Meet Dr. Ginger Hertenstein | Pastor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Ginger Hertenstein and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Ginger, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking

One of the primary requirements for success is risk-taking, and that requirement never relents. Risk involves a variety of factors: sometimes the risk calls for a calculated effort; other times risk is simply an all-out “throwing yourself into the project with everything you’ve got,” hoping for a miracle!

For example, we connected a fundraiser to an event we did for our city of 39,000 people. The recipient was the local emergency assistance agency which provides food for people experiencing hard times. We set $50,000 as the goal. Duncanville is a lower to middle income community, with 73 percent of students receiving free or reduced-price school lunches. Our goal of $50,000 was a stretch for our town. Thus, I knew a portion of the funds would have to come from outside Duncanville. We reached out to people outside our city who held that common interest of feeding people in need, and they contributed, which produced about 18 percent of our total. This helped us gain momentum. We then were able to meet our goal with fun contests among all the segments of the city–civic clubs, businesses, the schools, churches, and individuals. They responded enthusiastically and we even exceeded our goal by over $2,000. As you engage others in the effort, you are likely to be able to raise the money. It is a calculated risk. 

But let’s say the project, event, or goal has never been done before. That means greater risk in which you are the initial, and most likely, primary investor. This risk can be defined as “a wing and a prayer.” Obviously, it would be quite impossible to fly with only one wing. However, risk involves more than the familiar assets. It takes faith, as expressed in prayer that something much greater than yourself is involved and invested in what you are trying to accomplish. You act in faith, even when success may seem unattainable. Doors open, and provisions materialize.

I changed careers at middle age and the change required risk-taking on every level–financially, geographically, educationally. In many ways it seemed impossible. However, nothing is impossible with God. That risk requirement has not stopped because nothing great is ever done without risk. If you stop taking risks, you will lose vibrancy.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I left a career in the Executive Office at Southwest Airlines to become a pastor. This required seminary training on a master’s level, and later I pursued and achieved a doctorate. In the meantime, I accepted a job as pastor at a church in Duncanville. The leaders of this church sensed the church’s irrelevancy to the community. “If we closed,” one leader said, “no one in the city would miss us, or even know we were gone!” Much of the expectation in religious circles is for the pastor to build up the church itself. But my thought was, what if we gave out ourselves to others? What if we used our talents to share our faith in ways that brought people in Duncanville together? This community is beautifully diverse, with balanced representations of African Americans, Hispanics, and whites. What if we, instead of operating as “three little islands” began working together? Perhaps we could be a witness of the power that comes when diverse people support and care for one another.

Efforts we made include numerous storytelling and music festivals called Festival of Hope, Have Faith, Community in Unity, and TGIF: a Good Friday Event, raising over $230,000 for our local emergency assistance agency. We have organized and held several Community Conversations classes with city leaders. Topics include: The Flourishing of the City; Rebuilding a City; Community in Unity; and Race Relations. (The last Conversation class was a joint effort with the local police chief.)

First Presbyterian developed an informal Duncanville Community Chorus. One year we were “discovered” on the internet and invited to perform Handel’s “Messiah” with “Distinguished Concerts International New York.” Two high school students went with the choir, scholarships provided by Duncanville Rotary. These efforts resulted in me being named Woman of the Year by the Duncanville Chamber of Commerce.

None of these activities was easy but the folks at First Presbyterian and I felt a sense of call. To get participation takes constant talk; recruiting people in the community for various things; being “on the streets” in order to discover the needs and concerns of citizens; and stretching financially. We faced those challenges with prayer, sacrifice, and commitment. What I have learned is that to accomplish something takes leadership and persistence–oh yes, and did I say–RISK?

What I want the world to know is that each small town has what it takes to be neighbors: to get along, to work together, and to become a healthy city. It is a challenge but it is exhilarating. I do not need the world to know about me, just to get out there and bring people together for the greater good without a specific agenda other than neighborliness. The other important thing I would want the world to know is how to have faith in God, because faith is the most important gift anyone can have.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

If there was a show at the Duncanville Community Theater, I would take my best friend there for the excellent small theater, which has the “talented locals feel.” Then eat at Roma’s next door. For lunch I would be sure to go to the old–fashioned Ben Franklin’s Kitchen’s Deli where their Cokes are made from syrup, just like in the old days.

Being just ten miles south of Dallas, I would take my friend to the Perot Museum and then take a trolley ride to eat at S & D Oysters, a New Orleans style midtown restaurant. Taking the trolley back, a stop for coffee at Clyde Warren Park or venture to the Dallas Museum of Art would be doable, as it is also a trolley stop. If my friend was into opera, there’s the wonderful Winspear Opera House which does many other events besides opera.

On a second day, the Dallas Arboretum is less than 30 minutes from Duncanville to enjoy the outdoors, with lunch or high tea at their Restaurant De Goyer. Nothing is more relaxing! But if my friend likes hiking and enjoys natural beauty more, she might like Duncanville’s Ten Mile Creek nature preserve.

If she was into sports, a tour of AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, with the nearby new Texas Rangers Globe Life Field, also about 25 minutes away. Even if you don’t appreciate sports, these stadiums are amazing.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your Shoutout to?

I want to dedicate my Shoutout to my family, the community of Duncanville, and my church, First Presbyterian Church Duncanville. My family, particularly during my academic endeavors, have been my cheerleaders urging me on through each level of achievement and I am very proud of them. My church family (I have pastored them for fifteen years) has embraced every effort we have made toward reaching out to the community. They have contributed their gifts and talents wholeheartedly and used those talents to bless the community. The community of Duncanville, has in kind, given us the opportunity to be successful in all the events, projects, and efforts by responding to, participating in, and supporting them.

Website: www.fpcd.org

Youtube: FPCD Texas

Image Credits
Herb Doller on the Woman of the Year photo and headshot.