The Rev. Janie Kirt Morris. Mother Janie was the 6th woman to be ordained to the priesthood in the Diocese of Oklahoma. The priesthood was a second career for Janie as she was a well respected teacher in Norman, Oklahoma for many years and a lay leader at St. John’s Episcopal Church. Janie recalls her discernment process and how she had an inner message from the Holy Spirit urging her to do more with her life. She shares the challenges of raising a family as a single mother while in seminary as well as how her various church contexts handled having a female priest. What I find most compelling about Mother Janie is her calming, strong presence and steadfast devotion to her faith and call. And you will hear that in her voice. Towards the end of the episode she shares some stories of how she ministered to families who didn’t want a female priest to be their rector and ya’ll, her faithful witness of love literally transformed people.
In her retirement, Janie serves on the Board of Directors of Interfaith Alliance of Oklahoma and chairs the Many Beliefs Serving Together committee. She also volunteers her time as a Spiritual Care Provider at Palomar, our Oklahoma City Family Justice Center.