Merianna Harrelson

I am the Pastor of Garden of Grace United Church of Christ in Columbia, SC and the Director of Consulting at Harrelson.Co. I am always looking for a good cup of coffee and a great book.

Assuming Baptist Women Ministers Are Covered

I’ve recently gotten brave enough to ask some of my female baptist minister colleagues, who have been ministers much longer than I have, what the norm is for salaries and benefits and overall packages for female baptist ministers. Notice I said female baptist ministers, not baptist ministers because unfortunately the norms are not the same. […]

Assuming Baptist Women Ministers Are Covered Read More »

Inactive Churches

I’m reading Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal and ran across this moment of brilliance from the character of Joshua or Christ in Christopher Moore’s narrative: No, action. Contemplation. Steadiness. Conservatism. A wall is the defense of a country that values inaction. But a wall imprisons the people of a country as much

Inactive Churches Read More »

Giving All

For over a year, we have partnered with an apartment complex that helps adults with special needs who have transitioned out of government aid (they are over 21) to learn to live and work independently. The partnership started because the property manager was looking for a way for the residents to have Christmas. What we

Giving All Read More »

Observing Ordination

A week ago, I was privileged to attend Pam Durso’s ordination. As I sat there waiting in the silence for the service to begin, I realized this was the first ordination I had attended as an ordained minister, which brought my thoughts back to my ordination. Although I had read about the ordination process before I

Observing Ordination Read More »