As we celebrate 50 years of Women’s Ordination to the Priesthood, we thank God for the leadership of women in The Episcopal Church! Follow along through the remainder of 2024 as we profile women clergy of The Diocese of Virginia.
The journey of women into ordained ministry within The Diocese of Virginia reflects broader trends in The Episcopal Church and is a story marked by significant milestones.
Early Deaconesses and Ordination Milestones
The role of women in ministry within The Diocese of Virginia began with the appointment of deaconesses, a position distinct from that of a deacon. In 1895, Bishop Whittle admitted Mary E. Jones as a candidate for orders as a deaconess. Jones was involved in outreach at St. John’s in Richmond, representing an early form of formalized women’s ministry in the Diocese. This role, however, did not equate to ordination as a deacon or priest, which would come much later.
The first ordination of a woman to the diaconate in The Diocese of Virginia occurred on January 29, 1972. Alison Cheek was ordained a deacon by Bishop Hall, becoming the first woman to be so ordained in the Diocese and, notably, the first in the South as well. While Bishop Hall allowed Cheek to go through the process for ordination to the priesthood, she did not receive the unanimous approval of the Standing Committee, a required step toward ordination. Cheek was ordained a priest on July 29, 1974, in the first ordination of women to the priesthood in The Episcopal Church, a group known as the Philadelphia Eleven. Her ordinations were monumental, leading the way toward greater inclusion of women in the ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church.
The following major milestone came on January 2, 1977, when Patricia Merchant Park was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Hall. Park had served as a deacon at Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill in Alexandria for two and a half years before her ordination as a priest. Her ordination marked a pivotal moment in the Diocese, signifying a growing affirmation of women in all levels of ministry.
Pioneering Female Rectors and Deans
The journey towards female rectors in the Diocese of Virginia also saw its own groundbreaking moments. The Rev. Blanche Lee Powell stands out as a key figure in this history. Ordained as a deacon in May 1975 by Bishop Hall, Powell was the first woman to lead a church in the Diocese in a full-time capacity. She was appointed as Vicar of St. David’s, a mission church in Manassas, in late summer or early fall of 1975. Despite her role as Vicar, she did not have priestly ordination until 1977. During this period, the Bishop appointed the Rev. Richard L. Shimpfky as Supervising Priest, reflecting the transitional nature of the role for female deacons at the time.
After her ordination to the priesthood, Powell continued to serve as Priest-in-Charge at St. David’s until the church’s closure in November 1981.
In 1994, the Very Rev. Martha Horne became the first Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary. She was among the first female deans of Episcopal seminaries in The Episcopal Church, serving in this role until 2007.
The Era of Female Bishops
The appointment of female bishops in the Diocese of Virginia represents another significant chapter. The Rt. Rev. Susan Goff made history as the first female bishop ordained in and the first female ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese of Virginia. Her consecration on July 28, 2012, was a landmark event, with Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori serving as the chief consecrator. This event not only celebrated Bishop Goff’s individual achievement but also underscored the broader affirmation and celebration of women in The Episcopal Church.
On April 1, 2023, the Rt. Rev. Gayle E. Harris began her call as Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Virginia. She is the first Black woman to serve as a bishop in this Diocese. Bishop Harris’ presence and ministry with us today adds to the ongoing legacy of women in leadership roles within the Diocese.
Several female bishops across The Episcopal Church served in the Diocese of Virginia during their priestly ministry. Among them are the Rt. Rev. Jane Hart Holmes Dixon, Suffragan Bishop and Bishop pro tempore of the Diocese of Washington, the second woman consecrated bishop in The Episcopal Church; the Rt. Rev. Dr. Dede Duncan-Probe, Bishop of the Diocese of Central New York; the Rt. Rev. Elizabeth Bonforte Gardner, Bishop of Nevada; the Rt. Rev. Phoebe Roaf, Bishop of the Diocese of West Tennessee; and the Rt. Rev. Ketlen Solak, Bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
The history of women in ordained ministry within the Diocese of Virginia reflects both a microcosm of the broader Episcopal Church’s shifts and a unique journey of its own. From the early deaconesses to pioneering female rectors and bishops, the Diocese has navigated complex theological and societal questions, contributing to the evolving landscape of women’s roles in the Church. Each milestone represents not only an individual achievement but also a step forward in the ongoing pursuit of equality and representation within the Church’s leadership.