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EVENT MARKING 100 YEARS OF WOMEN'S TRAINED MINISTRY IN ENGLAND LOOKS FORWARD TO WOMEN BISHOPS
(September 2004)

The future of women in the Church will be under consideration at a commemorative event organised by the Ecumenical Network for Women in Ministry, marking the centenary of the appointment of the first trained woman minister in England. Grateful for two thousand years of Christian women ministering, Celebrating Women's Ministries: Struggling, Longing and Celebrating Together is to be held on Saturday October 2nd at the American Church in London (by Goodge Street Tube station) and also celebrates 87 years of women Congregational ministers in England, 60 years since the ordination of Li Tim Oi, 34 years of women ministers in the Methodist

Church in Britain and the Church of Scotland, ten years of women priests in the Church of England and sharing the struggle of women seeking ordination in the Roman Catholic Church. The centenary marked is that of the Unitarian pioneer, the Rev. Gertrude von Petzold, who was inducted to the ministry of Narborough Road Free Christian Church (Unitarian) in Leicester in 1904, the first of more than fifty Unitarian women to serve in the formal ministerial role since that time.

Barbel Wartenburg-Potter, Bishop in the Evangelical Church of Germany (Lutheran and Reformed), one of two main speakers on the programme, will give a major address on being a woman bishop in the 21st century. The first speaker will be the Rev. Ann Peart, Principal of the Unitarian College in Manchester (UCM), who will give some insights on the life of Gertrude von Petzold. Workshop themes for the all-day gathering include Women Bishops in the C of E?, Daughters of Dissent, The Act of Synod must go! and Lay Women Ministering plus Li Tim Oi and her Foundation, Training for Ministry, Making Music and Singing for Joy, Making Women's Liturgy and Bible Study on Violence Against Women.

In a separate initiative by the Worship Panel of the Unitarian General Assembly, Unitarian minister, Keith Gilley has produced a new biographical sketch and a selection of worship resources about Von Petzold which have been sent to Unitarian congregations across the country to help them mark the special centenary in appropriate fashion. A celebration of Gertrude von Petzold will take place at Golders Green Unitarians, Hoop Lane, Golders Green on Friday 5 November, sponsored by the Unitarian Renewal Group.

Celebrating Women's Ministries, starting at 10.30am on Saturday 2nd October and ending at 4.15pm, takes place at The American Church in London, by Goodge Street tube stop and close to Euston and Kings Cross rail stations. The day is open to all interested in women's ministry. For information about the event, telephone the Rev. Anne McClelland on (020) 8679 2626.

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