News Highlights

After retiring from anthropology faculty, Winnie Mitchell ordained as minister

Episcopal Church

Three years ago Winnie Mitchell retired as a Minnesota State Mankato anthropology faculty member. Now -- after years of seminary study -- she's being ordained as an Episcopal minister.

2007-06-14
By Nick Hanson, Free Press Staff Writer [published in The Free Press, Mankato, MN, 6/14/2007]

MANKATO — Winnie Mitchell had almost everything a teacher could ask for: tenure, good pay, fulfilling work and a loving husband as a coworker.

Yet, after more than 20 years working at Minnesota State University, the 59-year-old anthropology professor made a career change most of her coworkers did not expect.

She took early retirement to become a minister.

Now after three years in the seminary, Mitchell will officially become ordained tonight at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Minneapolis.

After the original announcement, some — especially in the world of academia — asked the Mankato resident why she would consider such a drastic change.

“One guy said, ‘Why in the world would you want to do that?’” Mitchell said.

Most were more supportive, but opinions of others did not factor into her decision.

Subconsciously, Mitchell always knew she’d like to become a minister. All it took was a nudge from her husband Paul Brown — another Minnesota State anthropology professor — to entice her into pursuing a full-time religious life.

“The thing that really pushed me over the edge is when my husband asked me why I wasn’t going into the seminary,” she said. “We’d never had a conversation about it, but it was something I always wanted to do. (And) he knew (I would enter the seminary) since the first year we were married.”

While she has always had strong faith in God, Mitchell compared her religion during the past couple of decades to a growing spark that burst into flames.

Her choice for seminary school was in southwest Texas — meaning she spent the better part of three years racking up frequent flyer miles by commuting between a small-efficiency apartment and her family and friends situated in Mankato.

She’s also been practicing preaching at St. John’s Episcopal in downtown Mankato and has gradually developed her own style and a quiet confidence.

When she gets a full-time job, Mitchell plans to bring a couple of unique perspectives to the table: She speaks fluent Spanish, so it’s likely she’ll do missionary work with immigrants, perhaps in southern Minnesota. And as an anthropologist and former educator, she has a solid grasp on both religion and science.

About half of the St. John’s parish will be taking a bus to the Twin Cities to watch the ceremony tonight, but one of her mentors, the Rev. Paul Rider, said Mitchell is already equipped with the skills to lead a church.

“Ordination isn’t some magical thing,” he said. “She’s always been a minister. It won’t make her one.”

Email this article | Permanent link | Topstories news | Topstories news archives