Rev. Grace Huck, is celebrating her 101st birthday.  Huck, an elder of the Dakotas Conference is one of the first females to become a clergy in full membership. She has a gift for all us.  Huck is making her book, God’s Amazing Grace available to all of us online.  Click on the image to the left to read or download God’s Amazing Grace.

Click on the book cover to go to the online book.

On May 4, 1956, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the General Conference of the Methodist Church approved full clergy rights for women. In 1968, when the United Methodist Church was formed from the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, Methodist women clergy were afforded the right of full connection.

In 2016, Methodists from around the world gathered to celebrate the leadership of women clergy at the United Methodist Clergywomen’s Global Gathering hosted by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) in Houston. More than 450 attendees from 27 countries, speaking six different languages met to build relationships, celebrate advancements in opportunities for women leaders, and envision a United Methodist Church that engages full participation of its world-wide membership. The women celebrated the 60th anniversary of full clergy rights for women, the 20th anniversary of full clergy membership for deacons, the 200th anniversary of the Course of Study, the 40th anniversary of the ordination of women in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, and the 150th anniversary of the Board of Education. Read more

Watch a video of the 60th anniversary of the full inclusion of women here.

Reverend Grace Huck served in several rural, isolated churches throughout the Dakotas Conference.  She had to deal with isolation. There were times throughout her ministry that she did not receive an appointment and struggled financially. Huck served the churches of Fort Rice, ND; Velva / Voltaire / Benedict, ND; Juanita / Grace City / Sutton, ND; Spearfish, SD; Fargo First, ND; Hope / Finley, ND; Faith / Marcus, SD; Cresbard / Northville, SD.  In retirement she served the churches of Claremont / Hecla, SD and Camp Crook / Buffalo, SD.

Like several women clergy members Huck also served as a missionary. She travelled to the Philippines where she taught and became the Dean of Students at Harris Memorial College. Harris prepares deaconesses to serve the church in the Philippines. The college has been honored and grateful for the work of Reverend Huck. They recently named a building after her, Grace Huck Hall.  Reverend Huck is fond of Harris Memorial College. She has donated financially to purchase land and continues to donate funds for scholarships and support of women today.

Reverend Huck wrote a book about her life. God’s Amazing Grace chronicles her life experiences and benchmarks. She was a true pioneer in many senses of the word. She grew up on the open plains and attended a one-room school. Huck served as one the first female clergy in country churches with less than 20 members and a large urban church with over 1,000 members. She travelled to the Philippines as a missionary, college professor and Christian educator.

Grace will turn 101 in June of 2017. She continues to remain active in the church. Reverend Huck faithfully gives to her local church, the conference foundation and various other missions. She is always willing and ready to give the Bishop advice. Reverend Grace Huck has blessed the Dakotas Conference and The United Methodist Church.

Bishop Bruce R. Ough writes in the epilogue to Huck’s book, “Grace’s life and ministry have been remarkable, bordering on miraculous. Grace was a pioneer for clergywomen when ordained an elder in 1949. She was a pioneer when received into full membership in the North Dakota Conference on May 22, 1956 – the second woman, by only four days, to be accorded full clergy rights in The Methodist Church. As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of full clergy rights being extended to women in The United Methodist Church, we also celebrate that Grace remains an ageless pioneer in the faith.”