(Images are copyrighted under Creative Commons and are free to use for Church and non-commercial purposes.)

The Gospel Women series came out of reflections in the lead up to the LCANZ Synod 2024. An important resolution was to be voted on – the Church’s “Way Forward” on the issue of permitting ordination of both men and women.

As a woman who has worked in ministry for most of my working life and as someone who loves preaching the gospel and would love to be able to support God’s people with the sacraments, I have for the last 30 years or so struggled with the LCANZ’s stance on ordination. Through the synod disappointments and sometimes hurtful rhetoric, stories of women in the Gospels have helped to sustain me in my ministry and remind me why I continue working as a chaplain.

The stories depicted in the illustrations above are:

• Matthew 15:21-28 “Crumbs from the table (Woman you have great faith)”
• John 4:4-42 “At the well (They believed because of what the woman had said)”
• Luke 8: 43-48 “She touched the edge of his robe (She told how she had been healed)”
• Luke 13:10-13 “Woman you are set free (She straightened up and praised God)”
• Mark 14:3-9 “In memory of her (She has done a beautiful thing)”
• Mark 16:1-13 ” Go quickly and tell the disciples (But the Apostles did not believe the women)”

I am happy to report that the Way Forward resolution was voted for with the needed 2/3 majority at the 2024 LCANZ Synod, and the restriction on the ordination of women has been lifted.

If you want a summary of the decision, I have linked Rev Dan Mueller’s excellent summary for you to download: