Hertingfordbury Parish News: October 2002
Service of Thanksgiving for the Ministry of Women
At the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St. Albans The 11th November this year will be the tenth anniversary of the historic vote in General Synod to admit women to the priesthood in the Church of England. Since the first ordinations in 1994, there are now some 2,000 women priests. In this Diocese the first ordination was on 23 April 1994 and we can celebrate that in two years time. Meanwhile, the Dean has kindly arranged that Evensong at the Abbey will focus on thanksgiving for the ministry of women on Sunday 17th November. The Abbey Girls' Choir will lead the singing and we hope the Venerable Christine Hardman, Archdeacon of Lewisham, will be the preacher. As we give thanks, we shall honour all those living and departed, who inspired and encouraged us in our vocations and worked for the priesthood to be opened up to us. We shall remember the many varieties of ministry, lay and ordained, to which women are called and by which the Church is enriched. Please come, bring your family and friends, and help make this a joyful and worthy expression of our thanksgiving.Please note: Although the Hertingfordbury Parish News is produced by St. Mary's PCC, the opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the PCC.