Bishop Rachel to attend first female ordinations in DWT on Sunday

The first women priests are to be ordained in our partner Diocese of Western Tanganyika (DWT) this Sunday 15 June, with Bishop Rachel attending.

To celebrate this milestone, St Philip and St James Church, Hucclecote is hosting a party on 4 July, where Bishop Rachel will give a presentation, and a Tanzanian celebration meal will be served for all attendees. All are warmly invited, from 6pm to 8pm (RSVP below).

Helen Sammon, PTO of Stroud Deanery and Link Officer for the Diocese of Western Tanganyika, said: “There are very few dioceses in Tanzania that ordain women, so this is really significant for DWT and the country as a whole.”

A total of 10 women will be ordained on Sunday. Some have been serving as deacons for some time, while others have only recently completed their training.

Their ordination was made possible last October, when the Diocesan Synod approved Bishop Emmanuel’s proposal to allow the ordination of women.

Helen said:”Although the decision was made in October, this moment has been actively discussed for 10 years. People have had objections to it, practically and theologically, about the role of women in the Church. In Tanzanian culture, traditional views about a woman’s place within the family context have often shaped attitudes toward leadership roles in the Church.”

Helen and her husband, Alastair, lived in Western Tanganyika from 2012 to 2014, where Helen taught in the Bible college, and Alastair worked as a surgeon.

She said: “I was the first female priest they’d met, which naturally led to some conversations about the role of women in priesthood, and they have continued since that time.

“For so long, women in DWT have served in leadership roles, but they have been denied ordination. To now be finally given this is a huge breakthrough.”

Many of the women who are being ordained have been supported through a sponsorship programme, run by the DWT partnership group in Gloucester. Sponsors cover the cost of three years of education and training on a personalised one-to-one basis.

Everyone is invited to attend this celebration and would be greatly welcomed, whether you have had contact with the DWT partnership or not.  If you would like to attend the party, please RSVP by emailing Helen Sammon.

“It would be great for people to mark this occasion together, especially for those who can’t travel to Tanzania but want to be part of the celebration,” Helen said.

For more information about the DWT sponsorship programme, email Helen Sammon.