On Sunday 23 June, a wonderful service took place at Newcastle Cathedral celebrating women’s ministry in our Diocese, both past and present.
The Revd Alison Hardy, the Revd Dr Sarah Hills, the Revd Sue McCormack, and the Revd Louise Taylor-Kenyon were installed as non-residentiary Canons of Newcastle Cathedral by Bishop Helen-Ann before being led to their new stalls by the Very Revd Lee Batson, Dean of Newcastle.
During the service, the Revd Dr Sarah Moon, Priest in Charge of Killingworth St. John, was commissioned as Bishop’s Advisor for Women’s Ministry.
Sunday’s special service also marked thirty years since the first women were ordained as priests in the Church of England so it was wonderful to welcome four of the original 1994 ordinands to the service on Sunday.
Among the trailblazers ordained in Newcastle was the Rev’d Joan Dotchin, then a curate at St Gabriel’s Church, Heaton. She recalls: “The day itself was so memorable. We knew we were making history and were told that there may be protests – but they didn’t materialise."
Another of the original 1994 ordinands was the Venerable Dr Audrey Elkington who served in Newcastle Diocese in various parishes, as Bishop's Chaplain and also as Director of Ordinands, before being appointed Archdeacon of Bodmin in the Diocese of Truro in 2011.
“It was a very special day,” recalled Audrey, who retired in 2021. “I was aware of how significant it was, but it was also so sensitive at that time.
“If someone had said that 30 years later, Newcastle Diocese would be served by its second female Bishop and two female Archdeacons, I really would not have believed it. Things really have moved on in the past three decades.”
Bishop Helen-Ann was installed in April last year, succeeding The Rt Rev’d Christine Hardman. This made Newcastle the first Diocese in the Church of England with two consecutive diocesan bishops who were women.
The Bishop says, “Sunday was an opportunity as a whole Diocese to acknowledge this significant milestone: the 30th anniversary of the ordination of priests who are women. We rejoice with those who were ordained in 1994 and who have been ordained since that time and remember the 1994 cohort’s great courage in being the first to be ordained as priests. Theirs was an ordination with great scrutiny, and while it was a time of rejoicing, I am aware that many were told not to celebrate too much due to a perception of sensitivity at the time.
“Whilst I am very pleased indeed to celebrate this anniversary, the reality is that work still remains to be done to enable the full acceptance and equality of women in ministry and to acknowledge the, at times, disproportionate load that women experience. We stay alert to this, but today is a day for much rejoicing, and I am delighted to have been able to welcome everyone to the Cathedral. Thanks be to God!”
More photos are available on our Facebook page.
