Southeastern California Conference
Shirley Ponder Receives Ordination at Loma Linda University Church
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fter 33 years in ministry, Shirley Ponder — Loma Linda University church associate pastor of pastoral care and women’s ministries — was ordained on Sabbath afternoon, Dec. 19. For many years, Ponder served as associate pastor of children’s ministry at the church.
Jonathan Park, SECC executive secretary, encourages Shirley Ponder for her call to ministry.
Ponder invited her husband, Marvin (also on the LLUC pastoral team), to sing the song “Ordinary People” during the service. It’s a song “symbolic of my ministry and the ministry that I’ve had to other ordinary people,” she said. “Because they did what God asked them to do, they were able to do great things.” Born in Jackson, Mich., Ponder moved with her family to Kansas City, Mo., when she was 7. As a young teen, she helped in her church’s cradle roll Sabbath school — her first experience with children’s ministry. After graduating from Sunnydale Academy, she attended Union College, where she met her future husband, a ministerial student. After their marriage, the couple moved to Berrien Springs, Mich., where Shirley graduated from Andrews University with a Bachelor of Science degree. Marvin then accepted a pastoral call to the Texas Conference. While there, Shirley served as principal of the Wichita Falls church school and taught at Dallas Junior Academy. The couple welcomed son Christopher before the family moved to Nebraska, where Marvin served as Union College campus chaplain. During this time, their second son, Jonathan, was born.
Pastors and colleagues surround Shirley Ponder during the prayer of ordination.
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Until recently, Shirley Ponder served the Loma Linda University church as an associate pastor.
In 1977, the family moved to California after Marvin joined the LLUC pastoral team. “This church is a very gracious church,” said Shirley. “They really love their pastors — that’s been a real blessing. We have such a wide variety of friends who are all different age groups.” After the move to Loma Linda, daughter Jennifer was born.
Shirley Ponder responds at the end of the ordination service and shares how God has journey with her.