Episcopal Church, USA is sent to every bishop and deputy. Not only is it a valuable resource to convention

discussion and debate, but it will serve as an historical document usable far beyond the 1994 convention.

Another first is achieved when Mary Adelia McLeod is elected Bishop of Vermont. A longtime member of the

Caucus, her sister and brother members rejoice with her, and many of them journey to Burlington for her

consecration bearing the EWC gift of her rochet and a contribution to her discretionary fund. Barbara Harris was

the preacher, and she opened her sermon with "This is the day the Lord has made!" to resounding applause.

As a demonstration of solidarity with the outcasts of "traditionalist" dioceses, the EWC holds its Annual

Meeting in Stockton, in the Diocese of San Joaquin. Solidarity to stand with, to suffer for, to show support

happened as the local people declared themselves "ready to go back and continue the struggle."

Transcripts of the ecclesiastical trials of William Wendt, for allowing one of the women ordained in

Philadelphia to celebrate Eucharist in the church where he served as rector, are presented to the library at Douglass

College by a member of the New Jersey chapter of EWC.

Mary Lou Suhor, retired editor of The Witness, agrees to serve as publishing consultant for Ruach. A longtime

member of the Caucus, Mary Lou will assist the editor in layout as well as in publishing. The publication continues

its mission of education about women in leadership through book reviews, items about women of bygone years,

stories of current efforts and legislative actions aimed at diocesan and national conventions.

ENGLAND'S FIRST ORDINATIONS

In March 1994, president Sally Bucklee journeys to the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in

Bristol to witness the historic ordinations of the first 32 women priests in England. Seated in the north transept

with leaders of the movement (MOW) from Australia as well as England, Sally recounts that the unseen presence

of Jan Pierce (a foremother who died six years ago) was "palpable." In the name of EWC/USA she presented each

of the ordinands with an icon of Mary Magdalene. And in June Scotland joins the roster of those Churches willing

to admit women to priesthood, making it the 16th out of 30 Anglican Provinces to do so.

The Cathedral Church of Our Savior in Philadelphia was the site a celebration of the ordinations which took

place there twenty years earlier. Sponsored by an interdenominational task force -- Women of Faith Celebrate -- it

was moved from the Church of the Advocate because of structural conditions. Nancy Wittig was the chief celebrant

assisted by most of the other eleven, as well as several of the Washington four. Preacher Barbara Harris noted the

"audacity of women willing to respond to the call of God." Lay women Pamela Chinnis, Sally Bucklee and

Marge Christie were honored for their efforts on behalf of all women.

In preparation for the '94 General Convention, and with the endorsement of the EWC, Marsue Harris prepares

historic background materials on Amelia Bloomer, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth and Elizabeth Cady Stanton

for inclusion in the church's Commemorative Calendar. The Caucus goes to the convention with the slogan "Faith,

Hope and Parity" which fits well with its major legislative concern, the inclusivity of the ordination canon and the

conscience clause. Other issues pursued by the legislative team of Marge Christie, Carol Cole Flanagan, Liz

Maxwell and Judy Conley include revision of the prayer book, violence against women, sexism, racism and

elections, especially for the members of the Nominating Committee for Presiding Bishop.

On site, Carol, Liz and Judy are joined by Katherine Ragsdale, Cindy Hearne and Katie Sherrod (Sally and

Marge are deputies and otherwise occupied!) for 7:00 a.m. meetings, monitoring the three houses of convention,

participating in the daily bible sharing, testifying at morning and evening committee meetings -- in general being

every where the action was taking place to work for a convention responsive to women. The team's influence was

evident in the "verbal violence" inflicted on the Caucus from the floor of the House of Bishops during its debate on

whether or not resistance to the ordination of women was a "recognized theological position. "

Passage by a mostly quiescent House of Bishops and concurrence by a diminished House of Deputies (many of

its members believed they were in adjournment due to the lateness of the hour on the final day) of a resolution

calling for a committee to look at the validity and theological base for both pro and anti points of view on women's

ordination was a devastating blow to EWC members and friends.