Ordination of Women and Scheibner for the EWC. Two eventual results of their discussions were agreement on the

wording of the recommended canonical change and that the National Coalition would be the lead body in political

floor work during the convention.

Bishop Craine of Indianapolis joined Bishop Creighton in stating he would not ordain anyone to the priesthood

until after General Convention 1976. The Standing Committee there voted to support the bishop's decision by

resolving not to give approval until that time.

Reports of the election of General Convention deputations in support of canonical change and the methods

used to achieve those elections were circulated as teaching tools for groups in dioceses still waiting to elect. With

conferences taking place in many quarters, excitement is building around the outcome of the convention and

depending on the decision, what actions should follow.

In recognition of the first anniversary of the ordinations in Philadelphia, public and private Eucharists were

held in churches in Massachusetts, Newark, Washington, Michigan, Syracuse; in a park in Rochester and

Minnesota; in private homes in New York and Missouri. In each case Philadelphia women were the presiders; it

was time to come out of the closet.

Prior to the regularly scheduled meeting of the House of Bishops in mid-September, its secretary, Bishop Wolf

of Maine, sent a letter to the Philadelphia women blaming them for the death of Bishop Noland of Louisiana who

was killed in a plane crash on his way to a special meeting of the Presiding Bishop's Council of Advice called "to

deal with matters related to the Philadelphia event." In turn Bishop Ramos declined attendance at the House of

Bishops meeting in protest over "a brother bishop who has such a low estimate of those of us who, obedient to the

Gospel's freedom and call, participated in the Philadelphia ordinations."

Also prior to the bishop's meeting -- on September 7, 1975 -- Lee McGee, Alison Palmer, Betty Rosenberg and

Diane Tickell were ordained priests by retired Bishop George Barrett. The service was held at St. Stephen and the

Incarnation in Washington, DC. "An impressive number of women deacons joined hands and formed a circle of

support around the ordaining bishop and the priests who participated with him in the laying-on-of-hands." About

1,200 people were present at the two hour service. The new priests stated that "Episcopal authority is given to

enable bishops to implement the principles of faith within the church. To refrain from ordaining a qualified

candidate because she is female or because a church institutional body votes to discriminate against women is to

allow a political process to inhibit faithfulness to the Gospel "

History was made in Minneapolis in September 1976 when The Episcopal Church said yes to women. In the

House of Bishops, on a roll call vote, the tally was 95 yes, 61 no and 2 abstentions. In a vote by orders in the House

of Deputies the tally was 60 yes, 39 no and 15 divided (which count as no) in the clergy order and 64 yes, 36 no, 13

divided (read no) in the lay order. As of January 1, 1977, the national canons pertaining to ordination to all three

orders -- bishop, priest and deacon -- will be "equally applicable to men and women." The organizing, education

and political action generated by the Caucus had borne fruit. After the House of Bishops determined that the

Philadelphia 11 and Washington 4 must go through a process of rectifying their "conditional" ordinations,

movement by the bishops of their several dioceses resulted in the decision to allow each of the 15 women's bishop

to determine the appropriate celebration of her priesthood. A corner has been turned with implications for all

women; "only when my sister can be ordained can I claim my lay ministry."

RUACH FORMAT CHANGED

Following the Fall, 1975 issue, Ruach changed its focus and became a series of educational pamphlets

addressing subjects such as "planning a non-sexist church school curriculum," and it wasn't until summer 1980 that

it resumed its original format of a news periodical. Margie Arms of Colorado was the new editor and Pat (Park)

Merchant of Virginia the EWC president. In her column Pat speaks to new life emerging and recognition of Caucus

responsibility "to be the educational and political leader for the full participation of women." The annual meeting

passed resolutions supporting a bill in Congress to allow the same financial compensation for volunteer expenses

as for business expenses and communicating with ECUSA's Commission on Music concern for sexist language in

worship. Cooperation with the newly formed Episcopal Urban Caucus was also stated, noting that a woman's

caucus at its first assembly secured the election of Barbara Harris, Eddie Mae Binion and Anne Scheibner to the