranging leadership experience to serve as General Minister and President of the 770,000-member denomination.
The Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins, 50, Senior Minister of Disciples Christian Church of Bartlesville, Okla., faces a vote of the Disciples General Assembly in Portland, Ore., at its July 23-27 gathering before assuming the leadership post. If elected, she will be the first woman to serve as General Minister and President.
"I am honored to be the person nominated to lead our denomination during a period of such exciting change and possibility," said Watkins. "As a life-long Disciple, I know our church has a unique, God-given mission for these times - a mission that has to do with the extravagant hospitality of the communion table. We welcome and nurture whoever comes through our doors, and then send those people back out in the world to be and to share the good news of God's love." If approved by the General Assembly, Watkins will be the first woman called to the position.
Watkins’ nomination comes at a time when Disciples face multiple challenges, many of which are related to the long-time decline of the denomination in both numbers and vitality. Observers say she’s well equipped for the job of reinvigorating Disciples around a shared vision and mission.
"I am excited about the possibilities before Disciples with Rev. Sharon Watkins leading us," said GLAD Moderator, David Nickell. "As someone who has witnessed her work first-hand here in Oklahoma, I know Rev. Watkins to be a friend of ALL Disciples - a person committed to a theology of inclusion and acceptance of all who seek fellowship with Christ’s followers. What wonderful news for all of us!"
"Sharon is smart and committed to the church. She has a vision. She's excited. She has experience and will bring a pastor's heart and sensibility to the office of the OGMP," said the Rev. Dr. LaTaunya Bynum, Chair of the Search Committee. Bynum’s committee forwarded a slate of candidates to the Disciples Administrative Committee, which selected Watkins and forwarded her name to the General Board.
"I am enormously pleased with the recommendation of the General Board and believe that the Rev. Watkins possesses the gifts, talents, grace, intellect, and strength to lead our church," said Dr. Charisse Gillett, who serves as moderator the General Board.
Rev. Dr. Wm. Chris Hobgood, current General Minister and President, called Watkins "a very gifted leader and person of deep faith, who calls on God before she does anything else."
Besides experience in congregational pastorates - including Disciples Christian Church, where she has served since 1997 - Watkins has participated in church dialogues on ecumenism, stewardship, worship, Bible study and women in ministry.
Her service to the church covers a variety of the church’s ministries including higher education, membership on the General Board of the Christian Church, Reconciliation, Moderator of her Regional Church, and mission work in the Congo.
Rev. Watkins was ordained in 1984 at Hamden, CT. She earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Phillips Theological Seminary, a master's of divinity from the Yale Divinity School, and a bachelor's degree in French and Economics from Butler University.
Her spouse, the Rev. Dr. Richard (Rick) H. Lowery, is Professor of Old Testament at Phillips Theological Seminary. The couple has two children, Bethany, 21, and Christopher 19.
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