Like many other women, Sally Carlson received her call to ministry out of the blue, when she wasn’t even looking for it.
It didn’t, however, come from a sudden internal conviction or a sense that God was speaking to her. It was an invitation to serve as dean of women at Covenant Bible College (CBC) in Canada.
As a CBC alum, Carlson says she had seen deans and other leaders in action, but she had never pictured herself in such a position. “When they called, I was like, ‘What? Me?!’” she said. “I didn’t see myself as one of those people.”
It turned out, that she thrived in the role, working with other staff to foster discipleship among the students for three years. Carlson credits the people she worked with for modeling what it looked like to serve in ministry, as well as helping her see her own gifts.
“I was watching these super called and gifted people serve our students and model what a growing person looks like, what a person who’s following Jesus looks like,” Carlson said. “And also what it looked like to minister holistically, with your whole self.”
At the time, Carlson didn’t think of what she was doing as a ministry, nor did she see herself as being called to be a pastor. But now as the associate pastor at Shoreline (Washington) Covenant Church, having served in several churches in Canada and the United States, she sees how her CBC experience helped form her for church ministry. “They helped shape my pastoral identity before I knew that’s what it was,” Carlson said.
The idea of call by community affirmation has been a long-standing pattern in Carlson’s life. “I have found that the communal part of my call is just really strong,” she said. Whether it was her congregants, pastoral colleagues, conference staff, or other mentors, Carlson says she is grateful for every encouragement to take on a new challenge, join a committee, or spearhead a project.
“I realized what a blessing it is to be able to try those things out and explore ministry among people who love you and are cheering you on,” Carlson said.
Perhaps the strong influence of the church community has been so important because, Carlson says, her family isn’t particularly religious. Growing up in Minnesota, she says, “My family started attending a Covenant church when I was in third grade. They took us to church because that’s what you do for your kids.”
As she started getting more involved in church, however, Carlson says it caused some confusion among her family—though she is emphatic that she has always felt supported and encouraged by her parents. “I do think that’s why I lean in pretty far in the Covenant,” she explained. “Since I didn’t have a Christian home or upbringing or support, they became my spiritual family.”
Marti Burger, director of vocational and spiritual development for Serve Clergy, remembers when Carlson was a teen leader at Bloomington Covenant Church in Minneapolis. “Sally was one of the kids who was always in leadership,” she said. Burger also worked with children and youth at Salem Covenant Church at the time (both congregations are in the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro area) and recalls Carlson as a “passionate, excited, amazing young woman that God was going to use in mighty ways. And she’s lived that out.”
As she thinks about her call, Carlson does note differences from some pastor friends she’s known over the years. While studying at the seminary, for example, she says that many of her fellow students seemed to have a sense of certainty regarding their call to ministry. Carlson remembers that her husband, Daniel Larson, felt specifically called to rural church ministry. However, Carlson says she felt more like, “I’m just here. People said seminary would be good for me.” Once again, the community influence on Carlson’s call was evident.
“On the other hand, I see how many people went to seminary and now aren’t in ministry,” Carlson noted. “That certainty, that they maybe thought they felt, is not there anymore.”
While serving part-time at Hope Community Covenant Church in Strathmore, Alberta, Carlson was also hired as the finance director for the Canada Conference office. “I still find it a little bit hilarious,” she admits, suggesting that such a job might not really fit her personality, despite the MBA she earned alongside her seminary degree. But while “finance” was in her title, what Carlson enjoyed most was the team dynamic, with all staff working together in all areas of conference ministry.
“The Canada Conference is really where I found my home and was encouraged in ministry and had my strongest call,” Carlson said of both her church and conference ministry experience.
Carlson also says that her many years of working a part-time job—often multiple part-time jobs—meant that she was available to be involved in other roles in the denomination, serving on the Covenant Executive Board and with other boards, commissions, or committees. Once again, these opportunities came from invitations—people who knew Carlson and thought she would have something to contribute to these various teams.
Reflecting on all of these opportunities, Carlson says she was able to accept so many of them because, despite her hopes, she and her husband didn’t have children. “I had this freedom, but a lot of women don’t,” Carlson said. “If I’d had kids, it would have been different.”
Eventually, however, the ministry needs changed both at church and the conference, and Carlson and Larson began looking to move back to the United States. After a couple of years at Bethany Covenant Church in Mount Vernon, Washington, Carlson began serving at Shoreline in 2021 in what has been one of her few full-time ministry roles. This summer, she will once again face new opportunities while Shoreline’s lead pastor is on sabbatical. Carlson is excited to work with the rest of the ministry team on summer plans.
Burger, for her part, seems delighted to have witnessed so much of Carlson’s ministry impact over the years. She voices what many have seemed to affirm over the years about Carlson: “Just being able to see early on how God had wired her for ministry. God has given me the privilege of watching as he’s used her in so many different things.”
