Dear friends
This coming Sunday, 5 May, Choral evensong at 3.30pm offers the opportunity to celebrate with joy and pride the 25th anniversary of the girl choristers. Founded in 1998, the nascent choir gathered to rehearse and prepare and first sang for worship in the cathedral in 1999.
By happy co-incidence this year also marks the 30th anniversary of women’s ordination to the priesthood in the Church of England. Its 30 years since I joined with other women deacons, young and old, for the first ever ordinations of women priests at Ripon Cathedral.
The development of girl choristers and women priests shows how women in the late 20th century moved into roles and into public life in ways that were previously open only to men.
However, the campaign to ordain women, led by ‘The Movement for the Ordination of Women’ was aimed at something more significant than ‘jobs for the girls’, or a sensible use of everyone’s gifts and skills. The campaign to bring about change in the church was energised by the belief that both women and men are made in God’s image, equal in dignity and purpose.
The ancient Hebrew Book of Genesis tells how men and women were created in God’s image and likeness. Both women and men can represent humanity and, in some senses, be God’s representatives too. While Jesus was certainly male, baptism and the gifts of the Holy Spirit are beyond gender and no gender distinction is made because they are for everyone. At the Eucharist we hear, ‘We are the body of Christ’. Together, women and men, boys and girls, make up that living body in the world today.
When I was 21 and growing up in the church, I came to realise – rather to my surprise and discomfort – that I was being called by God to something as yet impossible for me: to the priesthood. I am so grateful to have been one of that first generation of women who could eventually answer the call. It has been a fully challenging and truly fulfilling way of life with the friendship and support of clergy colleagues, male and female. It has brought me here, to the privilege of being Dean of Winchester.
The first news of the resurrection was entrusted to women and they were told to share the good news, and it is right that the voice of women is now heard in churches and cathedrals as well as other places of service and power. From lecterns and pulpits, from choir stalls and altars, women’s voices are heard preaching and singing sacred music.
When I hear the voices of our choristers, boys and girls, I am often astonished by what they are capable of – their young talent paired with their dedication and hard work. Both the girls and the boys shine in this role, and its inspiring to see and to hear. I hope that you will join in the celebration, next weekend, of the anniversary of the girl choristers.
On Saturday, 15 June there will be a Diocesan celebration of the 30th anniversary of the ordination of women as priests, with Bishop Philip and Preacher, Bishop Jo Bailey-Wells. Please come if you can at 5.30pm or join the livestream.
I will close with this new prayer:
We praise you, Holy Spirit, for your compelling call
to women and men through the ages.
Accept, we pray, our voices to sing, and our lives to tell
the good news of your love,
and set us free to serve you,
for your love’s sake,
Amen
With blessings and best wishes,
The Very Revd Catherine Ogle
Dean of Winchester