MARVIA LAWES
REV. MARVIA LAWES
PASTOR OF the Stewart Town circuit of Baptist churches (which includes three congregations, Faith Baptist in Jackson Town, Trelawny; Webb Memorial, Stewart Town Trelawny; and Keith Baptist, Keith, St. Ann)
Rev. Lawes began her formal training in 1995 in preparation for the ministry.
She gave up a high-paying job at Freight Handlers Limited, in Kingston, to answer the call.
Lawes, who would only say that she's in her 30s, grew up in the Baptist church in Linstead, St. Catherine and her mother insisted that church should play a vital role in her upbringing. She attended St. Jago High School in Spanish Town and then pursued business studies.
At Freight, Lawes was a customer service supervisor and was in the middle of a supervisory management course at Institute of Management and Production, en route to a MBA, when she decided to enter the ministry.
"I had my life all planned when I began to sense this pull for God. There was a tug-of-war within me with this accomplished career and God wanted me for full-time service," recalls Lawes.
In 1994 she dropped out of school, quit her job and applied to the Jamaica Baptist Union to be trained as a minister. She was accepted. Graduating in 1999 with a diploma in Ministerial Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from the University of the West Indies, Mona. Last year she completed her Masters of Sacred Theology in Historical Theology at Christian Theological Seminary in Indiana, United States.
But September 2001 was the highlight of her ministerial career, when she was ordained to the Christian Ministry by The Jamaica Baptist Union.
MORE ABOUT MARVIA LAWES
SHE HAS no children and lives in Trelawny with her dogs and cats.
Why she took almost four years to answer God's call ... There were a number of factors to consider. Life wasn't going to be mine forever and as a young woman it's different as you'll become dependent on the church, and giving up that independence was the biggest part for me. But it came with trust in God. I believed that God would have provided a means of support. Plus, I loved my job. But, now I feel that I've done the right thing.
Challenges as a female pastor ... In some instances sexism in the church is not overt. Until certain statements are made and you realise that there are still gender issues and we are not where we assume we are. We are probably much further back than we really think. We really are not addressing these issues.
I have witnessed this through congregations and through college life. For example, sometimes men are baptised before women or women deacons do not conduct baptism in our Baptist churches. This might be linked to the perception that women might be unclean.
Women and authority in the church It is not a written law but by tradition sometimes there is a surrender of authority to men. The chain of command goes: God-man-woman. But who will break this cycle? When we do then liberation will come.
Basically, I say to my colleagues that God has called me, and that men and women should work together in every area of ministry and the ordained ministry is no exception.
Thankfully, it is only a few of my colleagues who have this sexist perception. It's not the position of the entire Jamaica Baptist Union.
Sometimes my close-cropped hairstyle ... creates a problem. Although I find it quite manageable and practical I have to struggle with those in the church who accept long, chemically treated hair but not low-cropped styles.
Styles such as natural twists, braids and cornrows are also not acceptable for some people - although weaves are. The thought seems to be that these styles look too black, backward and country and I have a problem with that. Anything too nappy is not accepted.
UTC has taught me to integrate the various areas of my life.
