Diocese event

To all clergy

Dear Friends,

You will hopefully be aware by now that there is to be a service in Peterborough Cathedral on 7th June 2014 to mark the 20th anniversary of the ordination of women as priests in the Church of England. There is a service at St Pauls’ Cathedral in May which will be a national event but in this diocese we are planning a celebration of the joint ministry of men and women together as priests. Early publicity should have already reached you and the Bishop has also mentioned the event in his recent letter to the clergy.

One of the things we would like to do as part of the day is to include photos, memories and comments from clergy and lay people alike and we’d like to ask you and your parishioners for help with this. We are interested in gathering together as many examples of the following as possible:

• Photos or images which show any aspect of women’s ordained ministry or of the joint ministry of men and women together
• Photos, images or memories of the ordination events of 1994
• Photos, images or memories of women deacons who died before 1994
• Brief comments or memories from clergywomen about their general experience of being a  priest, or a particularly significant occasion
• Brief comments or memories from clergymen about their general experience of sharing in ministry with a female colleague, or a particularly significant occasion
• Brief comments or memories from lay people about how they have experienced the ministry of women in the church and the shared ministry of men and women together, either in general terms or linked to a significant events such as a wedding, funeral, baptism etc

Please note: Any comments should be brief quotes of no more than 100 words.

Please advertise this request widely in your parish and amongst those whom you know and help us gather together as many examples as possible.

Please send anything you can electronically to mary_ireland@btinternet.com or by hard copy to The Vicarage, 18 Kings Lane, Little Harrowden, Wellingborough,

Northamptonshire NN9 5BL

With grateful thanks and best wishes.

Sent on behalf of the Planning Group