A Movement of Women and the Anglican Church in Australia

Below you can find news relating to the movement (or visit the archive). If you have questions about us or want to get involved, please contact us. We can give you information and share our experiences with you. Above all, we welcome courteous and sincere dialogue with those who may disagree with us.

Vale Pam Albany

Pam Albany died peacefully on 28 December after 11 weeks in Palliative Care at Calvary Hospital in Sydney. Pam was convenor of MOW Perth in the early years of MOW and became one of the first Vice-Presidents of MOW National. Pam was a person who gave much of herself in the cause of women and the Church. An early prophet, she is one for whom we all give thanks.

A Thanksgiving Eucharist will be held at St Mark's South Hurstville on Tuesday 3rd at 10:30am. Followed by refreshments in the hall. A short Committal Service will be held at Woronora Crematorium at 2:30pm.

Please continue to keep Chris, Alison, Bruce & Katie and Pam's mum Alice in your prayers.
Updated 31 December 2011

And Genieve makes three...

MOWatch members and friends are all delighted at the appointment of a third woman to be a bishop in the Anglican Church of Australia. Bp Stuart Robinson has announced that he will consecrate Archdeacon Genieve Blackwell as a bishop on 31st March 2012. Bishop-elect Genieve is to be the Assistant Bishop region of Wagga Wagga, North-West and South-West in the Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn. Genieve is currently Rector of Yass and Archdeacon of Goulburn & Rural Ministries. In early 2012 she will move to Wagga Wagga and become Rector of Turvey Park and Archdeacon of Wagga Wagga.

Genieve studied at Moore College, Sydney and was ordained Deacon in Sydney in 1993, she moved to Bathurst Diocese where she was ordained priest in 1998. She appointed as Rector of Yass in the Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn in 2005. Genieve was appointed an archdeacon in 2007.

Archdeacon Ian Lambert will be Assistant Bishop region of the Coast, Southern Monaro and the Snowy and will be consecrated with Genieve. The appointments have received the necessary permissions. The chief consecrator at the service will be the Right Reverend Dr Brain Farran, Bishop of Newcastle. Bishop Brian is the most senior Bishop in the Province of NSW and he stands in for the Archbishop when he is unable to be present at certain events.

Further details can be found on the Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn website.

Please pray for Genieve and for Ian as they prepare for lives as bishops.

In 2008 Bishops Kay Goldsworthy (Perth) and Barbara Darling (Melbourne) were both consecrated as bishops.

Sing songs and dance with shouts of joy.
Updated 13 December 2011

Vale Diane Heath

MOWatch Inc celebrates the life of Diane Heath a leader in the Movement for the Ordination of Women both nationally and in Melbourne. In Melbourne Diane was elected as Vice Moderator at the inaugural MOW Melbourne meeting in 1984; after Janet and John Gaden moved to Adelaide in 1986, Diane became co-convenor with Linda Walter and Susan Sandford.

Diane was the first MOW (National) Treasurer and steered the way for incorporation becoming our first Public Officer. Diane spoke passionately in synods and other platforms about the full inclusion of women in the Church. She was one of the women who went to Lambeth in 1988. Diane's own call to the ordained ministry was not accepted in Melbourne and Diane and Gail went to Perth where Diane was ordained as a deacon and subsequently as a priest in 1993. In Perth Diane had several ministries; she retired in 2007 and returned to Melbourne.
Updated 13 December 2011

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first women deacons

The year 1986 was an auspicious occasion, during that year Australia's first women deacons were ordained in the dioceses of Melbourne, Tasmania, Perth and North Queensland.

AUSTRALIA'S FIRST WOMEN DEACONS
Eight women - Marjorie McGregor, Mary Elizabeth Alfred, Angela Carter, Olive Dyson, Kay Goldsworthy, Carlie Hannah, Bessie Pereira and Kate Prowd - were ordained on Sunday 9 February 1986 at St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne.

Among these eight women Elizabeth Alfred, retired and then aged 72 had been a deaconess for 42 years. Kate Prowd, on the other hand was fresh from theological college, ordained alongside her classmates as a matter of course. There was a second ordination of women deacons in Melbourne on May 9 1986, because the numbers were too great for one service.

Three women, Marie Kingston, Elvie Fraser and Rosemary Perrett were later ordained deacon in Tasmania on 24 February.

In Perth the first three women, Jenny Hall, Joyce Polson and Anna Cullen were ordained as deacon on March 1st.

In 1992 Kay Goldswothy was among the first women to be ordained as priest in Perth and in 2008 became Australia's first woman to be consecrated as a bishop.

So, there is plenty of reason to celebrate.
Updated 11 November 2011

"A son has been born to Naomi: the politics of begetting in the book of Ruth": An Afternoon with Meg Warner
(following MOWatch Annual General Meeting)

Come along and explore how the story of Ruth challenged the mainstream ideologies of its time. This is a rare chance to engage actively with exciting new biblical scholarship, regardless of the extent of your knowledge of the Old Testament. You may like to bring your own Bible.

This special talk will follow the Annual General Meeting of MOWatch.

When: 10.30am for AGM; 2-5pm for "an afternoon with Meg Warner"
Where: St Margaret's Church, 79-81 Pitt St, Eltham, Victoria
Cost: $15/$12

For more information or to book, contact Kathleen on 9432 9774 or katgazz@optusnet.com.au. Download flyer [pdf].
Updated 5 August 2011

For more news, see the archives.