Story and photos by the Rev. Canon Debbie Low-Skinner
At a special Evensong held on January 25 at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, the Diocese of California celebrated the 80th anniversary of the ordination of the Rev. Florence Li Tim-Oi. During World War II in 1944, when there was a shortage of priests, Deaconess Tim-Oi became the first woman priest ordained in the Anglican Communion. Her ordination was performed by the Rt. Rev. Ronald Hall, Bishop of Hong Kong.
At our Evensong, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Marc Andrus served as the Officiant. Canon to the Ordinary, the Rev. Cn. Debbie Low-Skinner, read the first lesson from Galatians.The Rev. Merry Chan Ong, Rector of Church of Our Saviour in Oakland and True Sunshine Church in San Francisco, read the second lesson from Luke in both Mandarin and English. The Rev. Dr. Fran Toy, who was the first Asian American woman priest ordained in the Episcopal Church, led us in the concluding prayers. And the Rev. Dr. Paula Nesbitt, who is adjunct faculty at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, offered the homily which described the life, spiritual journey, and challenges faced by Rev. Li Tim-Oi in exercising her ministry.
Special music selected by the Cathedral’s Canon Director of Music Jared Johnson included pieces by women composers Joanna Forbes L’Estrange, Clara Schumann, Rosanna Panufnik, and Canon Precentor, The Rev. Cn. Anna Rossi, who wrote a special verse added to Hymn 231, “By all your saints still striving.”
Those attending the Evensong included San Francisco Deanery Regional Dean the Very Rev. Rector Eric Metoyer, Cathedral Dean the Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Clemens Young, Cathedral Vice Dean the Redv. Cn. Dr. Greg Kimura, Canon Pastor Tge Eev, Cn. Mary Carter Greene, Canon Precentor the Rev. Cn. Anna Rossi, and Succentor the Rev. Joe Williams.
Great thanks to Canon Rossi, who designed the liturgy; to Canon Johnson and the Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys; Organist and Associate Music Director Christopher Keady; and the awesome Cathedral AV crew, who also showed the “Philadelphia 11” movie afterwards in the nave.
Donations are encouraged to support the ministries of Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, and of the Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia, where the first women Episcopal priests were ordained in 1974.
You can also watch the full recording of the service.
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