Friends

We had a lovely day yesterday, visiting the beautiful and amazing Valley of the Saints for a sunny, if chilly, walk with Shadow, and then afternoon tea with some friends from church, before a cosy evening in front of the fire in the snug.

Speaking of friends, do you remember 'Friends', that very popular American TV sitcom of the 1990s? Of the six main characters, my favourite was Phoebe, a quirky massage therapist - like me! - and singer - again like me! - but the likeness ends there: Phoebe is younger and thinner and prettier than I am, and maybe just a bit more ditsy?!

Now, I don't know if saints are often thought of as friends exactly, but I don't see why not, and round about now there are at least three whose days we can celebrate. They were all friends of the apostle Paul: Timothy, Titus, and yes, Phoebe. Phoebe was a leader at the church in Cenchraea, near to Corinth in Greece. Paul mentions her in his letter to the church in Rome, and it seems likely that it was she who took his letter there – no snail or e- mail in those days! Paul wrote:

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a minister of the church at Cenchreae, so that you may welcome her in the Lord as is fitting for the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a benefactor of many and of myself as well. (Romans 16.1-2)

I hope she was welcomed with open arms!

The followers of Jesus included several women that we know by name (Mary Magdalene, Mary and Martha of Bethany, Mary the wife of Clopas, Joanna, Susanna, and Salome) and I'm sure there must have been others whose names we don't know. So it's also no surprise that women were active in the early church, some serving as leaders. They included Priscilla, Chloe, Lydia, Dorcas, Apphia, Nynpha, Ammia, Junia, and, of course, Phoebe. In the second and third centuries we know of Alce, Tavia, Mercuria, Apollonia, Maris, Eulogius, Sobelus, and Thecla – great names! And there were others whose names have been lost, including the four 'prophetess' daughter of Philip, and the sister of Crescens.

How times change... and then change again! In 1880 the Glasgow Universalist church ordained Caroline Soule – the first woman to be ordained in the UK; in 1917 Constance Coltman was ordained in the Congregational Church, and in 1927 Gertrude von Petzold became a Unitarian minister. Pioneers! Today, women bishops within the Church of England can still be seen as pioneers: amazingly it was only three years ago, on 26th January 2015, that Libby Lane was consecrated as (suffragan) Bishop of Stockport. At the last count (and forgive me if I'm wrong) there are 13 women Church of England bishops in the UK: Sarah, Rachel, Christine, Alison, Ruth, Anne, Karen, Jan, Jo, Guli, Helen-Ann, June, and Libby.

Thirteen has always been my favourite number. It's the date of my birth, and the first letter of my first name... but, as regards the women bishops, that's only 13%, and it's not enough. While I'd always rather support someone because of their qualities rather than their gender, sometimes a bit of positive discrimination may (reluctantly) be needed!

So let's give thanks for the women pioneers, all the women leaders who, I pray, are beginning to redress the vast imbalances in our society – and let's give thanks too for all our women friends – especially the ditsy ones! :-)