Breaking the stained glass ceiling
Quakers in Wales are delighted to have invited and welcomed the country's Anglican archbishop Cherry Vann to a special meeting for worship at Newport local meeting.
The Most Rev Cherry Vann was appointed archbishop last year after being one of the first female priests to be ordained in England in 1994. Now, as the UK's first female and first openly gay archbishop, and the first openly lesbian and partnered bishop to serve as a primate within the Anglican communion, she has well and truly broken the stained glass ceiling.
Appropriately, Quakers in Wales gifted the archbishop a copy of Margaret Fell's 'Women's Speaking Justified', a significant work that addresses the issue of women's public ministry in the church. Margaret wrote the book whilst in jail, having been imprisoned for her beliefs. Fell argued that women have the right to preach and teach, citing biblical examples and scripture to support her position. It is considered a landmark text in the history of women's rights and church leadership.
"It was a joyful event and Cherry joined us afterwards for coffee and a chat," said Carolyn Sansom, Cyd-Glerc / Co-Clerk of Crynwyr Cymru - Quakers in Wales. "When she was at theological college at Westcott House in Cambridge, Cherry attended Jesus Lane LM and her sister is clerk of Ashburton Meeting in Devon so it's wonderful that we already have these connections. We look forward to strengthening our ecumenical links with her over the coming months and years."
Friends from Cardiff LM and Penarth LM were also represented along with Helen Oldridge, the Local Development Worker for Wales & Southern Marches.