I believe in God 
who created woman and man 
in God’s own image
, who created the world
 and gave both sexes 
the care of the earth.

I believe in Jesus
, child of God
, chosen of God, born of the woman Mary
, who listened to women and liked them, 
who stayed in their homes
, who discussed the Kingdom with them, 
who was followed and financed 
by women disciples.

I believe in Jesus
 who discussed theology
 with a woman at a well
 and first confided in her
 his messiahship
, who motivated her to go and tell
 her great news to the city.

I believe in Jesus who received anointing
 from a woman at Simon’s house,
 who rebuked the men guests, who scorned her. 
I believe in Jesus
 who said this woman will be remembered
 for what she did -
 minister to Jesus.

I believe in Jesus
 who acted boldly 
to reject the blood taboo
 of ancient societies
 by healing the audacious woman
 who touched him.

I believe in Jesus who healed
 a woman on the Sabbath
 and made her straight
 because she was
 a human being.

I believe in Jesus
 who spoke of God
 as a woman seeking the lost coin 
as a woman who swept 
seeking the lost.

I believe in Jesus 
who thought of pregnancy and birth
 with reverence
 not as punishment – but
 as wrenching event 
a metaphor for transformation 
born again
, anguish-into-joy.

I believe in Jesus, 
who spoke of himself 
as a mother hen
 who would gather her chicks
 under her wings.

I believe in Jesus who appeared
 first to Mary Magdalene, 
who sent her with the bursting message
, GO AND TELL…

I believe in the wholeness
 of the Savior
 in whom there is neither
 Jew nor Greek
 slave nor free
male nor female 
for we are all one 
in salvation.

I believe in the Holy Spirit
 as she moves over the waters
 of creation
 and over the earth.

I believe in the Holy Spirit
 as she yearns within us to pray for those things 
too deep for words.

I believe in the Holy Spirit
, the woman spirit of God
, who like a hen
 created us
 and gave us birth
 and covers us
 with her wings.