A Perth church will be holding a special service this weekend to mark 25 years since the first women were ordained.
St Ninian’s Cathedral will hold the celebration on Saturday, December 14 to mark the milestone since women were first ordained into the priesthood in the Scottish Episcopal Church.
After many years of debate, the Scottish Episcopal Church agreed in 1994 at a meeting of its General Synod to allow women to become priests.
The first ordinations took place on December 17, 1994, when 42 women were ordained in cathedrals up and down the country.
Saturday’s celebration, organised at the request of the College of Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church, will be attended by people from across Scotland, including 12 of the women who were ordained in 1994 and the relatives of those who have since died.
Rev Canon Dr Carrie Applegath, one of the event’s organisers, said: “This anniversary marks a significant moment in the life of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
“It is exciting to celebrate the first 25 years of women’s ordination to the priesthood, and to acknowledge that we are still on the journey towards equality and inclusion, not just for women in the church but for women everywhere.”
To mark the anniversary, a short booklet of reflections by those who were ordained 25 years ago has been compiled as well.
Rev Jeanette Allan, one of the women ordained on that day, wrote: “That we wee all ordained across Scotland at the same time was very important.
“It was a sea change and we were all part of it - no one of us was ‘the first’.
“We were all the first together.”
And Rev Elizabeth Jones, another one of the first ordained women, wrote: “Maybe as we move forward as humans made in the image of God, we can find a way to value all who serve as priests with equality.
“Yes, doors have opened, yes women have used the open doors in invitation to others - now maybe some doors need to be opened wider.”
The Right Rev Anne Dyer, bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney and the first woman to be consecrated as a bishop in the Episcopal church, will preside over the Eucharist service on Saturday.
And the sermon will be given by the Rev Canon Dr Anne Tomlinson, principal of the Scottish Episcopal Institute (the church’s agency for the training and formation of those entering authorised ministry).
Bishop Anne said she was looking forward to the service in Perth: “In the last 25 years women ordained as priests have offered faithful and creative ministry across the province.
“It will be wonderful to celebrate this together.
“These ordinations have been a significant step forward as we together seek to make the church more welcoming and inclusive.”
The service will take place at St Ninian’s Cathedral on Saturday at 2pm.
