b'kindofresponsethattheyshouldhaveandthereSinceshehadalreadycompletedseminary,Bishop werefewseminarytrainedyoungwomenaswell.ReidordainedColemanbothasDeaconandElder So,inpreparationtojointheAirForce,ColemanatthesameAnnualConference.Shewasthen attended chaplain training school.Upon completion,assigned pastor of Bethel AME Church in Laurens, Coleman said she was ready to enlist.However, anSC for one year and then Bishops Memorial AME endorsement from the church was required to serveChurch in Columbia, SC.Coleman considers Bishop in the Air Force.Coleman says she contacted BishopReid to be a brilliant visionary because by selecting I always knew that whatever I did I was going to be serving God because God was number one in my household. Elder Rosalyn ColemanFrankMadisonReid,Jr.,thepresidingbishopforhertopreachatallthoseannualconferenceshe SC at that time, and requested the endorsement. Shewasopeningthedoorforotherwomenministers. was deeply disappointed when he told her he wanted her to serve in the church for one year, after which,After 16 years at Bishop Memorial, in 1996 the late he would give her his endorsement. Despite feelingBishopJohnHurstAdamsappointedColemanto thatshehadtwostrikesagainsther,firstbeingaserveasElderoftheNewberry-Spartanburg(now 23-year-old and second a woman, Coleman acceptedNewberry)District,makingColemanthefirst the Bishops appointment at Bethel AME Church infemaleElderinSC.Sheservedtherefor10years Laurens,SC.Thankfullythingsworkedoutreallyuntil Bishop Preston Warren Williams, II appointed well during the first year and the church really cameherElderoftheGeorgetownDistrict(herhome alive remembers Coleman.After the year, ColemanDistrict).Eightyearslater,BishopRichardNorris saysshereturnedtotheBishopandwascrushedappointed her Elder of the Columbia District where whenhedeclinedtogivehertheendorsementtoshe continues to serve.becomeamilitarychaplainsayingonlythathe needed some good pastors and could not let her go.Colemanaffirmsthattherearemanymorewomen But Coleman later realized why Bishop Reid did notanswering the call to the ministry today, but she feels dowhatsheasked,andsheisgratefulthathesawfew are being given major assignments and positions. something in her that she did not see. Shebelievesthattherearestillthosewhodonot believewomenarecalled.Today,Colemanisthe BishopReidselectedhertopreachatallofthestate advisor and consultant for Women in Ministry. AnnualConferencesinthestate.ShewasthefirstSheencourageswomentobefaithfulandrespond womantopreachattheAnnualConference,andto the call of God on their lives no matter what they shepreachedatthreeevenbeforebeingordained.may encounter. IMARA13'