Two Kinds of Twofer

In the olden days, people in churches sometimes thought they were getting a "twofer" when they hired a married clergyman, because his wife would be an unpaid assistant. The stereotype is that she would accompany the choir, lead the women's group and teach Sunday school. Some clergy wives did that. Some did not.

These days, there is a new kind of twofer: the clergywoman.

Not to disparage the huge assistance my husband and many other clergy husbands give their clergy spouses, but the truth is that clergy women end up doing their jobs and numerous other things that no church would expect (or perhaps even allow) a male clergy person to do.

Case in point today, my Walking Buddy, an Episcopal priest, who made 4 King Cakes for their Epiphany celebration today. You can bet your sweet cheese crepes that her predecessor (a man) never did the baking. His wife might have, but I bet if it happened, it was a lay person.

It's the kind of thing I think about when I'm ironing the church's tablecloths. I wonder if being more public about this reality would make certain churches more likely to hire women. Would that be a good thing?


Let me add as a postscript, however, that this issue makes me feel even more sympathy for single clergy women, as I am deeply aware and grateful for all the ways in which my helpmeet makes my ministry possible. He cooks, he does computer stuff, and he's even taught Sunday school. Very few clergy women are as fortunate as I am.