Mary Peterson

For over twenty-five years, Rev. Mary Peterson has followed God’s call wherever it has led. Along the way, she has become not only a respected leader but also a passionate advocate for women in ministry within the Evangelical Covenant Church. Her story is one of faithful obedience, meaningful relationships, and a deep conviction that God calls both women and men to serve together in every area of church leadership. 

Mary’s first glimpse of vocational ministry came during middle school. An acting troupe from a seminary visited her church, and she was captivated—not simply by the performance itself, but by the realization that God called people to serve in creative and unexpected ways. Though she could not have imagined exactly where the journey would lead, that youthful stirring planted a seed. 

Scrubbing and Surfing for Jesus 

During college, Mary’s involvement in various campus and summer ministries deepened her sense of purpose and nudged her closer to vocational ministry. One unforgettable experience took her to Yellowstone National Park as part of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention student missions program. As an Innovator, her official job involved scrubbing toilets for forty hours each week while participating in supervised ministry; outside of her full-time job as hotel staff, she led Bible studies and weekly worship services while building relationships with young people, including many whose families worked in the carnival industry. 

Another summer carried her halfway around the world to Perth, Western Australia, serving at a Baptist church as a youth ministry intern. A perk of that job was hanging out with students while surfing at the beach for sixteen weeks! During this time, Mary was exposed to a variety of Asian cultures as well as introduced to the suffering of the Indigenous people of Australia.  

After graduation, Mary returned to her childhood church in San Antonio, Texas, to serve as an intern, and there her calling to vocational ministry was crystallized. She served at her home church before joining the leadership team that planted Crossbridge Church in San Antonio. As the youth and children’s pastor, Mary witnessed firsthand the transformative power of deep, authentic relationships in faith formation. 

In 2006, she once again ventured outside of Texas to serve in family ministries at University Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in Seattle, continuing to develop her gifts in nurturing faith across generations. Unexpected circumstances, however, eventually directed her to the Covenant. 

Finding a Home in the Evangelical Covenant Church 

While studying at the Seattle Campus of Fuller Theological Seminary, an unexpected classroom assignment changed the trajectory of her ministry. During a preaching course, one of her professors, Jon Peterson, introduced Mary to the Evangelical Covenant Church, and instead of the usual homework, he assigned her the task of exploring the denomination’s website. As Mary read about Covenant identity and values, she was struck by the denomination’s commitment to both biblical authority and social justice. To her, the Covenant represented a merging of two vital passions. 

The timing proved providential. That same professor informed her about an opening for a youth ministry position at Highland Covenant Church in Bellevue, Washington, located just two miles from her home. Mary accepted the position as pastor of children and youth ministry, serving under Pastor James Amadon. His support was instrumental as she entered the credentialing process, and, in 2013, Mary was ordained in the ECC. 

Stretching Her Wings 

As much as she loved ministry with children and youth, over time Mary sensed God calling her into broader pastoral leadership. 

In 2018, she accepted the role of associate pastor at First Covenant Church in Omaha, Nebraska. Under the leadership of Rev. Greg Applequist, the congregation intentionally sought to call a female pastor, creating an environment where Mary could expand her preaching and pastoral leadership. She preached regularly—typically once each month—and served the congregation for five years. 

Then, in 2023, another opportunity emerged. Wanting to return to her home state of Texas, Mary accepted the call to become senior pastor of Providence Church in Nederland, Texas, near the Louisiana border. The move represented both a homecoming and a new chapter, as she stepped into senior pastoral leadership while remaining committed to the relational ministry that has defined her vocation from the beginning. 

A Champion for Women in Ministry 

Alongside her pastoral responsibilities, Mary has been one of the Evangelical Covenant Church’s strongest advocates for women in ministry. 

Her involvement began in 2014 when she served as Pacific Northwest Conference liaison for Advocates for Covenant Clergywomen (ACCW). Then-president Rev. Catherine Gilliard welcomed Mary into the organization, introducing her to a remarkable network of women leaders across the denomination. Mary later served as ACCW president from 2015 to 2018, helping encourage, connect, and advocate for women serving in ministry throughout the Covenant. 

During her ACCW presidency, she also served ex officio on the Commission for Biblical Gender Equality (BGE). In that role, she participated in Project Deborah and helped celebrate the fortieth anniversary of women’s ordination in the ECC. Later, as chair of BGE from 2020 to 2023, Mary represented the denomination in the Better Together Cohort alongside leaders Danielle Strickland and Alan Hirsch. The initiative explored how denominations can better equip churches to embrace the gifts of both women and men serving together in leadership. 

In addition to leading at the national level, she is actively involved within the Midsouth Conference as chair of the Committee on Ministerial Standing (COMS) and on the leadership team of Compañeras, a clergywomen advocacy group, helping guide and strengthen pastoral leadership across the conference. These roles reflect Mary’s enduring commitment to helping the church recognize and celebrate the God-ordained gifts and calling of women, in mutual partnership with our brothers. 

Reflections along a Winding Path 

When asked what has brought her the greatest joy in ministry, Mary’s answer comes quickly: relationships. 

Having spent significant portions of her career in youth ministry, Mary has watched teenagers mature into adults, build families of their own, and continue growing in faith. As a testament to her influence within the ECC, at a recent Gather, where she served as Annual Meeting secretary, her kids observed that they were constantly stopped by friendly greetings and unexpected recognition of her children from social media, where proud pastor and mom celebrates her kids’ accomplishments through regular photo posts. 

She also treasures the collegial relationships she has built with fellow pastors, including an ongoing Midwest Conference cohort for female clergy that continues to provide encouragement and support. 

Despite the many joys of ministry, Mary is honest about the challenges that remain. 

While ministry is demanding for everyone, she believes women often face additional obstacles simply because of their gender. The realities of inequality grieve her, not only because they represent personal disappointments, but because she believes the church misses opportunities to experience the fullness of God’s gifts when women’s leadership is restricted. 

Throughout every chapter of her ministry—from cleaning restrooms in a national park to advocating for clergywomen to leading a congregation as senior pastor—Mary has remained committed to God’s call with courage and conviction. As she settles further into her role as senior pastor of Providence Church, back home in Texas with her husband, Eric, and their two kids, Mary continues to trust God each meaningful step of her winding journey, leading out of her personal strengths and style, showing that “beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news,” even if they’re wearing—what else?—flip-flops.