Women, the Church and Ministry: Celebrating 100 years of women’s ordination in the UK
Conference Dates: 11-13 May 2012
The conference has been organised in response to the 100th anniversary of the ordination of Olive Winchester [photo], the first woman to be ordained in the UK on 11 May 1912 in Glasgow, and also the first woman to graduate with the Bachelor of Divinity degree from Glasgow University. While the motivation for the event is inspired by the ordination of women in the Church, the conference seeks to reflect on and celebrate all women in ministry, lay and ordained.
The conference is ecumenical and invites participants from across the theological and denominational spectrum. The weekend conference has been organised and sponsored by four main partners: the University of Glasgow School of Critical Studies; International Christian College; Nazarene Theological College, Manchester; and Sharpe Memorial Church of the Nazarene, Glasgow.
The aim of the conference is three-fold:
1. to reflect on and celebrate the role of women in the Church and ministry;
2. to hear and share practical and inspirational stories of women in the Church and ministry;
3. to encourage one another in the present and future journey of women in the Church and ministry.
The weekend event includes:
An ‘Academic Conference’ on Friday 11 May, with 3 keynote speakers offering historical and theological analysis and reflections on the role of women in the church’s past, present, and future, plus a selection of shorter papers around this theme. The academic conference will be held at Glasgow University. For a conference description and call for papers, click here.
A ‘Women in Ministry Day Conference’ (lay & ordained) on Saturday 12 May, with keynote speakers, seminars and workshops, focused on practical and inspirational stories of women in a variety of ministry contexts and leadership roles. The venue is to be confirmed.
Celebration through Public Worship on Saturday night, Sunday morning and Sunday evening 13 May, with a variety of women in ministry leading and speaking reflecting different traditions and expressions on worship. The Saturday evening venue is to be confirmed, but the Sunday celebrations will be hosted by Sharpe Memorial Church of the Nazarene, the church in which Olive Winchester was ordained in 1912.
For further information about the Saturday and Sunday events, please contact the Revd Dr Ian Wills at: iangwills@hotmail.com
