Working Women

[kaffkooks]

I feel so out of place in any church I go to. My husband and I both work part time (me 4 days, him 3 days) so that we both get the benefits of work and family life. Everyone at our church seems to struggle with this and we are both sick of the conversations we have with other Christians about our work/life balance. Then there's my mother-in-law, but that's a whole other thread.....

Why are church events for women knit and natter or baking whereas men's events are on leadership and Christianity in the workplace? I can't knit but would love to go to an event on Christian leadership with other women. Does anyone know of any groups for Christian women who work? Is there anyone else out there who has this problem? How do you cope with it?

Oh I totally relate to this! I have a senior leadership role in business, work full-time, and am a committed Christian. The church I used to belong to drove me bonkers; it was one of the denominations who teach 'headship' of men over women which I had a fundamental problem with, and all of the other women stayed at home while their husbands went to the leadership conferences etc. It was a kind lovely church of well-meaning (if wildly sexist) people, but as a fiesty, capable feminist type I just didn't fit in at all! I decided to move to a large, young C of E church which I am much, much happier in. They of course have women in leadership roles, and are really big on valuing the individual for who they are and what God made them to do. For some this means being in the more traditional wife role - for others like me it means working and leading. I love it! It might just be a case of looking at some other types of church? I still get the odd judgemental attitude for being a working Mummy but it's definitely the minority, and certainly not the view taken by the leadership. There is an organisation called the Christian Feminist Network who do the odd event & have a Facebook group that might be worth taking a look at.

It sounds incredibly sexist. challenge it, turn up at one of the men's events.

Thanks, Dixeychick. It's good to know I'm not the only one! A different church isn't really an option unless we plan to drive for 30 minutes on a Sunday morning which I don't want to do. Also, I can't think of any other church nearby that would be any better! We may well be moving to another city later this year so that might be an opportunity to find a more feminist friendly church. We would be moving for my job, which is the conflict with my MIL as she thinks we should stay put.

Spartacus, my church doesn't do mens and womens events, but I know other churchs that do. I don't think I would want to turn up to a mens event but I have brought up my point to Christians who do go to these sorts of events and no one has ever given me a good reason why they couldn't run a working women's event. I pray that one day chruch events will not be divided along gender lines and shared family roles will be more normal within the church.

New wine do a great conference called women in leadership, it's not just for women in church leadership but leadership in the workplace etc too so might be worth looking out.

I do think it depends on the church. I go to a church where most of the women work full time, quite a few of the mums with v small DC take time out then go back, there is no culture that women should SAH or be ruled over by the menz thankfully.