Carol Cabbiness, a former engineer for 3M, went from product development to building of a different kind. Cabbiness, a single mother of two boys and new pastor of First Christian Church in Victoria, is still getting settled in her new office. A Bible, open to the book of Ephesians, lies agape in her office and sketched portrait of a laughing Christ leans against the desk, waiting to be hung with 3M wall hooks.

"I thought I'd be in that career forever," she said of her past job. "It's a good career, but I was called to something new."  Cabbiness, a minister's daughter, grew up attending church more she than wanted to, and at one time, quit going entirely until one event changed her outlook on life.  "I come from a family who takes their leadership responsibilities seriously and thoughtfully," she said. "It just took me a while to get there."  In 2000, shortly after the birth of her second son, and in the midst of a successful engineering career, Cabbiness' husband Milton was diagnosed with terminal cancer.  "It's really one of those things you really can't explain," she said. "I was angry, I was mad, I was burning the candle at both ends, at home and at work. It puts a lot of stress on the family, and you always question why."

After battling cancer for five years her husband passed away, haling more questions to her life. She began to pray and attended women's retreats in hopes of finding answers.
"I started wondering about my purpose and the answer came back ministry," she said. "And I said 'ministry? No, I'm an engineer.'"  Cabbiness has been a pastor for two years now and is First Christian's first woman head pastor, something she experienced to be both good and bad.  "Of course there are some churches that don't believe women should be ministers," she said. "Jesus never said that but Paul did."  The Disciples of Christ churches have been ordaining women for many years but, in a field dominated by men, Cabbiness said she's only following where she feels God has called her
.
"Jesus treated women as equals and gave the first commission to Mary Magdalene to go and tell," she said. "If Jesus said it, it's good enough for me."  After two years of interim pastors, church officials have welcomed Cabbiness with open arms and are confident in her abilities.  "We looked for a long time," said Kent Grier, chair of the congregation. "The most important thing was her willingness to respond to God's call to ministry in the midst of a successful career and her husband's illness."

Others were drawn to her laid-back, carefree personality and distain for titles.  "Everyone just seemed to like her," said Jim Dusek, chair of the search committee who interviewed Cabbiness. "She not much for titles, in church we just call her Carol. I think that kind of got everybody interested because she seemed to blend in with everyone."
The head pastor's office looks as though Cabbiness has occupied it her whole life, but her work has just begun.  "Who can say what the rest of my life will hold," she said. In the coming weeks, she plans to focus the church on worship, discipleship and witness use her story to help transform lives.

"It's really about sharing God's love and helping people get connected," she said. God calls a variety of people. I think it's just a willingness to go where God calls and love the people God sends to you."

...By Erica Rodriguez    
Article and photo courtesy of Victoria Advocate  July 17, 2009