A Service to Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Women in the Priesthood
- 15/06/2024
- 17:30
- Winchester Cathedral
- 2 hrs
Event Description
You are warmly invited to this special service, which has been crafted to mark a significant anniversary in our shared Christian life, and to encourage and pray for the women ministers who have given and continue to give so much to our diocesan community.
We do hope that all ministers from our diocese, both women and men, will recognise this as an important occasion and an opportunity to come together as a diocesan family, to thank God for His faithfulness and calling on all our lives.
We are delighted that the Rt Revd Jo Bailey Wells, Bishop for Episcopal Ministry in the Anglican Communion, will be preaching. There will also be a rich selection of liturgy and music, including a choral work by the contemporary Bulgarian composer Dobrinka Tabakova, and a chant that has been composed for the occasion to accompany a special Litany to Honour Women.
All licensed female ministers (clergy, LLMs, LLWs) are invited to robe and process. To help with planning, please can all these women who are intending to process fill in this form: https://forms.office.com/e/EZg5Svf5W6
All those robing are asked to gather in the presbytery aisle of the Cathedral from 4.45pm, ready for a briefing at 5.15pm. Please wear a cassock-alb and a white stole, or choir dress with a scarf.
Children are, as always, very welcome at the Cathedral and babes in arms and toddlers can also join the procession should that be helpful.
All those robing are also invited to bring along an item that represents their ministry (such as a stole, a chalice, a book, a letter, or piece of art – there are no restrictions!) as these will be brought forward during the liturgy and placed around an engraved candle to symbolize the joys, pains and hopes of ministry. Please ensure this item is either easily identifiable or named.
We look forward to being together. Please do spread the word widely in your parishes and communities as we are keen to gather as many people as possible for this joyful occasion!
