Why I don't iron

Well, not quite. Actually I do iron. But I started an article on 'Gender, communication and leadership style' with a reflection on the fact that my husband is much better at ironing than I am. He spent his working life in the RAF, so ironing perfect creases came with the territory.

So I was delighted when the latest issue of Mutuality , containing my article, came winging its way from America. The Winter 09 theme is 'Leadership Development' and as well as my contribution, it includes a fascinating article called 'The View from the Pulpit', addressing various issues women face:

'Some of my parishioners think my leadership style is too 'feminine' while others think it is too 'masculine'. 'My church congregation questions if I can be both a good mother and an effective minister.' There's also an study on Esther, and other briefer articles.

I'm not sure if it's encouraging or discouraging to see that many of our sisters across the pond face similar challenges as women leaders in the Church, but I certainly benefit from the material.

The latest Priscilla Papers, the theological journal of CBE, arrived in the same envelope and also looks like a good read as usual - the best source I know for current theological thinking on biblical equality. There's an article on women in the earliest house churches, and another on Incarnation, Trinity and the ordination of women, among other things.

There's no free access to these articles - though mine will appear on the CPAS site in due course. But if you are looking for good resources on women's ministry, there's a selection of free resources to download, or you can buy single magazines and downloads.

It's good to keep thinking, reading and learning...

And what do you think about communication style: do men and women communicate differently, and how does that affect our working together in teams?