by Elise Mattiske
Jordan Moore first sensed a call to ministry when she was a teenager, and that call has continued to grow through each season of her life – from youth group and camping ministry to living overseas, theological study, motherhood and serving her congregation.
Now living in the northern suburbs of Brisbane, Queensland, with her husband Thomas and their two young children, Jordan is continuing her ministry formation while caring for her family, which she says keeps her ‘busy, joyful and exhausted’. ‘Adding part-time theological study and pastoral formation keeps things very full,’ she says.
Jordan is gaining ministry experience at Living Faith Lutheran Church in Murrumba Downs, Queensland, where she attends church council meetings and, as a pastoral ministry student, leads the liturgy and preaches monthly. Beyond her congregational involvement, she is also a member of the LCA’s Advocacy for Women in Pastoral Ministry team.
Jordan’s journey towards ministry began during her childhood at St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Box Hill, Victoria.
‘My faith became very strong in my teenage years – youth group and camping ministry were very important to me, and I always had a sense that I would love to work in some type of ministry,’ she says.
While in high school, she began presenting the children’s address during worship, and one conversation planted a seed that would continue to grow. ‘After one service in particular, the then chairperson of the congregation asked me if I had ever considered pastoral ministry,’ she says.
At the time, women could not be ordained in the Lutheran Church of Australia. However, Jordan says the encouragement she received from her congregation, along with the example of other women pursuing ministry, helped her continue to consider where God might be leading her.
‘It made me think that pastoral ministry was still worth pursuing and that the door might open one day,’ she says.
After finishing high school, Jordan became the youth ministry coordinator at St Paul’s, where she discovered a deeper passion for Word and Sacrament ministry.
‘When I became the youth ministry coordinator, I was going to be leading youth group, organising youth camp and teaching confirmation classes,’ she says. ‘My pastors encouraged me to do some formal theological study to support me in my role.’
This led her to Australian Lutheran College (ALC), where the ability to study remotely was particularly significant. ‘Even in those pre-COVID times, there were several units available to study remotely,’ she recalls. ‘Especially important was one called “The Christian Faith” – it was basically Lutheran Theology 101.’
Theological study also deepened her understanding of her Lutheran tradition. ‘Even though I’d been a Lutheran my whole life, I didn’t know much about where we fit among other denominations and what makes us unique,’ she says. ‘Since learning more, I’ve become more and more passionate about being a Lutheran Christian.’
After Jordan and Thomas married, they moved to the United States for Thomas’ career. Although she did not expect to continue theological study overseas, COVID-19 opened new possibilities.
‘When COVID opened everything up, it made me so happy to be able to continue progressing in my calling,’ she says. ‘We always prayed for the opportunity to move back to Australia, so it was nice for me to be able to use that time overseas effectively.’
Continuing theological study while raising young children has brought its own challenges. ‘After we had our kids, I definitely found the study a bit more challenging,’ Jordan says. ‘It was much harder to get my Greek vocabulary to stick when the sleep deprivation kicked in.’
However, ALC’s distributed learning model enabled Jordan to continue. ‘Fundamentally, it made it possible,’ she says. ‘I truly don’t know what would be happening if I still needed to relocate to Adelaide for full-time study. I don’t think it would have been possible.’
Studying at a distance brought both joys and challenges. While the time difference during her years in California sometimes made attending lectures easier, participating online while others were in a physical classroom could be difficult.
‘The lecturers did their best to include me, such as by specifically asking me to share my thoughts, but the slight time delay and inability to read the social cues in the room make it hard to “jump in” to the discussion,’ she says.
Reflecting on the path that has led her towards ministry, Jordan says several things have sustained her along the way. ‘The joy of Jesus in my life!’ she says. ‘Also the encouragement of my childhood congregation of St Paul’s, the numerous people who have expressed to me that they feel I have a call to pastoral ministry, my own sense of call, and the support of ALC staff and the flexibility they provide.’
For now, Jordan is embracing motherhood while continuing to grow in ministry. ‘It means a lot to me that I can be home with my children for these few years before they begin school,’ she says. ‘I enjoy chipping away at my theological study and formation, as it’s nice to have more stretching things to think about beyond which playground to go to and what we’re having for dinner.’
Looking ahead, Jordan hopes to be ordained once both her children are at school. She is enjoying preaching and leading worship more regularly and believes parish ministry may be where God is leading her.
Her encouragement to others considering theological study is simple: explore the possibilities.
‘The ALC staff have been so helpful and accommodating,’ she says. ‘All the students are on unique pathways, and the staff are brilliant at coordinating things so that study is something all of us can engage in. Just reach out and see!’
Elise Mattiske is the LCA publications editor.
