Female Supremacy Articles - Page 17

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Woman takes active role in ministry, faith

Rita Root became first female pastor at local Federated Church

Article by: Rasmieyh Abdelnabi - Staff Reporter

Northern Star

Thursday, November 17, 2005

Rita Root always had a desire to be in a religious order. Growing up in the Roman Catholic Church she thought of joining the convent. After discovering a rift between her understanding and the church’s understanding of Christianity, Root left the Catholic Church and began exploring other faith traditions.

When Root’s son, Joel, was about 12 years old he became good friends with the son of a United Methodist Church minister. One day Joel came home and proclaimed he needed more religion in his life. The church was planning a ski trip and Joel was under the impression that only church members were allowed to go. Root called the minister to express concerns about the exclusion. He told her Joel was more than welcome to come and the last thing he said to Root was, "But it wouldn’t hurt you to come to church."

After thinking about it, Root decided to go to church and soon enough became very involved in church activities, going from youth group leader to district youth group leader at the church in Minnesota.

"The way God speaks to me most clearly is through the Christian faith, while I value and treasure the other ways that God speaks because I think God speaks in many ways," Root said.