In 1985, Moray Loring Kiehl, Lois Illingworth and MyCherie Zimmermann started a support group for women clergy in the Columbia area. These three women thought this group would give the clergy a chance to speak about life and learn from one another.

“We discussed the whole range of issues that the church confronts in today’s society,” said Kiehl, retired minister of First Baptist Church. “Trying to help the members of our congregation to be true to their particular faith.”

Kiehl, 88, was the director of Christian education at First Christian Church for nine years until she became the associate minister at First Baptist Church in 1969. She served as the associate minister there for 17 years. Illingworth, who died earlier, was the pastor at Oakland Christian Church. Zimmermann, who moved to Kansas, was the pastor at Red Top Christian Church in Hallsville.

Kiehl said that in the 1960s or 1970s, the churches were mostly lead by males. When women began holding positions of leadership, it was the beginning of the new era. Not all people in the congregations agreed that women should be leading faith communities. She said the women could help support each other through this group.

“It helped women deal with some of those issues together,” Kiehl said.

In the beginning, this support group had around eight to 10 women who met twice a month. Kiehl said the group discussed the joys and concerns of their work and personal life. Twenty-three years later, the group still meets.

“We would have a brown bag lunch and just talk about what was going on,” said Maureen Dickmann, the pastor of Rock Bridge Christian Church.

Dickmann, who learned of the meetings from Kiehl, has been the pastor at Rock Bridge for 20 years. Dickmann said the women would talk about anything in the meetings.

“I can remember one thing that was real fascinating was when a Benedictine sister here was elected prioress of the Benedictine monastery,” Dickmann said. “I remember her talking about the whole discernment process she went through.”

The discussions are not always about work.

“We would laugh a lot and cry sometimes,” Dickmann said. “It was really meaningful to a lot of people.”

Kristin Powell, the current coordinator of the group and minister at the Unity Center, said the meetings are now once a month at the Unity Center and attendance fluctuates. Anywhere from three to 12 women are involved.

Powell said the group has recently been talking about domestic violence. In its November meeting, the group had guest speakers from TheRaveProject.com, whose goal is to teach religious leaders how to approach families affected by domestic violence. Powell said attendance has been highest in the months with special guests.

No matter the attendance, Powell said it is helpful to interact with those outside of her denomination.

“This has opened up my horizons to meet people from different denominations to see how they are doing things and get ideas,” she said. “It can open up the community to new experiences.”

This support group also brought personal help to the clergy. Although it has not been Powell’s personal experience, she said this support group is important because it can help women who feel outnumbered by men in their own ministry. She said it is a relief for these women to be around others they can relate to personally and professionally.

Dickmann said some people in the ministry can feel lonely and this group helped open a line of communication for these women.

“It was a support group just like any other support group,” Dickmann said. “You know you’re not alone and you’re not crazy. Maybe you are crazy, but at least you’re not crazy alone.”

Powell agreed: “It can be a job that leaves you with sometimes limited options of who you can lean on if you have something going on personally. I am developing relationships with women that I feel like if I needed to, I could lean on.”

Powell said that camaraderie is harmonious for the congregation and clergy. “Whenever you have a spiritual leader who is taking care of themselves, you have a congregation who is better served.”