by Ebby Watkins
During May, which is National Women’s Health Month as well as the month of Mother’s Day, you will see something new at St. John’s: ten framed images on display around the sanctuary (the worship space). The collection is called, Behold, Women of Light. Its accompanying brochure begins:
Welcome, fellow seekers, to a display of courageous women—icons, images, and stories—from antiquity through modern times.
We invite you to open your hearts and minds to them, to see the light they have brought to our world with God’s love.
Through them, may you find a path of greater closeness with God.
This thoughtful and beautiful collection has been brought from idea, through planning, and finally into fruition by parishioners Lynn Hartmann and Kathy Brown. If that process sounds a little like having a child (from conception, through gestation, into birth) that’s not a coincidence. “We are all walking around pregnant,” says Kathy, “pregnant with possibilities!”
That potential to bring about new life and change—traditionally represented by mothers yet present in every human being—is something Behold, Women of Light is meant to celebrate. “The world right now needs good mothering,” says Lynn. Jesus himself was “the ultimate caregiver”; in the gospel of Luke he is likened to a mother hen. By focusing on stories of inspiring, spiritual women, “we are not excluding anyone. We are bringing out the mother in each of us.” She notes how some prominent figures in American politics have recently claimed empathy is the cause of worldly problems. The push to devalue and demean caregiving values ends up disproportionately silencing women. The courageous figures in Behold, Women of Light were also silenced, oppressed, and multiply marginalized, “and look what they did. We feel privileged to share their stories. We hope these heroes can inspire us for what’s next.”
“We are lifting up all women,” Kathy says. “We recognize that all women have power, they ARE powerful, they have moved through their lives and blessed those around them.” Again and again throughout the stories of Behold, Women of Light, this power to create change shows up in two seemingly contradictory yet coexisting forms. All of these women were strong and courageous humans, yet at the same time their successes came by letting go of control and letting the Lord work through them. Again, the parallel to childbirth comes up. Like going into labor, Kathy says, “it’s so visceral, you can’t stop it! These women let go of control. And then they were unstoppable.” She adds, “Each of these women’s stories started with ‘just’ them but the ripples they created grew as big as the world. That means our ripples are big, too!”
Those lessons—these women couldn’t be stopped; that means we can’t be stopped— are why it’s important to share these stories. “We want to get this imagery out there for young people,” says Lynn. “In our church stories and imagery, we don’t hear about women as much.” But it doesn’t have to stay that way. “At St. John’s, there’s receptivity and hunger for women’s perspectives.”
“It’s so refreshing, so enlivening, so liberating,” Kathy adds. And in future years, there will be more stories and images of holy women to share. “This is just the beginning.”
In addition to the display in the church, you can see and read about all ten women here on St. John’s website.
Kathy and Lynn express their thanks to the communications team, Chris Tegler, Craig Lemming, and Jered Weber-Johnson for all the continued support for this project, and their gratitude to members of the Women’s Group who provided excellent suggestions about women who should be included in the exhibit, and their images.
