“Being a single mom and completely responsible for my family, I didn’t think I could become a full-time student. Scholarships have made this a reality. God took care of it.”
Eight years ago, Amanda McBane applied and was accepted into Duke Divinity School. Even though she felt God calling her into seminary, as a full-time physician and mom to triplets, she wasn’t quite sure how seminary was going to happen. At the last minute, she backed out. Now, at age forty, she has taken a leap of faith and once again applied and was accepted into Duke. “God was there reminding me that he wanted me to go to seminary. This time, I’m trusting that this is what He wants me to do.” Before attending seminary, Amanda had been an active member of Spanish Fort United Methodist Church. She says that senior pastor Reverend Bill Price and former associate pastor Reverend Debora Bishop encouraged her to go through the candidacy process. Amanda’s children also felt God’s call for their mom to go into ministry. Her triplets – Anna, Isaac, and Emma, are thirteen years old and told her, “Mom, we need to do what God tells us to do.”
When asked about the scholarships she received from the United Methodist Foundation, Amanda is quick to offer her gratitude. Being on the elder track for seminary, Amanda received many scholarships for students preparing for ordained ministry in our conference. The scholarships enlisted to Amanda were the UMF Scholarship Fund, Rose & Alto Lee Scholarship Trust, Rose Wimberly Spencer Memorial Scholarship Trust, Charles & Pamela Avery Scholarship, Rish Scholarship Trust, Hildreth-Ellisor Scholarship Trust, Langdon Garrison Ministerial Scholarship, and the Fred & Emily Lacy Christian Education Scholarship. Amanda shares that when she graduates, she plans on coming home. She hopes that through education, congregations can really understand God and make Him part of their lives, not just an experience on Sunday mornings. “South Alabama is home. Having been a physician, I have a heart for taking care and loving the people here.”
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