10th ANNIVERSARY OF ORDINATIONS

Within the context of the Annual Meeting in May of 1984, a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the

ordination of women was held at the National Cathedral. The six concelebrants represented many facets of that ten

year history as did the preachers, Carter Heyward, Barbara Harris and Betsy Rodenmayer. They paid homage to the

many women who had paved the way for their ministry. A Call for the Election and Ordination of Women Bishops

was circulated; signed petitions to be presented during the Philadelphia celebration on July 29. Looking forward to

the 1988 Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops, a resolution was passed creating a task force to plan for an

EWC presence.

In its report to the '85 Annual Meeting, the General Convention task force outlined plans for packets to be sent

to all bishops and deputies containing EWC position papers on abortion, liturgical language, maternity leave, the

civil rights canon, surrogate motherhood, violence and economic justice. Chaired by Anne Scheibner, the members

included Carol Flanagan, Marge Christie, Linda Grenz, Beth Sherman and Liz Maxwell.

The Caucus celebrates the election of Edmond Browning as Presiding Bishop and Pamela Chinnis as Vice

President of the House of Deputies, another first for women. Chinnis is a Caucus member and one-time member of

the Board. EWC president asks the Presiding Bishop to include the Vice President in the process for appointing

members to the interim bodies and in the meetings of the Executive Council. Within the month he responds that

both requests have been accepted. In a personal meeting Flanagan raises the issues of barriers to women's

participation, suggests names for the new committee on Full Participation, urges preparation for the eventual

election of women bishops and planning for Lambeth 88. An Advisory Board is appointed to serve as a "sounding

board" on the multitude of issues facing women in the church.

Four women -- Pat Merchant, Marge Christie, Fran Toy and Noreen Mooney -- are appointed to represent the

Caucus as part of the United States delegation to a Celebration of Women's Ministries at Canterbury sponsored by

the Movement for Ordination of Women (MOW in England. Katherine Ragsdale is appointed to represent the

EWC on the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, cementing Caucus endorsement of the "right to choose."

Ragsdale eventually takes on the responsibilities of President of RCAR (later changed to the Religious Coalition

for Reproductive Choice).

The 15th Anniversary Annual Meeting in June 1986 records its ongoing concern for inclusive language and

election of women to the episcopate. It also celebrates the publication of OPEN a deployment newsletter for

ordained and professional women. Nan Peete is appointed to convene a task force "to work in dialogue with Bishop

Jones of Indianapolis, chair of the House of Bishops Committee to Study the Ecumenical and Ecclesiological

Considerations of Women in the Episcopate." The bishops had previously passed a resolution reaffirming the

action of the 1985 General Convention to "not withhold consent to the consecration of any person as a bishop on

the grounds of gender alone..."

In the belief that it is essential to share social, specialized and justice ministries, nine national Episcopal

organizations, including EWC, joined together to hold their 1987 annual meetings in conjunction with the Under

One Roof conference. In addition the Caucus sponsored and staffed workshops on Inclusive Language, Sexism in

the Church and Women in Prison. Reports were heard from Board member Jan Pierce, chair of the Lambeth

Conference presence; she, along with Pat Merchant, Pam Chinnis and Martha Blacklock, was present at Lambeth

'78, providing insights into the need to call attention to the living, breathing women who are the subjects of the all-

male Lambeth discussions about women and the issues affecting their lives. The first male member, Patrick

Waddell of El Camino Real, is appointed to the Board, and a resolution is passed calling on bishops attending

Lambeth to carry with them affirmation of the experience of women in the priesthood. Subsequently many bishops

vowed not to celebrate the Eucharist while in England as a show of solidarity with women priests from their

dioceses.

Former president Pat Merchant represented the EWC at the General Synod in England to observe its vote, a

first stage, in support of the "concept" of ordaining women as priests. The next stage, when final approval may be

given, won't happen until 1991, with ordinations taking place one year later, at the earliest. A letter of protest was