I was born and raised in Raytown, Missouri, baptized and guided in the Raytown RLDS / Community of Christ congregation. I am a 5th generation member of this church on my mom’s side, so my roots run deep. My parents, Art & Louise Timson, my three sisters and I, were very involved in all activities related to church including reunion, youth camp, Skylarks, Orioles, Zion’s League, and after a move to the PNW, Seattle Stake’s Older Youth / Young Adult program. I was raised with a firm foundation in the church and began to develop a faith and love for God.
When it was time for college, of course Graceland was my choice. I attended for two years and then transferred to Central Washington University. I completed my BA degree in Special Education, and met my future husband, Steve. My first teaching job took me to SW Washington and Steve followed. We were later married and then I earned my MA degree. We raised three fine men, Benjamin, Daniel, and Matthew, and are the lucky grandparents of three amazing kiddos: Emilia (7), and twins Wyatt (4) and Rylee (4). The grandkids live close so we see them often. They love to come to church with Mema when an activity is geared towards children.
God, where will your Spirit lead today?
My spiritual growth began as a young girl at home, through the example of my dad, at Sunday school, and as a camper. I remember, at age 10, sitting in a front pew in my hot church (no AC) and was inspired to write poetry about God’s love for me. Mom was an illustrator for Zion’s Hope, a church publication for children, so she saw to it that my poems were published. Mom got things done! I always knew there was a Spirit of love and support that walked along beside me. As I matured, my understanding of God matured. By high school, the impact of God’s spirit in my life became profound and I was able to bear testimony of its presence. I was fortunate to be mentored by youth leaders who listened and supported me through my successes and my mistakes during my teen years.
After high school, I took a break from church and God and decided I could figure out life on my own. But God didn’t take a break from me. Once Steve and I began a family, I decided I wanted to raise our boys with a strong faith and become part of a church family. We found Southridge in Ridgefield, WA. Eventually, with encouragement from some folks, I became an active member and leader at Southridge. I want to acknowledge the profound influence my friend Cathy Boyer had on me. She saw potential and encouraged me in music and leadership opportunities. I have served as a Sunday school teacher / director, pianist, communications officer, Outreach International representative, and of course a Clark County Fair pie baker! I’ve also served as Priest and currently serve as Elder.
God, help me be fully awake and ready to respond….
Throughout my life, God’s gentle heart has nudged my heart to wake up and notice people living in the periphery of society. Empathy comes easily to me and pushes me to respond! With inspiration and guidance, I have facilitated several mission outreach programs at Southridge. One program was Adopt-a-Room, a ministry to shelter the homeless, through Open House Ministries. I was connected with Family Promise of Clark County and Southridge is now a support congregation for this nation-wide program that provides an evening meal and overnight shelter for homeless families. In the past couple of years a few Southridge folks have partnered with Lutheran Community Services to engage with and support Afghan refugees and for me that has included teaching some to drive! This continues to be a rewarding experience for me. I established a connection with James Recycling and Southridge is currently recycling hard-to-recycle plastics in our annex. Some of these programs have concluded and others are ongoing. God is at work! The newest outreach program that I was inspired to facilitate is inviting kids from within and beyond our congregation’s walls to help them know that they CAN make a difference by showing love, giving hope, sharing joy, and making peace. It’s called Kids CAN Sundays. We are excited to kick this off in October. There is so much work to do!
I have felt this call to Seventy deeply over the past several years, and God reassured me recently that I would, one day, be called to this ministry. I’ve been anxiously waiting. So, when I was presented with my official call this summer at LRCG Reunion, I wasn’t surprised. I knew something was up when a President of Seventy, an Apostle, and a Mission Center President wanted to speak with me. They enthusiastically presented my call and I was elated! Deciding that it was appropriate to “think about it,” I waited a couple of weeks before I said YES!
God, grant me the courage to risk something new…
God is always prompting me forward and pushing me to ponder “what could be.” These ideas motivate me! When I think of my church, Community of Christ, I ponder what it means to risk putting my faith into action and moving out into the world with curiosity; to be like Jesus moving into the periphery, serving those who are underserved and underrepresented. What does that look like? What does that feel like? Do I have the courage? God also prompts me to ponder, where do we encounter the Divine? Traditionally, that’s been sitting in a pew inside a church building, listening to a sermon and singing some hymns. While this can still be a worshipful experience for me, I know there is room for other forms of worship. Jesus didn’t minister from a pew! As we challenge ourselves to try out different styles of worship, I believe that diverse ideas and experiences can make our faith community stronger.
Seventies are primarily ministers of witness and invitation, ministers who promote peace and justice, ministers who build community. These are all the things I love to do. I’m grateful to be a member of Community of Christ because it represents what I believe to be true…a faith community that is open to growth and change with meaningful Enduring Principles to guide us. Let’s envision the future of a blessed and diverse community. I pray for God’s guidance, courage to risk, and your support as I grow into this new ministerial role. Will you walk with me? Let’s do this!
…and become a blessing of love and peace. Amen.
What counts in life is not the mere fact that we’ve lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.
– Nelson Mandela-