30 years into women’s priestly ministry, we focus in on women’s voices and the fruit of their work today, in ministry, scholarship and creativity.
A special eucharistic service, which took place on Saturday 9 November at Ely Cathedral, commemorated the 30th anniversary of the Church of England ordaining women as priests - a milestone which occurred in Ely Diocese on May 28, 1994. The Ely Cathedral Girl Choristers filled the space with a joyous sound of all-female voices during the service, which was led by the Rt Revd Dr Dagmar Winter, East Anglia’s first female bishop.
Bishop Dagmar presided over the service, assisted by the Revd Canon Fiona Brampton, who was one of the youngest of the cohort of women ordained Priest at the Cathedral in May 1994. Fiona was the only woman to be ‘deacon in charge’ of a parish at the time of the ordination and is stil serving in stipendary ministry in the Diocese of Ely, in the North Leightonstone Benefice.
The Diocese of Ely has played a major role in the ordination of women over the last 30 years and has the highest number of female incumbents of any diocese. During the service, the Revd Lynda Davies, Bishop's Advisor for Women's Ministry, interviewed the Rev'd Claire Brocklesby, who was one of the youngest of the cohort of Deacons ordained at Ely Cathedral in July this year.
You can watch the service on the Ely Cathedral YouTube channel.
The preacher for the service, Canon Jessica Martin, who is about to become Chelmsford Cathedral’s first female dean, said:
“It’s an honour to be part of a conference, and then a service, celebrating thirty years since women have been able to become priests. Later generations of priests, such as my own, owe that first generation so much. We will be celebrating the richness, diversity and creativity of what women have brought to the priestly vocation both in the conference and in the service – and toasting the original women in fizz."
After the service, there was a reception in the Lady Chapel, with fizz and cake, and an opportunity to watch some reflections from Fiona Brampton, Jane Keiller and Brigitte Snell, three of the first cohort of women ordained in 1994 at Ely Cathedral.
The Day Conference ‘Hope of our Calling’, took place on 8 November Great St Mary’s Church, Cambridge. The programme included keynote addresses and talks to encourage the whole church to respond joyfully to God’s call. Speakers include the Revd Dr Isabelle Hamley, first woman Principal of Ridley Hall, the Revd Dr Victoria Johnson, first woman Dean of St John’s College, Cambridge, and the Right Revd Dr Rosemarie Mallett, Bishop of Croydon. Special guests also include Dr Christina Rees, Director of the Li Tim-Oi Foundation; and archivists from Lambeth Palace Library presenting aspects of their current exhibition Women and the Church of England – Lambeth Palace Library.
