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“To Washington, Williamsburg, and to the Ends of Orlando…”

Published Date: June 27, 2016

Marie Allen (M.Div., 2014), has followed Jesus Christ from an early age and through a variety of environments. She credits her introduction to Christ to her Grandmother, Maud Bouknight of whom she describes as “a powerful prayer warrior in a tiny package.” Marie describes her grandmother as having a Godly influence on multiple ministers,  “I credit my grandmother Maud Bouknight with praying me into faith and into ministry.  Grandmother had seven children and, perhaps because of that, had the fixed habit of going into the quiet space of her closet to pray every day!  Her husband was a farmer, but she believed that he was called into the ministry. Our family gives her credit for praying three generations of the family into the ministry–her husband, son and grandson (Bill Bouknight Sr., Jr., and III)– and now her granddaughter, me.” In addition to her Grandmother, Marie credits her strong early faith from infant baptism, and hearing the Gospel strongly proclaimed through many UMC Churches throughout South Carolina.

After High School, Marie chose to pursue an education away from home at Duke University, but this choice wasn’t uniformly accepted within her family, “At that time, girls with academic aspirations were expected to attend local religious female-only colleges, get married, and only afterward–and if absolutely necessary– pursue those few careers considered proper for women. I had been offered a sizable academic scholarship to a great university, however, and felt God’s calling in that direction.  Marie Allen 1Duke did not disappoint. I earned a degree and gained great training in the liberal arts as well as in the analytical and writing skills that propelled me forward to two subsequent graduate degrees and a career in national and international leadership positions.” 

After earning a graduate degree in history, Marie entered into a career as an archivist at the national archive in Washington D.C. From there, Marie expected to dedicate her life working with records concerning the Revolutionary War and Civil War. “However,” says Marie, “when the first President in U.S. history resigned, and the Congress seized his records, I was sent to the White House to take custody of and preserve the Nixon Watergate tapes and other Presidential records. After completing that assignment over the next three years, I continued to serve in the White House as the Chief Archivist for three subsequent Presidents—Ford, Carter and Reagan. I returned to the National Archives as division director overseeing all Federal government records management programs (setting email standards, for instance, something that continues to be controversial), was assigned to NATO Headquarters Brussels in 2001 to create archival standards for that international organization, and was then selected to be Section Chief, and Chief of Records Policy, at the FBI, with a mandate to re-engineer FBI information management programs after 9/11.”   

While many would consider such a career in Washington D.C. a completely fulfilled, Marie found that her career in D.C. served as foundation for God’s complete calling; a calling that seemed to grow more powerful and divinely confirmed throughout her life. “I have felt the call to ministry throughout my life,” recalls Marie, “expressed in different situations as time went on, with the line blurred between the secular and the sacred. I know that I was called to Christian marriage, to parenting, to secular leadership, and now to vocational leadership as a deacon in the UMC. God directed, empowered, and called me to use my gifts and to serve others in all of these situations. God confirmed with me through providential circumstances that he was sending me to seminary. Within one week of my acceptance into the M Div. program, I learned that Asbury had an Orlando, Florida campus; my husband was selected to help conduct aviation law seminars in Orlando for several months each year; we were invited to park our RV at the Wycliffe Associates Bible translation campground in Orlando; and I received a consulting contract that paid for all of my seminary costs.  The Orlando campus turned out to be just the right place for me for spiritual formation and fellowship.  The students there are somewhat older than those at Wilmore, generally continuing to work full-time jobs while pursuing a seminary education.”

Channeling the same assertiveness that propelled her to the upper echelons of Washington D.C., Marie immediately entered into the ministry both within her local church and conference:  “After I graduated in 2014 and completed CPE training, I continued to serve at my local church coordinating congregational care, teaching numerous classes, participating in ministries for the homeless, preaching occasionally, and serving as a volunteer with Wycliffe Associates in their international Bible translation ministries. As I continued to progress through the lengthy and complex ordination process of the United Methodist Church, I began to discern that the ministry of a deacon fit my calling better than that of an elder. On June 18, 2016, on the 20th anniversary of the Methodist Diaconate order, I was commissioned to the ministry of a deacon at the Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.  I have been appointed to serve as Associate Pastor at New Town UMC, in Williamsburg, VA, with a focus on discipleship, teaching, outreach missions, and congregational care.”  

Marie Allen 2

Marie with the Sandy Jesus Bible Study.

Marie has chosen to adopt a multi-faceted approach to ministry. “God has called me to encourage girls and women to take hold of the freedoms given them by Christ and to pursue their God-given gifts and dreams.  I have designed Bible studies on the roles of women as defined in the Scriptures and delight in making these available.  My daughter recently invited me to give this presentation to a group of her sand volleyball friends in California, a group she’s named the “Sandy Jesus Bible Study.” God has given me a passion for telling the story, the narrative, within the Biblical texts.  Every time I preach or teach, there’s usually a map involved, the personality is explored of the person within the text, and God’s story within that person’s life is connected with my story and that of those in my congregation.  I believe that this approach makes the Bible more accessible to those who would never see themselves as Biblical scholars. God has given me gifts in the areas of counseling and compassion.  People tell me their stories, and I’ve learned that attentive listening is one of the best gifts I can give anyone.  I delight in sharing this gift with those who are suffering or grieving, knowing that the Holy Spirit inhabits these encounters and He is able to comfort, to lead and to provide in ways far beyond any abilities of mine.”

In addition to her ministry, Marie finds time to spend on her many passions which include hiking, reading history books and mystery novels, traveling, and spending time with her family. Regarding her family, Marie says, “My husband, Gary, is one of God’s greatest gifts to me.  Although he retired from full-time law practice, he continues to be active in his profession and in his musical avocations.  His Kingston Trio tribute band performs on college campuses throughout the Northeast and Midwest for alumni gatherings, as well as within our home state of Virginia.  I delight in being one of the bands  “groupies:” feeding them, selling their t-shirts, and being their biggest fan. Our older son Brady is an emergency physician and upcoming Chief of Staff at St. Thomas Rutherford Medical Center in Murfreesboro, TN. Dr. Brady, and our lovely daughter-in-law Holly have given us four grandchildren: Jacob, Natalie, Brady Jr., and Parker. Our younger son Andrew earned an MFA from the University of Southern California and is now writing film scripts in Hollywood. My daughter Caroline earned an MBA from Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business and serves as Vice President for Business Strategy at Northern.”  

On June 18, 2016, Marie Allen was ordained in the UMC Virginia Conference: “I was ordained as a deacon in the midst of celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the diaconate order within the UMC.  I felt honored to be numbered as a deacon on this occasion. I was also the only one newly commissioned—whether as deacon or elder–to have earned my seminary degree at Asbury. I also feel honored and privileged to have had the opportunity to benefit from the sound Biblical and academic training that Asbury Theological Seminary provides.” 

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