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A resolution honoring the life of Carolyn Ruth Oehler.
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WHEREAS, Carolyn Ruth Oehler passed away on June 13, 2021 at the age of 80 and was remembered as a life-long leader on various levels of the United Methodist Church; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Oehler was born into a pastor's family and was a graduate of North Central College; and
WHEREAS, she earned a master's degree from Garrett Evangelical Seminary, and a PhD from Northwestern University, completing her dissertation on Feminism and Religious Anxiety: Gender Trouble in the United Methodist Church; and
WHEREAS, throughout her ministry, Ms. Oehler was a passionate advocate for the empowerment of women and equality between races; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Oehler authored a church-wide study on inclusive language titled "Words that Hurt, Words that Heal, Language about God and People", as well as a history of the United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Oehler served as Council Director of the Illinois Conference of the UMC before serving as Executive Director of Scarritt Bennett Center in Nashville, Tennessee where she served for 10 years; and
WHEREAS, during her time as Executive Director, Ms. Oehler initiated a city-wide "Celebration of Cultures" and helped improve race relations in Nashville by establishing the "Diversity in Dialogue" program; and
WHEREAS, over the next decade, this program became the leading diversity training program in the region, and was used to conduct racial diversity training for Metro's police and firemen; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Oehler went on to serve at The Heritage in Brentwood, Tennessee where she held several leadership roles; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Oehler was also a beloved and long-term member of the Nashville Women's Breakfast Club; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Oehler is fondly remembered as a positive person who was always thinking of others, and for her quiet but welcoming and warm-hearted demeanor; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the Metropolitan Counci...
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