CAPTION: Rev'd Prebendary Jennie Appleby with Rev'd Jenny Weigel when she was an ordinand (L) and Curate, Rev'd Joanne Parker (R)

30 Years On: Devon’s Female Clergy Reflect on Ordination Anniversary

Posted: 19th March, 2024

Female clergy from across Devon have been reflecting on the 30th anniversary of the first women’s ordination’s to the priesthood in 1994.

Here a number of ordained women in the Diocese of Exeter share stories about their own ministry journey and thoughts on what the anniversary means for them:

Rev’d Prebendary Jennie Appleby, Team Rector,  Plymstock and Hooe Mission Community   

In 1994 I was living in the North East of England with a young family and beginning to sense a call towards ordination but it was several years later before I entered the discernment process. In those days, ordained ministry for women didn’t feel compatible with raising a young family. Although I wasn’t directly involved in campaigning at that stage, I was aware of other women in both the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches who were. However, I did become involved with a local WATCH group (Women and the Church) in campaigning for Women Bishops and attended a General Synod where we staged a protest outside and were featured on national TV! I was and am full of admiration for those who campaigned for women’s ordination, and so grateful for their courage and determination. There has been pain along the way. During my curacy, someone in the congregation would not accept communion from me. However, by the end of my 3 years, we had become firm friends and he had changed his mind about women priests. There are many more women today and I rarely attend a meeting as the only female priest. Back in 2003, when I was ordained, I was one of only 3 women ordained along 13 men and most of the meetings, including Chapter, I found myself in a room full of men. Even though there continue to be those who oppose women in ministry, I have discovered that building relationships and mutual respect is so important. There are many times when I have needed God’s love and grace! We now have many women bishops and women in senior positions. There are also many younger women. However, we still have a long way to go in terms of women being fully represented in the Church in general, to achieve equality. There are still many women’s voices not being heard at all levels of the Church.

“If God is calling you, open the door and talk to women priests for encouragement.  It’s a great vocation and brings much joy and challenge. Sharing God’s love as a priest is an immense privilege.” 

Rev’d Prebendary Rosie Austin, Team Rector, Shirwell Mission Community and General Synod member 

In 1994 I had been married for three years and just had twin boys. It became possible for me to hear God’s calling to me when I experienced the ordained ministry of a woman who took the funeral of my mother. I wonder if women who attend churches which don’t approve of women’s ministry might not become alert to God’s call… or that if they hear it, it is still suppressed or discouraged. I’d love for all churches to be transparent about what they believe about women’s ministry. I feel enormous respect and gratitude for the first ordained women. I hadn’t realised just how difficult it was for so many of them at the time. While it’s not always been easy for me, it’s SO much easier because of the generosity of that first generation of women, offering up their gifts in this way. I haven’t faced any barriers to my ministry, but certainly discrimination. There have been members of my congregations who have not been able to take communion from me because of my gender, but they have always been polite and explained their position, and we worship together with that difference of view. Actually it’s been so wonderful when people have made the decision in time to accept communion from me, saying that they have seen God working in me and it’s led them to question their previous stance. I find it harder to deal with everyday sexism – being called a ‘girl’ when I am in my mid 50’s. When two women lead a service a big deal is made… even though men lead services together without anyone batting an eye! I don’t like the statistics which show that even after 30 years, we’re still a long way off equality. WATCH statistics show that women are more likely to minister in part time, rural, and multi parish posts than within large urban churches. Women tend to come to ministry later, and are therefore more likely to train on a course rather than going away to a theological college. I’d like to see a more equal choice for people. I’d love it also to be able to live better together with difference. The Chrism mass is one place where division feels most hurtful, where colleagues cannot stand next to me to reaffirm their ordination vows, despite the five guiding principles that should allow us to serve the church together. I’d love to see more women standing for Synod (Deanery, Diocesan and General) or offering themselves up for committees. We need your voices.

“Talk lots to others who have gone before, so you know what might be ahead. Pray hard, and listen well. And be yourself. You don’t have to be like the Vicar of Dibley who was for many people the only woman vicar they knew!”

Canon Cate Edmonds, Canon Steward at Exeter Cathedral and Rural Dean to Ottery Deanery

I had just started my training in September 1992 for the Diaconate when the vote was passed in Synod for the ordination of women to the priesthood. My then incumbent wasn’t too happy and made the comment, “Perhaps I’d be happier if women covered their heads, as Paul says,  when they are at the altar!!”. Eventually he came around and has been supportive. After I was ordained Deacon in 1994 I moved to another parish (I was a Self Supporting Minister) and had an amazingly supportive training incumbent. When he was asked by someone in the congregation what it was like to have a woman in the vestry he replied: “Well we have got our surplices muddled-up, so now I have lipstick on mine, she can’t genuflect too low as her skirt is too tight, and as her robes are in the same cupboard, mine now smell of French perfume! ” This was all done with a very rye smile on his face. When I moved to stipendiary posts, the parishes I was in initially were rural and they just called me Geraldine (after the Vicar of Dibley). Moving onto Plymouth, I found life very much more difficult, I suffered a lot of discrimination and even psychological abuse. But I’m glad to say things over the last nearly 30 years have slowly changed, but there are still times when I feel that I am regarded as the “Little Woman” and if I point out areas of discrimination I am regarded as being difficult or “oh it’s Cate again”. I still feel at times when women are assertive we are regarded as aggressive.

Rev’d Prebendary Samantha Stayte, Dean of Women in Ministry and Priest-in-Charge of Cockington and Chelston

In 1994 I had finished a degree in Theology and a year of voluntary work in a L’Arche community, and was preparing to take up a PGCE place by working as a Teaching assistant in a local primary school. I was firmly opposed to women’s ordination and was reflecting on where my place in the Church of England might be in the light of this change. I am deeply grateful for the courage and dignity of those who were amongst the first to be ordained. My own Assistant Diocesan Director of Ordinands was amongst them, and her patience in nurturing my own journey to own the calling from God, that I, as a woman could stand “in persona Christi” at the altar was profound, and it was especially humbling when she reflected on the level of hostility she had experienced. As someone who potentially could have been, but wasn’t, among the earliest ordained, I value hearing of their experience and recognise the cost to them of being pioneers. Many of the barriers I have faced have been inner battles with myself – internalised barriers from early formation in a church in which there were no women who were ordained. In the contexts in which I have served as a priest I have been welcomed. In contrast with my earlier experience as a teacher, however, it is noticeable that people register the fact that I am  “a woman priest” in a way that no one would mention being “a woman teacher”. Vicar of Dibley jokes continue to abound! I am delighted that I serve in a diocese where there is a genuine gender balance among the Senior Staff as I believe that St Paul’s image of the Church as the body of Christ encourages us to recognise that the fullness of Christ is seen when all who bear his image are fully represented. I am also glad that my parish ministry is exercised in a context where the principle of mutual flourishing enables respect and effective collaboration. Nevertheless, thirty years of women’s priestly ministry is a very short time in the lifetime of the Church of England and I have a sense that we are still pioneers and the need for structural and cultural response to the vision and experience of priestly women remains. In my Dean of Women in Ministry role, this seems like the perfect time to re-launch the Sophia mailing instigated by my predecessors in this role to celebrate the ministry of the ordained women here now.

 “Be willing to explore the fullness of all that God might be calling you towards because the Church and the world need the unique gifts that only you can bring.”

Rev’d Hannah Mears, Diocesan Vocations Advisor and Director of Lay Training, South West Ministry Training Course

In 1994, I was 13 years old and in year eight at Notre Dame Roman Catholic school for girls in Plymouth. I asked my vicar what he made of the news about women priests. He wasn’t in favour of women’s ordination in the debate that was happening in the early 1990s, but slightly perplexed at my questioning considering, I was about 12 years old! In my church, Rev’d Priscilla was ordained deacon at the time, but my dad (who was a curate) was supportive of her and other female colleagues seeking to be ordained as priests. I couldn’t know at the time that I was being given a role model, but having that first wave of women ordained ahead of me meant that when I was considering my own calling in the late 90s and early 2000s, ordination could naturally be part of the picture. I’m grateful for that first generation, but aware that role models are still so important today and so seek to encourage women in pursuing their calling. In 2009 my husband, Rev Olly Mears, and I were gearing up to serve a joint curacy in Truro Diocese. Someone in a position of influence had questioned whether I would still be accepted for that curacy if I hadn’t been part of a clergy couple. The same question was not asked of my husband. I’m pleased to say that the bishop addressed the issue very well, didn’t shy away from it and I felt valued in my own right as a curate. Olly and I served the parish together which included looking after a lengthy vacancy. In 2013 I visited a church in London with the local bishop with an interest in leading a church graft there; the PCC subsequently adopted a resolution to prevent the church having a female priest meaning I couldn’t take on the role. Around the same time I was also blocked from a job working with students in a well-known university city when the incumbent said to me that he really liked my application, and knew that what he was saying was illegal, but would only accept me as a volunteer. He didn’t want to employ me ‘because of my age and gender’ in case I became pregnant and ‘brought instability to the church staff team.’ The barriers haven’t been frequent, but when they’ve occurred they’ve been challenging and required grit to move past. The passing of legislation enabling women to be ordained as bishops has been a huge encouragement to many people. While women were prevented from using their gifts for ministry and leadership in the episcopacy, there was a question mark placed over all women’s ministry in any setting. I look forward to the day when one of my female colleagues is an Archbishop. Other changes have also been important. When I was expecting my son, I was given full maternity leave. This made a significant difference and enabled me to engage in the twin callings I have to ordained ministry and motherhood. What might seem small changes do actually have a big impact: I’m really encouraged that we now have a menopause policy in place in our diocese.

“Don’t allow imposter syndrome to become a barrier. We all feel a bit inadequate sometimes; that’s normal.  I’d say the same to men of any age who sense a call to public ministry.  It’s a genuine privilege to help women and men during the initial stages of exploring God’s call on their lives.”

Rev’d Hazel Britton, Curate, St Disens church, Bradninch

I’m thrilled later in life to be free to express my own unique contribution as a woman in Christian ministry. Male and female Christian leaders are both very much needed across the whole community expressing all of God and pointing others to Him. We are all role models, I know I needed to ‘see’ women in Christian Ministry to be inspired and believe I could ‘be’ one, and now I can be that for others.

Rev’d Julie Wheeler, newly ordained Curate at St Mark’s Church, Exeter   

In 1994 I was a long way from God and had no Christian faith. I was living within four miles of Bristol Cathedral, where the very first women’s ordinations took place, but I was mostly unaware of the event happening there and completely unaware of the significance it would later have in my own life. I am retrospectively hugely grateful women’s perseverance. Discerning God’s call is tricky enough, if the thing you feel called to isn’t even an option that must have been confusing, costly, difficult and painful. I haven’t knowingly faced any barriers to my ministry because I’m a woman. One of the gifts for me at ordination was being alongside three other family members; reflecting in one image, differing parts of who God calls me to be.

“Take time to discern the right time and season for the differing calls on your life and seemingly vocations that cannot co-exist. I recently met a woman living with a sense of call to ordained ministry; she was serving the church, doing valuable paid work, she was a Mum and studying theology. She wisely observed how the discernment process can take a long time for women, as we experience these different aspects of ourselves. Each are valuable.”

Venerable Verena Breed, Archdeacon of Barnstaple

I spent the academic year 1993/94 studying in the UK. As a German Lutheran ordinand at the time I followed the Church of England discussions and decision with great interest. It was interesting to see that many questions and discussions that were no longer seen as an issue in the German Church, were being discussed in England at the time. It made me realise that certain processes cannot be replaced by drawing on experiences from elsewhere but need to be lived through in that specific context. The campaign in Germany happened some 30 or so years earlier … before I was born. I am grateful to those (in Germany and England) who have fought for women’s ordination. Personally I have faced no barriers as such, but certainly felt I had to prove myself. My first (rural) incumbency saw me being inducted into that living as the first woman ever which actually opened up some very fruitful conversations with non-church and church people alike who were simply curious. A couple of people felt they had to leave their village church when I was appointed. I visited these people regularly, we had open and honest conversations, talked about theology and prayed together. They eventually returned to church.

“Always be obedient to God’s call. Trust in God and in His call which will be steadfast. God calls us and equips us for the ministry He is calling us into.”

Rev’d Jenny Weigel, newly ordained Curate in the Ashburton and Moorland Mission Community 

In 1994 I was three years old, growing up in a Christian family in East Germany in the Lutheran Church. Growing up I was surrounded by female priests. The Lutheran Church in Germany has been ordaining women since the early 60s and had its first female bishop in 1992. For me as a girl it was just such a normal thing to see a woman leading a parish and presiding over communion. When I started theological college in 2010 more than half of the students were women and being a woman was at no point an issue or something I had to constantly reflect on. So it was quite a surprise, and a bit of a shock to be honest, when I came to Devon and the Church of England in 2017 and realised how much of an issue it still is over here. I feel deeply grateful to all the women who have gone before me, especially those first cohorts being ordained in 1994. They waited patiently and courageously, and forged this way for themselves and for us. I know some women from this first cohort, and their stories and testimonies are incredibly inspiring and encouraging. I personally haven’t faced any barriers, but I know of other women who have and how much pain and distress that is causing. It’s such a joy to see our female bishops and women in other significant leadership roles within the church. And it gives me so much hope for our church looking at all the women I trained with and how God is using their many gifts and talents across the country – much has happened in the last 30 years. My hope for the future is that a little girl, or boy for that matter, would grow up being surrounded by female and male priests and see it as the most ordinary thing that a woman is leading a church, preaching and presiding and perhaps see something of herself in her priest.

“God has called you by name – go and explore that! It’s exciting.”