Asian American Women on Leadership (AAWOL)

Since the AAWOL sisters started meeting regularly every 2nd Friday of the month, we have seen much growth in our leadership journeys. We celebrated the submission of our collective writing project to InterVarsity Press on April 11th in my backyard. It has been a long journey to finish our project, The Yin and Yang of Leadership: Biblical Characters according to Asian American Women.  I enjoyed serving meals for AAWOL sisters because they devoured my simple home made food. As we shared table fellowship, we developed a tight-knit community and configured all of our God-given gifts. The sheer diversity among the AAWOL women - our personalities and mix of gifts - is enriching! - Young Lee Hertig, Director

Several women in the core group have been promoted at work and have received academic awards:

Debbie Gin: Last year Debbie became the Director and Professor of the Office of Diversity at Azusa Pacific University.  On April 14th 2008 she was doubly awarded at Claremont Graduate University where she is currently enrolled in PhD program focusing on Multicultural Education and Multivocal Identity. The first award was the Tae-Han Kim award, which honors Dr. Tae Han Kim, a graduate of the School of Educational Studies and past president of Kiemyung University in Taegu, Korea. The Award is presented to a CGU student who has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to respect for humanity and culture. The other award was for Excellence in Higher Education. It is granted to doctoral student finalists in the higher education subfield who exemplify excellence in academic studies, scholarly writing, internship experiences, and extraordinary service to students in the higher education program.

Beverly Chen was promoted last year from Assistant Dean of Students to Associate Dean, Student Emotional Health.  AAWOL sisters enjoyed celebrating her promotion as Beverly took us out to a delicious Japanese lunch after our regular meeting.

Kirsten Oh has accepted a position to be the Dean of Students at Claremont School of Theology starting July 1st, 2008. She is also appointed by the United Methodist Church to be a commissioner to the Faith and Order, National Council of Churches starting fall of 2008.

Chloe Sun: The publication of Chloe’s dissertation, entitled The Ethics of Violence in the Story of Aqhat by Gorgias Dissertations 34 (New Jersey: Gorgias Press, 2008). It is in the printer and should be out soon. She will be teaching a course, Psalms and Wisdom Literature, 5/12-5/24, 2008, at the Logos Evangelical Seminary in Paris.

Tita Valeriano is now the Lutheran World Federation Officer for North America. She has moved to Chicago. She helped design the Asian contextualized worship litanies for the Summer Immersion Project (2007) and the ATS Asian and Asian American Faculty Consultation (Dec. 2007).

Young Lee Hertig and Johnny B. Hill organized and coordinated the “Ecumenism from the Margins” consultation at Morehouse College, April 2-3, 2008, during the week of commemorating Martin Luther King’s 40th Anniversary of the Assassination. On April 3rd, she received the award, Morehouse College, Martin Luther King, Jr. International Collegium of Scholars. She was also a plenary speaker at the SCUPE Urban Congress on April 17th.

The women’s initiative of ISAAC invites you to our 2008 “Healthy Leadership Retreat”Peacemaking Inside Out Through Inner Harmony

Facilitated by Rev. Young Lee Hertig, Ph.D

Download Registration Form

Saturday, February 23, 2008 – 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Azusa Pacific University (APU) East Campus, Wilden Hall, 2nd floor

If we do not understand that the enemy is within, we will find a thousand ways of making someone ‘out there’ into the enemy, becoming leaders who oppress rather than liberate others.
-Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
-Proverb 14:30

We are living in a broken world caught in relationship webs. Brokenness and woundedness permeate our lives and perpetuate alienation, leaving us disconnected internally and externally. We express our lives at the level of our wounds, not our wishes. Therefore, experiencing one’s inner peace precedes outer peacemaking. Peacemaking inside out seeks to connect the broken self through inner harmony. Inner harmony integrates emotional, physical, mental and spiritual aspects of self. Through the demonstration of toolboxes for processing personal journeys, the retreat seeks to enhance Asian American female leadership for various ministries. This process results in peacemaking-from the inside out-and leads to joy, the empowered self, the loving of oneself and others. Inner harmony takes active processes, being connected with God’s grace within and becoming the person we were created to be: a joyful and creative being, free to live and love.

Contact Young Lee Hertig for more information

.-.-.-.tear off & return with payment-.-.-.

REGISTRATION FORM
Name:_______________________________ E-mail:____________________________
Address:_____________________________________________________________________
Cell phone: ( )_______________________ Other phone: ( )__________________
Emergency contact name: ____________________________________________
Relationship: _____________________
Emergency Contact Phone: ( )_________________

Cost:

[ ] $40.00 by February 11, 2008
[ ] $60.00 after February 11, 2008

Mail completed forms to:

AAWOL, c/o 117 La Paloma,
Alhambra, CA 91801

Please make checks payable to: ISAAC, and write AAWOL in the memo

Participation agreement/liability waiver:
I agree to participate in the programs, abide by university regulations, and attend all stated meetings and services. I understand that this is a Christian retreat and the hosts, at any time, reserve the right to release me if I choose not to comply. Expenses for this will be charged to me. I voluntarily assume all risk and responsibility for my physical condition and for any injury or damage to my person or property that I might sustain. I voluntarily release and discharge ISAAC, AAWOL, its directors, officers, employees, or agents for any injury or damage to my person or property due to negligence, carelessness, or any other fault. It is further understood that this waiver, release and assumption is binding on my heirs, personal representative(s), legal representative(s), successors, and assigns. With my signature below, I acknowledge that I have read this waiver, release and assumption of risk and fully understand its terms, conditions, and meanings.

Signature:_________________________________________________________ Date: ______________________

Download Registration Form

CALL FOR PROPOSALS
From the Association of Asian American Studies list

Asian American/Asian Research Institute
CUNY CONFERENCE ON ASIAN AMERICAN WOMEN
Celebrating Successes, Meeting Challenges

Friday, May 16, 2008
CUNY Graduate Center – Elebash Recital Hall
365 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York

Deadline for Proposals: Friday, January 18, 2008

Click here for more information

October 30, 2007

Dear Asian North American Sisters,

What a blast to have 30 some APNA women in one room! We are truly grateful that you all gave up your Friday evening and drove through traffic to be with us. Your feedback was tremendously insightful. We were inspired by your enthusiastic support for our work together.

We wish we could have listened to all your stories in your leadership journeys. In fact, we cannot wait till we see you all again. So, we are gearing up to host a one day retreat in February 2008. Most likely it will be from 9:00am-5:00pm Saturday event.

Meanwhile, we’d like to survey your interest and gifts so that we may incorporate your God-given talents to move forward with AAWOL’s top mission—mentoring through sharing our journeys across diverse Asian backgrounds and generations. Your ASAP reply would be of great help in planning for our upcoming retreats.

Once again, thank you so much for your time and expertise you so graciously offered to us. Let us keep on plugging and plowing along the exciting journey ahead.

With much appreciation,

Young Lee Hertig,
On behalf of AAWOL Sisters

* * * * *

Quick Survey (Interests and Gifts)
AAWOL
October 30, 2007

Name:

Address:

Email address:

Tel:

1. What do I expect from AAWOL?

2. What gifts do I bring?

3.  What interests do I have?

4. What level of commitment do I want to make regarding AAWOL’s mission?
Please return to Young Lee Hertig

Writers’ Feedback Gathering
Friday, October 26, 2007
4:00 – 8:00 pm
Catalyst, Fuller Theological Seminary

Unlike our male counterparts, Asian American Evangelical Women (AAEW) of each generation often find ourselves lacking a safe space and role models, causing us to resort to a perpetual pioneering state. Internalizing extreme belief systems of the East and the West, and integrating them with Christianity, many AAEW leaders face extreme pressure, stress, and alienation leading to burn out and depression. Feeling trapped by the triple pressure of familial, ecclesial, and social expectations, AAEW leaders often experience exhaustion. The challenges from male hierarchy and, due to internalized sexism, even women in our congregations oblige AAEW to function like modern day Bible women.*

As a response to such needs, Asian American Women on Leadership (AAWOL) was organized in 2005 as an initiative of the Institute for the Study of Asian American Christianity. The central purposes of AAWOL are to nurture and support AAEW in various ministries (see attached brochure). AAWOL’s main objective is to empower AAEW leaders through a nurturing community, promoting wellness (i.e. spiritual, emotional, and physical health) and holistic development of women leaders. As a way to encourage and empower other AAEW leaders, AAWOL’s core women decided to tell our stories, highlighting the connectedness we have experienced with specific biblical women. We invite your honest and critical feedback as we seek to portray the collective experiences of AAEW leaders. The following is a brief description of each chapter that we hope to share with you on October 26th. We look forward to a wonderful time of connecting and mutual sharing with you.

Yours in Christ,
AAWOL sisters

* Young Lee Hertig, “Without a Face: The Nineteenth Century Bible Woman and Tweintieth-Century Female Jeondosa,” In Gospel Bearers, Gender Barriers. Ed., Dana L.Robert, Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2002, Pp. 185-199.

For more information, contact Young Lee Hertig.

The Yin and Yang of Leadership: Biblical Characters According to Asian American Women

Introduction: Rev. Young Lee Hertig, PhD, The First Presbyterian Church, Altadena

Chapter One: “Subversive Banquets of Vashti and Esther: Bucking and Milking the System” (Rev. Hertig). By examining two Queens, Vashti, and Esther, this chapter will explore how Asian American women’s narratives converge with both Vashti and Esther. Examining one without the other will not do justice in understanding the systems they faced and to which they responded. There is a time to say “no.” and a time to say, “yes,” not one or the other. “Yes,” will not be meaningful when women are forced to be constantly obedient. Similarly, many contemporary AAEW women feel silenced and they need to break the silence for their own well being so that they can serve the community better.

Chapter Two: “Bathsheba: Breaking the Silence” (Chloe Sun, Ph.D.) I see myself on the way to transformation. That’s why the character of Bathsheba appeals to me. Bathsheba is a passive, voiceless figure in 2 Samuel 11, but turns into a more active character in 1 Kings 1. Her character transformation can be traced through these following movements: passive to active, silence to voice, maintaining the status quo to challenging it and from being on the margin to becoming influential. I hope through this in depth look at her process of transformation, it will help other AA women shine.

Chapter Three: “Casting My Lot: Can My Soul Look Back?” (Rev. Kirsten Oh, M.Div.) In Lot’s wife I see loss, compassion, heart, feminine quality, struggle and anger. Recalling my own departure from Korea at age nine, I looked back at my grandmother whom we left behind. I wonder when is looking back not good, or healthy? I will explore why God turned Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt.

Chapter Four: “Hannah: I Will Never Be The Same Again.” (Grace Choi Kim, Ph.D. candidate). Hannah displays patience and strengths through intense prayer as many Korean American women do. Her story resonates with our mothers and grandmothers who carry tremendous “HAN” from societal pressures and burdens, but demonstrates tremendous courage, faith, and devotion to God.

Chapter Five: “Living in the Tension of Mary and Martha” (Beverly Chen, M.S.W.). I identify with both the biblical characters of Mary and Martha. They represent different pulls that I often find myself in personally, professionally and spiritually. These pulls involve the call to serve and perform versus to receive and rest in God, the expectations of meeting cultural and familial roles/demands versus acknowledging my own individual needs and desires and the tendency to focus on outward ministry versus inwards spiritual formation. These tensions can also be in seen in the church context. It is in the midst of living within the tension that I am experiencing more of the grace of God who shows me the spiritual rhythm that allows for a balanced and abundant life.

Chapter Six: “Woman At The Well: Fill My Cup, Lord” (Rev. Tita Valeriano, M.Div.). Jesus’ strength of radically breaking down the walls of racism, sexism, classism, regionalism, and religion was done in a yin-ish manner of vulnerability. His vulnerability comes not from the ego but from the depth of a living well within. The Samaritan woman’s life transformed radically through the dialogical encounter with Jesus at the well who offered living water. She becomes the woman she is created to be when she ran into town and testified. I desire to bring the living water to the many Asian American women leaders whose potential have been buried and yet need to be reclaimed.

Chapter Seven: “Priscilla: Free From Labels or Titles” (Rev. Melanie Mar Chow, M.Div.). I relate to the testimony of the ministry couple Priscilla and, husband, Aquila, who served freely without titles. Both have the affirmation of the Apostle Paul, calling them co-laborers. Their unique testimony recognizes God’s provision in their service as tentmakers that enabled them to do ministry and empowered them to take risks for the sake of the gospel, without the burden of needing provisions.

Chapter Eight: Ruth: “Widening the Margins: A Woman’s Passage to Identity” (Deborah Gin, M.Div. M.Mus.). Those who are born and live outside of mainstream culture typically cope with marginalization either by narrowing the margins (i.e., fully adapting to the dominant group’s values, norms, and prescribed roles) or by maintaining the margins (i.e., passively interacting only within one’s own culture without engaging the dominant group). Another option involves widening the margins, finding one’s voice and getting those in the mainstream to make room for new values, norms, and roles and making the space in the margin count for more. Through the Ruth narrative, this chapter describes the journey to identity she experienced as well as a model of leadership she demonstrated for those in the margins.

Chapter Nine: “Elizabeth and Mary: Working In Harmony” (Joy Hwang, M.Div. student) Internalized sexism plagues women’s relationship with each other. Often in church setting, women challenge other women in leadership. Elizabeth and Mary’s beautiful relationship models how women can empower each other. I want to highlight the forging of sisterhood among AAEW church women.

Professor Chloe Sun teaches Old Testament at Logos Evangelical Seminary in Southern California. She was a panelist during ISAAC’s Summer Immersion Program 2007 visit to the contemporary Chinese Christian context. Here is her presentation, an impassioned call for the Chinese church to more publicly affirm women in ministerial leadership. - Tim Tseng

Against Overwhelming Odds: Chinese Women in Ministry
Dr. Chloe Sun, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of OT
Logos Evangelical Seminary

Looking back at my journey as a Chinese woman in ministry, I can summarize it in one word: challenging. So, I entitle this presentation “Against Overwhelming Odds: Chinese Women in Ministry.” I will be speaking primarily from my own personal experience, but I hope my experience will serve as a mirror reflecting other Chinese and Asian American women’s experience in ministry.

Cultural Identity

Let me start by sharing my social location and the struggles that I face as a Chinese woman, both in academia and at church. I am an ethnic Chinese. But since my grandmother is half Vietnamese and half Chinese and my parents were both born and raised in Vietnam, I have some Vietnamese heritage, although I’ve never been to Vietnam nor speak the language. I lived in both China and Hong Kong before I came to the U.S. and I am fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese. So, the term “Chinese” itself encompasses a diverse background.

Because of this diversity, I struggle with my cultural identity. I am no longer a first generation immigrant because I have embraced the American way of life, but I am not quite an American because the Americans always see me as a “Chinese girl.” Within the Chinese context, I am closer to the second generation culture yet not totally belonging to that culture. I am always in the state of “in-between-ness” wherever I go, but I am not a 1.5. I think the acculturation process depends on many factors and not just the age we come to the U.S.

It’s been a struggle to teach at a first generation setting during the week and minister to the second generation at church on weekends. On Sundays, I worship God with contemporary music and on Monday mornings, I sing traditional hymns at our prayer meeting at the seminary. I am shifting cultural gear every week, going back and forth, not feeling like I totally belong to either the first or the second generation culture. Although I can read and write in Chinese and English, neither of them is perfect. This state of “in-between-ness” has been disconcerting.

Ministry Identity

I received the call to ministry during my sophomore year in college, so, I went straight to seminary right after college to pursue an M.Div. In several classes, I was the only Chinese woman. However, when I was single, there seemed to be plenty ministry opportunities. I could serve at a local Chinese church as a woman minister (of course that depended on many factors), or work in a para-church ministry on campus, or as a missionary overseas. But then after I got married to another seminarian, things became different. I was no longer perceived as a minister in my own right, but as a spouse of a seminarian and later as a pastor’s wife. I remember when my husband and I were at Dallas Theological Seminary, whenever we visited different churches, people always paid attention to him, asking him, “what year are you in seminary?” “Have you worked with the youth?” And they simply ignored my presence.

The idea of pursuing a Ph.D. arose not only because of my interest in theological education, but also because of the dilemma I was facing: If I wanted to retain my own ministry identity, then I needed to have a different ministry than my husband’s. If I wanted to stay with my husband at one church, then I would become a buy-one-get-one-free pastor’s wife, since it is very rare for a Chinese church to be willing to have both husband and wife on staff, paying two salaries. Pursuing a Ph.D. seemed like the best possible option to have my own ministry and to stay at the same church with my husband. Another drawback of marrying someone who is also in ministry is that the wife tends to follow the geographical location of her husband’s ministry and not the other way around whereas a single woman can go anywhere she wants.

Not all Chinese women who are called to ministry are interested in pursuing a Ph.D., considering the time it takes, the cost it involves and the turmoil it brings. Some of my married Chinese woman students who graduated with an M.Div. who felt called to their own ministries, ended up serving alongside their husbands as spouses only and taking care of kids at home. Some still cannot find a ministry position at Chinese churches after years of graduation. Some are doing clerical work at Christian organizations. The ministry paths for Chinese women are very limited.

In general, Chinese churches prefer hiring male pastors. Many denominations such as Southern Baptist and Chinese Missionary Alliance still hold conservative views about the roles of women in ministry. Even though my own denomination (EFC) supports women in ministry and approves of women’s ordination (we even have a few women who function as senior pastors), the reservation for women as pastors still persists among pastors and church members. The lack of positions at church open to Chinese women is disempowering.

The lack of support for women as pastors can come not only from the church but also from parents. My parents never approve of my seminary education or my ministry at church. In fact, it wasn’t until I started teaching as a professor that my dad told me “finally, you are more ‘normal.’”

Race/Gender/Age Issues

Ministry and theological education are largely male-dominated. When I was at American seminaries, both my race and my gender stood out because there weren’t many Chinese women around. Naturally, finding role models was difficult as well, which often resulted in loneliness. At the American seminaries (excluding DTS), race is more of an issue then gender. People always asked me where I came from. Some minority students were treated differently from the white students. At the Chinese seminary, gender seems more of an issue than race.
In regard to gender, most of my male colleagues keep a friendly distance from me – reminding me of my “potential danger” to men as a woman. In terms of temperament, as a Chinese woman, if I were tough and outspoken, I would be perceived as a roaring, defensive “lioness.” If I remained silent and gentle, I would be considered a “cute little lamb” but would have less credibility to influence. I am yet to find a Chinese woman in ministry who has the toughness of a lioness and the softness of a lamb.

Age is another issue. Grey hair is still a symbol of wisdom in the Chinese culture. When an older Chinese pastor or professor speaks, he seems to gain instant respect. But for a younger female, I have to make extra effort to earn my respect. In Chinese culture as in most Asian cultures, it seems “safer” to be an older woman in ministry. One of the Chinese pastors once told me, “If I want to hire a woman on staff, I will hire an older woman so no one would say anything.” It is also “safer” for Chinese women to serve as a children’s director or a Christian Education director as opposed to senior pastor. But then not all women have the calling or gifts to work with children or youth. Again, the ministry path for Chinese women is very limited.

Balancing between Ministry and Family

Another struggle that I face as a Chinese woman in ministry is the juggling between multiple roles, particularly between family and ministry. I think this is true for most working women. When Tim Tseng asked me to be on the panel tonight, the first thought that came to mind was “I need to find child care for my son. I need to check with my husband’s schedule and with my in-law’s schedule.” Only then could I consider the possibility of accepting this engagement. And there is always a guilty feeling whenever I leave my child to another care-taker. Men can have both family and ministry at the same time, but it is often difficult for most women in ministry.

For single women in ministry, many of my Chinese women students are in their 40s and still single. What are the chances for them to be married? Very few Chinese men would want to marry women in ministry, especially when these women are over 40.

Physical limitation is another issue. Pregnancy, taking care of young children, menopause and decreasing energy level affect our effectiveness during certain seasons of our ministry experience.

Conclusion:

To conclude, as Chinese women in ministry, the odds are against us – from outside factors and from within.

Regarding outside factors, Paul’s statements that women should not preach or women should not have authority over men are still etched deeply into the minds of Chinese Christians. The predominant preference for male pastors, the judgmental attitude from those who hold conservative view against women in ministry, the lack of ministry opportunities for Chinese women at church, the lack of role models, the lack of parental support, all contribute to the odds from outside.

From within, our own struggles with cultural and ministry identities, with multiple roles, with balancing between family and ministry, between being a “lioness” and a “lamb,” our physical limitations and the sense of loneliness that we are on our own all add to the challenge as Chinese women in ministry.

I can’t help but ask God, “Why are you calling us, the marginalized of the marginalized, into ministry?” I think God is doing something unconventional by calling Chinese women into ministry against the cultural norms and traditional expectations. Perhaps God is challenging all of us to break our own stereotypes for Chinese women in ministry and to seek for a better alternative to welcome and to support them for the common good.