Episcopal Life News
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AN At last: San Joaquin to Visalia since its establishment in early 2008. San Joaquin has had many female deacons EDITION over the years and now boasts four female ordain a woman to priesthood priests, all of whom were ordained in other OF dioceses. Women were first ordained to the priesthood in The Episcopal Church in 1975. EPISCOPAL n June 27, 2009, when the Rt. Rev. Jerry After June 27 there will be only two dioceses left that have not ordained a woman, Quincy LIFE Lamb asks God to “make her a priest in your (in Illinois) and Fort Worth. Church,” it will be the first time these words Suzy and her husband, Jon Ward, who have JUNE O been married for 30 years, are both teachers in have been spoken in the Diocese of San Joaquin. the city of Tulare. Jon teaches third grade and 2009 Suzy teaches kindergarten. Their children are The historic moment will come during the as an ordained Annalissa, an attorney who works for Michael service of the Ordination of a Priest. The deacon on June Glass, our diocesan chancellor, and Jon-Ethan, woman being ordained is the Rev. Suzanne 14. During those a staff sergeant in the army national guard, Ward, affectionately known as Suzy. The 12 years, she has currently deployed to Iraq. VOLUME 20 D R A service begins at 1:00 pm at Church of the worked toward a W He will not be able to A I N P O Saviour in Hanford. master of divinity M attend his mother’s J NUMBER 6 Y : L O O The Rt. Rev. Nedi Rivera will preach. Bishop degree at the T ordination, but he will F O O H P Rivera is suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Mennonite E be sent a “live-feed” of the S E C Olympia and, in a missionary partnership, is Brethren Biblical Above: The Rev. Suzanne O service, which will begin I D also assisting bishop of the Diocese of Eastern Seminary in Ward; Right: The Rt. Rev. Y at 11 p.m. for him. He S E T Oregon. The first Hispanic woman to be Fresno, awarded Nedi Rivera. R promises to stay up for U O ordained a bishop in The Episcopal Church, on May 17, 2009, C the entire service. she is well-known in this diocese as the with a certificate in Anglican studies through an All are invited to Hanford for this momentous daughter of the late Victor Rivera, third bishop association with Trinity Episcopal Seminary. occasion. To RSVP for the reception please of San Joaquin. Suzy has assisted with the leadership of the phone 559-732-1249 or 559-636-8444 or e-mail Suzy will celebrate her 12th anniversary continuing St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in [email protected]. J N I U Keeping our promises, Q to God and each other By Doris Hall have brought groups of people A together to talk about these things SINCE THE FIRST stirrings of a and to seek guidance from leaders, N I renewed Episcopal Diocese of San our own “home-grown” ones and T R O A Joaquin, in January 2008, we have several from the wider church. M Y R focused on who we are, what The ever-growing list of such R E T J our mission is, where we are events now includes two regional : O T O going, and how to keep our ministry fairs, attended by 100-plus H baptismal promises. enthusiastic members of the P N Many events, diocesan family, and four ministry development for TEC. large and community “tent events,” all held The ministry fairs were hosted small, in late April and early May. The by Christ the King, Riverbank, and A Rev. Terry Martin, program director Church of the Saviour, Hanford. for evangelism for The Episcopal Both days included training for Below: Church (TEC), was a principal church treasurers and discussions S Juanita Weber starts figure at all five events, along on prayer practices and meditation, the Anglican rosary class on with Demi Prentiss, steps to the ordination process, L their projects; Camilla Pulatie program officer for praying with the Anglican rosary, L e A H from Visalia made this rosary. lay leadership and stewardship, lay ministries, and S I R f evangelism. The days were book- O D : O T i ended with opening presentations O H by Martin and Prentiss and a P closing Eucharist. A highlight was Top: The big red tent at the L the plenary session in the form of Turlock event; Above: Nancy Key l a conversation dealing with our and Joyce Tanner share notes relationships with our separated during a break at the Hanford brothers and sisters. Ministry Fair. a The community events took place in Ridgecrest, Turlock, shelters, and more. Fr. Terry’s look Madera, and Tracy. They were held at the tent events, with several under a huge red tent and featured good photos, appears on his p a lunch followed by speakers from website, fathertlistenstothe the respective communities who world.blogspot.com told about available programs “We are people who follow o ranging from food banks to To Page C adoption agencies to homeless (more photos on pages C and D) c L L A H S I R s O D : O i T O H P p INSIDE I A history of women’s ordination in The Episcopal E Church. Page B B Episcopal Life SAN JOAQUIN June 2009 A short history of women as BISHOP’S MESSAGE Dear Friends, remains the calling of priests in The Episcopal Church the Christian church eace be with you. I pray that you even up to our own day. From www.ReligiousTolerance.org, Phave had a joyful Easter Season One of the collects for used with permission filled with God’s blessings. Pentecost sums up the role The beautiful Season of Easter ends of the church by recalling that 1970: The General Convention of with the celebration of Pentecost that every race and nation is called to hear The Episcopal Church voted on a recalls and relives the experience of the and believe the Good News, and the measure to authorize female ordination. disciples who had locked themselves in Good News is to be preached to the It was approved by the laity but narrowly an upper room because of fear of what ends of the earth. As members of the defeated by clerical deputies. might happen to them after Jesus’ church we are called to preach the 1973: The General Convention rejected death and resurrection. The well-known Good News that Jesus is the Christ. female ordination for the second time. passage from the second chapter of We are called to live out the Great 1973: Qualified women deacons were Acts tells about the coming of the Holy Commission. presented alongside men for ordination Spirit upon the group, how they left In the midst of all the turmoil to the priesthood in New York. The D the upper room, and Peter began to around us in the Diocese of San A E R bishop refused to ordain the women. proclaim the Good News that Jesus Joaquin, with legal action ongoing, and N A S 1974 – July 29: The “Philadelphia U is God’s Son and that He was risen hostility facing us, we must remember S : Eleven” were “irregularly” ordained as O from the dead so that we might have we are called, not to attack other T O H priests in Philadelphia by two retired and P new life. Christians, but to make Christ present one resigned bishop. “The event caused The Rev. Linda Huggard, vicar of All Pentecost is considered the by word and action to a world that great consternation among the church Souls’ Episcopal Church, Ridgecrest, beginning of the Christian church. does not know Him. Let your actions hierarchy. On August 15, the House of celebrates the congregation’s first The disciples speak louder than words: Live the Bishops, called to an emergency meeting, Easter Eucharist. knew Jesus, but gospel, care for the sick and homeless, denounced the ordinations and declared they were reticent be a peacemaker, teach your children them invalid. Charges were filed against in Philadelphia passed a resolution to proclaim to love God and care for other people. the dissident bishops. Attempts were declaring that “no one shall be denied Him out of fear. Love God with all your heart and love made to prevent the women from serving access” to ordination into the three The power of the your neighbor as yourself. Be part of their priestly ministries.” orders of ministry: as deacons, priests Spirit drove them the Christian Church. 1974 – October 27: Alison Cheek, Carter or bishops, on the basis of their sex. A into the streets Heyward, and Jeannette Piccard celebrated second resolution declared that no one of Jerusalem In peace , their first public Episcopal service at could be barred from participating in the proclaiming the ¦Jerry Lamb Riverside Church in New York, NY. life and governance of the church, either Good News. That Bishop of San Joaquin 1974 – November: The Rev William because of their gender, or because of Wendt invited Alison Cheek to celebrate their theological beliefs concerning the at St Stephen’s and the Incarnation in ordination of women. Washington, DC. He is later charged, 1977: The priests who were irregularly tried and disciplined for violating canons. ordained at Philadelphia and Washington 1974 – December: Rev Peter Beebe were “regularized.” One hundred women invited Alison Cheek and Carter Heyward were ordained by the end of the year.