Mentorship Experiences of Female Clergy in the United Methodist Church: A Phenomenological Study

Within the United Methodist Church (UMC), female clergy navigate institutional structures and gendered leadership dynamics that shape their ministerial experiences, yet little is known about how clergywomen experience mentorship in this context. This hermeneutic phenomenological study explored how ordained and licensed female clergy in the UMC experience and make meaning of mentorship. Participants included eleven ordained and licensed clergywomen with at least two years of ministerial experience. Thematic analysis surfaced four themes: relational mentorship; formal structures and uneven access; gendered leadership dynamics; and vocational formation. The findings from this study suggest that participants experienced mentorship as most meaningful when it was relational, sustained, and personally engaged. Formal denominational mentoring structures were inconsistently implemented and frequently disrupted by the itinerant appointment system, and gendered dynamics shaped participants' access to mentorship and willingness to be vulnerable. From the findings, it is apparent that mentoring support must be responsive to the itinerant system and gendered dynamics; therefore, my proposed solution is a two-component framework: an Itineracy-Resilient Mentoring Redesign to strengthen existing formal structures, and a Clergywomen's Peer Mentoring Cohort to create a sustained peer-driven space alongside formal systems.Keywords: mentorship, clergywomen, hermeneutic phenomenology, United Methodist Church

Grantor dc:publisher

Creighton University

Year dc:date.issued

2026

Author dc:creator

• Harman, Jill, Loree

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Georges, Leah

• Clergywomen
• Hermeneutic phenomenology
• Mentorship
• Pastoral leadership
• United Methodist Church
• Women in leadership

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright is retained by the Author. A non-exclusive distribution right is granted to Creighton University and to ProQuest following the publishing model selected above.

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Repository record dc:identifier.uri

https://cdr.creighton.edu/handle/10504/165925

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:cdr.creighton.edu:10504/165925