Helen Willison was surprised – and honoured – when her name was put forward to be an Elder at Grace. Women Elders were new at the church, Helen had a full life with three active teenagers, a husband with a busy career, and plans to return to her beloved nursing career through a three-month refresher course at Mount Royal. After a year of thinking and having her name put forward for the third time, Helen figured “God had some plans for me.”
“At the time, all I could think was: How could I do this and take care of everything?” Soon after, Helen came across a greeting card message that read if everything was easy, we would never know how amazing we are. “Grace was just breaking ground with women Elders,” Helen says and two female Elders became mentors. Helen accepted and was ordained 1976. She served as an Elder for 43 years – and also took the nursing refresher course and resumed her career.
Being an Elder “was the highlight of my life,” Helen says. Particular joys included being the first woman on the dais, serving communion to Elders and Ministers, getting to know her district, and publishing Grace’s first pictorial directory.
Service, Engagement, Belonging, Community, and Compassion
Being an Elder involved many tasks that involved sharing time and talent, from attending Session meetings where Helen encountered friendly, kind and professional individuals – men and women – and valued the “collective wisdom of the group.”
It also involved managing a district of 10 families. “I loved getting to know my district,” Helen says. In 1976, visits involved dropping in on people at home. “There were discussions about church and family with people from all walks of life,” she says. “One man always had the Bible on the table and knew it better than anyone.” Another young man spoke of job concerns, while others spoke of beloved little dogs, their children, and friends. Helen walked alongside families as they passed through stages of life, often knowing the children from infancy well into adulthood and beyond. Over time, drop-ins gave way to phone calls as life changed.
Another means of connection was the first photo directory. “It was a way to put faces to names and help people stay in touch,” she says. The project passed to other Elders, including Bob Ermter, and is being revived at this time at Grace for those who wish to take part.
As her experience grew, Helen also became a mentor. One young Elder was taking an online 6 week Elder course through the Vancouver School of Theology (VST). “She asked to have a mentor, and that was me. She would come over to my house and we would talk and it was very interesting,” Helen says.
Advise for Those Considering Becoming an Elder
“Life is busy,” Helen says. For those considering becoming an Elder, she refers back to that same message on the greeting card from years ago: If everything was easy, we would never know how amazing we are. “You may feel too busy, you may not feel qualified, you may wonder if you can do it,” she says. “That card message always sticks out in my mind. We all have it in us to be amazing. For me, being an Elder came with the honour of sharing people’s lives.”
Helen has since retired from active service, but follows Grace worship online. After a visit to Maui with family, she hopes to visit in-person from time to time.
Thank you to Helen Willison for her 43 years of service and generosity in sharing her time and talent. This story is shared in honour of all the service of women at Grace and churches everywhere, in celebration of March 8, International Women’s Day.
