August 23, 2002 - The Redwood Gazette: Honduras RPCV Gwen Bohlke is new pastor
Peace Corps Online:
Peace Corps News:
Headlines:
Peace Corps Headlines - 2002:
08 August 2002 Peace Corps Headlines:
August 23, 2002 - The Redwood Gazette: Honduras RPCV Gwen Bohlke is new pastor
Honduras RPCV Gwen Bohlke is new pastor
Read and comment on this story from the Redwood Gazette on Honduras RPCV Gwen Bohlke who is the new pastor of the United Methodist Churches in Lake Wilson and Slayton at:
Pastor Gwen's journey*
* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.
Pastor Gwen's journey
Gwen Bohlke has been around. The Redwood Falls High School Class of 1969 graduate has been a nanny in Bethesda, Maryland, an aid to Mayor Marion Barry in Washington, D.C., a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras, and a nurse in Chicago.
Four years ago in Chicago, she still wasn't happy with the way her life was going.
"I was lying in bed one night, and said, 'All right, God, what do you want me to do?' Then the answer hit me: go into the seminary."
It wasn't a completely unexpected answer, somewhat to Bohlke's dismay.
"I've always felt a calling ever since I was a girl, but I never acted on it. There were no female pastors then, no role models, and I just didn't think I could do it."
Then there was the inevitable doubt, "Is it really God talking, or is it just me?"
After years of wandering, the Middle Creek Church alumni came full circle, back to the calling, and back to southern Minnesota. She is the new pastor of the United Methodist Churches in Lake Wilson and Slayton.
During her travelling and gathering of experiences, Bohlke became disenchanted with organized religion, and stopped going to church. "I think my mother did a lot of praying for me when I was in Washington," she said.
It was the loneliness in Honduras that brought her back.
"I was basically alone in the Peace Corps, and church was a way to relate to people. The Roman Catholic Church was the only one in town, and the services were in Spanish, but I never lost my faith."
She has picked up a lot that is useful working as a pastor in rural Minnesota. "I'm very glad I grew up on a farm. When I talk to farmers, they're impressed I know the difference between a cow and a pig."
Seriously, folks, "I picked up the work ethic. As a farm girl in the '60s, I wasn't involved in a lot of school activities. It was more Church and 4-H. People didn't travel as much then - a trip to the State Fair was a big deal. People would just go 'visiting'.
"One of the nicest things about being a pastor is I get to go 'visiting' a lot."
- Joshua Dixon
Click on a link below for more stories on PCOL
Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; What RPCVs are doing
PCOL878
18
.
Gwen,
Rush has been looking for you to help celebrate the 25th year anniversary of PNS. Rachel Start who is the president(elect)works with me now. 7N was moved to 8S about 5 years ago but it's still the same staff and same feel. I have thought of you often over the years and really hope you might be able to come to the celebration on Nov 12th. I will be looking for you!
Annie
Gwen,
Rush has been looking for you to help celebrate the 25th year anniversary of PNS. Rachel Start who is the president(elect)works with me now. 7N was moved to 8S about 5 years ago but it's still the same staff and same feel. I have thought of you often over the years and really hope you might be able to come to the celebration on Nov 12th. I will be looking for you!
Annie
