A CALL TO SERVICE
by Deena Kemp, Karmin Rempfer
At Tampa First, Fla., Church, they call her Pastor Claudette. Around the theology department at her alma mater, Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU), she was affectionately nicknamed the Apostle Paulette. “She told people about Jesus everywhere she went,” explains Dr. Bill Kilgore, Claudette Aleman’s mentor and former teacher at SWAU.
For Claudette, the call to ministry began as a little girl when she and her mother first moved to the United States. She had a hunger for God and a craving to learn more when an Adventist family adopted them and offered fellowship and Bible study.
The seed planted in her heart during her young years, blossomed even more on August 27, 2011, when her family, dear friends, and members of Florida Conference gathered for her commissioning service.
In his message about the call to ministry being a call to service, Kilgore reminded the church that the first criterion for ministry is to be a Christian. We are all called to minister in some way, and we should let the Holy Spirit be our guide. “Claudette may be a small lady,” says Kilgore, “but she is powerful on the inside.” Speaking directly to her, he offered the assurance, “Know that God will continue to lead you.”
Mike Cauley, Florida Conference President, and other ordained ministers joined Kilgore in laying of hands and saying a prayer of dedication for Pastor Claudette. She was welcomed into the ministry, and Carmen Rodriguez, Florida Conference Executive Secretary, presented her with the official credentials.
The service ended with a celebratory rendition of He Lives. For Claudette, her true purpose is to let this message ring clear to whomever she meets, and it is a motivating factor in her ministry.