were bishops -- a truly inclusive group of eight women and twelve men from sixteen different dioceses. In addition

there is an extended advisory committee and regional organizers for each of the eight US provinces.

The beginning of 1975 also marked the presentation to the Presiding Bishop of formal charges against the four

bishops who participated in Philadelphia. The charges were brought by the bishops of Eau Claire, Fond du Lac,

Milwaukee and Springfield. Appointed by Bishop Allin to determine whether there were sufficient grounds for a

trial were the bishop of Arkansas and the suffragan bishops of Oregon and Washington. The eventual outcome was

not to go to trial.

Also of consequence was an historic first for ECUSA when the Washington (DC) Standing Committee voted

to recommend Alison Palmer and Lee Wiesner for ordination to the priesthood. Sally Bucklee, then a member of

that Standing Committee, noted that "we had a moral obligation to face the issue whether we liked it or not. To

hide behind legalisms, traditions and threats of schism was a cop out." Bishop Creighton (DC) subsequently

announced that he would perform no further ordinations to the priesthood until he can ordain both women and

men. Historic appointments were made to the faculty of the Episcopal Divinity School when Sue Hiatt was named

assistant professor of pastoral theology and Carter Heyward assistant professor of theology. They will share the

positions on a half-time basis and take their place in the customary faculty rotation celebrating the Eucharist in the

seminary chapel. Screening Committee members, faculty and trustees all participated in discussions surrounding

the two appointments. The only negative concern raised was the chapel participation by "irregularly" ordained

priests. A telling portion of their final statement was "we share the conviction of many that God is calling women

to the priesthood now and that positive response to this and affirmation of it should not be delayed any longer. We

are also convinced that it is the vocation of a seminary not only to enunciate theological and ethical truth but also to

witness to such truth."

FIRST ANNUAL GATHERING OF EWC

The first Annual Meeting of the EWC took place at Virginia Theological Seminary in March, 1975 with first

president Barbara Schlachter presiding. It elaborated on the Statement of Purpose to declare itself an organization

of Episcopalians committed to the elimination of sexism in the Episcopal Church. "Discrimination against anyone

on the basis of sex is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual disunity that inhibits the ministry of us

all, lay and ordained, male and female."

Jane Hwang, priest from the Anglican Diocese of Hong Kong and Macao, traveled throughout the two

dioceses in Ohio at the invitation of Bishops Burt and Krumm. As a symbol of a new understanding of priesthood,

she "will provide an example of the effectiveness of a woman's priesthood" in the words of Bishop Krumm, who

notified the Presiding Bishop of his invitation to her not only to preach but also to celebrate. The PB responded that

he agreed that such an invitation was in accord with acceptance among the various Provinces of the Anglican

Communion of each other's ordinations.

The trial of Bill Wendt took place in Washington from April 30 to May 2, during which time testimony was

given by more than twenty people. Whether Wendt disobeyed the bishop's "godly admonition" or simply believed

he lacked the bishop's approval in allowing Cheek to celebrate was at the heart of the court's deliberations. One

witness called to testify who chose not to do so was Presiding Bishop John Allin. While acknowledging that canon

law requires any member of the church duly cited to attend and give evidence, he determined for himself that he

had no pertinent evidence to give. The five members of the Court issued a memorandum of contempt because they

found the Presiding Bishop to be "in violation of the canons." The ruling of the Court was three to two in finding

Wendt guilty of disobeying his bishop. It recommended that Wendt be forbidden "to permit any person whose

ordination is not in conformity with the canons of the Church to exercise his or her ministry in his parish." The two

lay lawyers on the panel dissented. The court in the trial of Peter Beebe also rendered a guilty verdict.

At the suggestion of the national Task Force on Women, EWC vice president Anne (Nancy) Scheibner

convened representatives of the various bodies concerned with canonical change at the Minneapolis convention.

Concern for communication among the groups in order to prevent disunity led to productive conversations among

Anne Exley of Women's Ordination Now, Oscar Carr of the National Coalition, Warren Davis of Priests for the