Two-thousand twenty-four is the 50th anniversary of the ordination of women in The Episcopal Church. On April 28 St. Andrew’s in Hopkinton and May 8 St. Thomas’ in Dover joined the celebration of this milestone by hosting public showings of “The Philadelphia Eleven,” which tells the story of the 1974 ordinations and the brave women and men who made it happen. Both events were attended by enthusiastic crowds and included panel discussions following the film.
At St. Andrew’s, where about 100 guests attended, the Rev. Alanna Van Antwerpen of SpiritBound Digital Mission facilitated the discussion. The panel included the Rev. Molly Bidwell and the Rev. Anne Webb, two of the first women to be ordained in the Episcopal Church in New Hampshire, and the Rev. Mary Beale, the first woman to be ordained in the Diocese of Erie (now the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania). “Their stories were full of courage, faith, and also pain,” said the Rev. Louise Howlett, dean of clergy for the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire. “Watching the film and hearing these brave women’s experiences was so inspiring; but it was also hard to hear faith leaders of the time negate the personhood and valid ministry of women—proclaiming that God is Father and they are also called father, so women could not lead in the image of God as men could.”
The Rt. Rev. Rob Hirschfeld, Bishop of New Hampshire, and the Rev. Jennifer Walters, rector of All Saints’ in Peterborough, also reflected on the impact the ordination of women had on the church—widening the circle of who is included and lifted up for ministry, including those in the LGBTQ+ community. Walters shared her experience as the first openly lesbian priest to be ordained in the Diocese of Michigan, for which her bishop was brought up on charges but ultimately prevailed.
The Rev. Sue Poulin, rector of St. Thomas wrote of the event her church hosted: “St. Thomas' Dover was thrilled to hold a showing of “The Philadelphia Eleven” on May 8. We believe there were around 70 people in attendance. Following the film, The Rev. Dr. Carter Heyward [one of the Philadelphia eleven] joined us for questions and conversation via Zoom. It was a grace-filled evening. Many people who have been involved in The Episcopal Church for a long time shared that they just were not aware of the timeline of these specific events. So much was going on in our country at that time and for some this really got lost. This is another powerful example that history is so important, especially in the times we are living. How can we continue to pay attention, share stories of the past and listen as the spirit calls us forward?”
Van Antwerpen conducted a video interview with Beale, Webb, and Bidwell to capture their reflections on being the first generation of women ordained to the priesthood, which can be viewed here.
For more about SpiritBound, visit spiritbound.faith