[Elsa] Worth didn’t have the resources for the long-term studies required in the medical field, so it was on to massage therapy.
“When I was a massage therapist I was interested in holistic health,” she said. But gradually she realized that’s not what she wanted to focus on either. “Rather than start with physical health first, I was more interested in spiritual health,” she said.
And that led her to Andover Newton Theological School, where she finally felt that she had found her path. She was ordained in 1996 as a Unitarian Universalist minister, part of the church that she started attending in her 20s.
But somewhere along the way, Worth felt drawn to the Episcopal church. She said she was attracted to its traditional approach, which includes communion every week, and the church’s liturgy.
The Diocese of Massachusetts wasn’t taking new postulants, but she had the opportunity to transfer in 2000 when she moved back to New Hampshire. She worked as a hospital chaplain while otherwise staying home to care for her sons. Worth was ordained in 2007 by Bishop Gene Robinson, who made headlines as the first openly gay man in the Episcopalian hierarchy.
Despite what may seem to be a disjointed career path, Worth sees a commonality among her diverse callings. “It seems my whole life has been about healing and feeding, in one way or another,” she said. She also is a take-charge person. “I’m very entrepreneurial,” she said.
This woman’s career path and “vocation” to ordained ministry: yet another snapshot of the decline of The Episcopal Church.
Perhaps the saddest statistics page that I have seen in a while:
http://tinyurl.com/nlplzn .
Attendance is down from 160 ten years ago to about 45. Giving has dropped from over $200,000 to less than $80,000.
Will the massage therapist, holistic healer turn things around?
You are right on the mark, Robroy. And Membersip went from 400 in 2006 to 100 in 2007! Do fools rush in where wise men fear to tread? We shall see. Statmann
I’m wondering if this isn’t the church that was served for several years by the Rev’d Laurie Thompson and his wife Mary, now of Trinity School for Ministry. The left approximately 11-12 years ago for TSM….they certainly have an absolutely faithful understanding of the gospel. That might explain the decline as well.