From The Archives | 50 Years Celebrating Women's Ordination

This year, we celebrate significant milestones both in society and in the Episcopal Church. 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of women's legal rights to credit, bank loans, cards, and mortgages without the permission of their husbands or fathers.

In 1974, the Episcopal Church witnessed a historic event-the ordination of the first Episcopal women priests, known as the Philadelphia Eleven. This was a momentous occasion, not without its challenges. Their ordination was considered irregular, it made headlines in the secular news, and it shocked Anglicans worldwide. We are forever grateful for their courage and determination in following the path the Holy Spirit had set for them.

 At Grace Episcopal, we started recognizing women’s service on the altar in 1932 with one of the first Deaconesses, Deaconess Clara Searle.

I have been methodically (?) or not, sorting through our bins upon bins of records, looking for information about renovations, new buildings, drains, and maintenance records for our current needs. Last weekend, I came upon the ’70s bins. My, what an active church! The adults were occupied with worship, mission, service, and fun, as were the young adults. In the EYF (Episcopal Youth Fellowship) scrapbook, I found a note from Fr. Green. (at Grace1967-1979)

The date is 1979, so it was just after the new prayerbook (present-day) and new women priests (’74) that activist young people of the EYF were lobbying Fr. Green to allow girls to be altar servers – just like the boys. The photo above is his note responding to their request.

Faithfully,

Kickie Fulmor