First Woman Presides at Eucharist in United Kingdom
Episcopal News Service. May 24, 1990 [90142L]
The Rev. Susan Cole-King, daughter of the late bishop of Birmingham and a deacon who was ordained three years ago in New York, celebrated the Eucharist at a Scottish cathedral -- the first time a woman has presided at the Eucharist in the United Kingdom. She used the second alternative rite of the Episcopal Church to comply with the Scottish rule that women ordained elsewhere may "preside at the eucharistic rite of their own province while temporarily resident in Scotland," as long as the diocesan bishop agrees. ColeKing was in Scotland leading a conference on Julian theology, at the invitation of the Movement for Whole Ministry. "There was no publicity and it was not a demonstration of anything. It was just a normal piece of pastoral work," said Bishop Michael Hare-Duke of St. Andrews, who gave permission for the celebration.