Bishop Hope Morgan Ward of Jackson, Miss., called it "jubilee week" from all the past wounds bore on the hearts of clergywomen, where "we weren't welcome, those places where we were not encouraged."
From Aug. 13-17, clergywomen are observing the milestone year at the 2006 International United Methodist Clergywomen's Consultation under the theme "The Spirit of God Is Upon Us: Celebrating Our Courageous Past-Claiming Our Bold Future."
"Tonight as we gather, we look back at the horizon behind; all those who have come before us, upon whose shoulders we stand; those who have encouraged us, those who have called us forth; those who have gone before; those who have raced onward," Ward told the hundreds of clergywomen in her opening sermon on Sunday, according to the United Methodist News Service. "We give thanks for each and every one of them that we name in our hearts, our spirits and our minds. We give thanks for one another on the journey."
All 63 United Methodist Conferences have been recognizing the 50th anniversary since women were granted the same clergy rights as men. A resolution was passed in 2004 proclaiming that “every annual conference of The United Methodist church celebrate full clergy rights for women” in 2006, and “that all conferences celebrate the anniversary by honoring the names of the conference's clergywomen, past and present, and that in 2006 every local congregation observe the celebration."
Women were granted full clergy rights on May 4, 1956. Today, there are about 9,500 United Methodist clergywomen, accounting for one fifth of all United Methodist ministers.
The acts of commemoration, including preaching, special publications, websites, videos, and celebrations throughout the United States, however, still do not cloud the gender gap and struggles that remain for clergywomen.
Before the year of observances began, the Rev. HiRho Park, director of Continuing Formation for Ministry at the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, had stated that many clergywomen are "still in a lower to mid-level placement" and that resistance to accepting female pastors at the local churches level still remains.
She expressed her hopes that the 2006 consultation will become a springboard for strategies to strengthen and nurture the next generation of women leaders.
The Rev. Jerome Del Pino, top executive of the Board of Higher Education and Ministry, was in the audience as a young boy when women were granted full clergy rights. He stressed at the consultation that the church "has no right, whatsoever, to do anything other than to invite."