Some people put you at ease the moment you meet them. Pamela Tarpley is one of these people. And when she graduates from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary this May, she will use that gift in ways she never imagined.
Pamela, the mother of four adult children, is pursuing a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies with a Graduate Certificate in Urban Ministry. After years of putting her children’s educations first, she felt the call to pursue her own studies by attending Geneva College online. Upon graduating in 2020, she took time to consider her next steps before ultimately enrolling at PTS in January 2021.
Following the Call
“I had been serving as a minister-in-training at a church for six years, and as I took time off and prayed about what was next, I knew I wanted to further my education,” she says.
“There was something about seminary that drew me in. I believe you can learn new things at any age. I’m a mom and a grandmother, and I came into PTS with a particular worldview, but PTS has expanded that. I’ve become more open and accepting of different viewpoints and ways of thinking.”
Part of that openness includes serving in areas of ministry she had not previously considered. She began seminary thinking she would work with single mothers, which she says has always come naturally to her. As a single mother herself, she has a heart for those who just want the best for their kids. She says:
“I used to always like organizing Secret Santa gift-giving at Christmas for single moms; I remember the struggle. But since I’ve been at PTS I’ve taken God out of the box, so to speak. I’m fortunate to have a wonderful spiritual director who mentored me and helped me see there’s much more the Lord has for me to do.”
Pursuing Chaplaincy
In addition to her studies at PTS, Pamela currently serves as a chaplain intern at UPMC East Hospital in Monroeville. Most of her work is with patients in palliative care and hospice care. This experience has shifted her post-graduation plans, and she now hopes to continue her education by entering a Clinical Pastoral Education program and continuing in chaplaincy.
Broadening Horizons
Pamela has enjoyed her time at Pittsburgh Seminary, especially the way her classes have broadened her theology. A Baptist for most of her life, Pamela spent time as a child attending a Catholic school and now identifies as non-denominational. Yet through the influence of her professors—some Presbyterian, some from other traditions—she has become even more accepting of the gifts that different Christian traditions offer.
PTS has also enabled her to develop new skills, like podcasting. One of her classmates has experience doing a monthly podcast, and helped Pamela try podcasting as a final project for a class. Pamela intends to continue podcasting to see where it leads.
An Elegant Ministry
Outside the classroom, Pamela enjoys working as a decorative artist. Using skills she first honed as a retail manager, Pamela regularly does event decorating and styling for her cousin’s catering business. Using her personal tagline, “Elegance for less,” she helps brides, new mothers, and others celebrating major life events envision decorative spaces that match their personality, passions, and budget. Ministry is so often defined by helping people in times of deep sorrow or crisis, but Pamela demonstrates the importance of ministry in life’s celebratory occasions as she puts people at ease with her friendly and welcoming demeanor.
She admits:
“Sometimes I feel like I’m a true Pittsburgher in that I’m ‘nebby’ [a regional word that’s slang for ‘nosy’]. I want to hear people’s stories. Even when I was in retail I liked knowing people personally, so the next time they came in to shop I could ask how their kids were or how their job was going.”
Listening and Learning
Though the word “nebby” often has a negative connotation, Pamela is “nebby” in a good way—one might also call it a healthy curiosity about the world and people around her. As a chaplain, her genuine interest in patients she visits creates sacred space for them to share their joys and sorrows. And her curiosity manifests in her studies as she researches a variety of theological interests. Right now, she’s re-reading John Swinton’s Raging with Compassion: Pastoral Responses to the Problem of Evil. It’s helping her work out her own theodicy and making her a better chaplain.
Pamela only has a few classes and a final project left at PTS, and she admits she’s ready for a break from school. But her curiosity may eventually bring her back to seminary for a Doctor of Ministry degree. In the meantime, she’ll continue putting people at ease as a classmate, chaplain, and decorative artist.