Two women ministers who broke the glass ceiling in the Anglican Church of Australia by being ordained have been awarded Medals of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day awards.
The Venerable Heather Toon was the first woman ordained in Brisbane. She is Archdeacon Emeritus in the Diocese of Southern Queensland, reflecting her service as a leader in the training of those called to the diaconate.
An exhibition at St Johns Cathedral in Brisbane commemorating women’s ordination featured a biography of Toon. “Heather began her training for the Diaconate after attending a Pastoral Care Conference in Hawaii with Bishop George Hearn in the early 1980’s. Whilst there, Heather met deacons from other countries and learned what diaconal ministry really meant. She had believed for some time that she had been called by God to a ministry, but before Hawaii, wasn’t quite sure what that ministry was. Hawaii was a real “Aha!” moment for Heather.
“When Heather returned to Rockhampton, she began training for the Diaconate under the guidance of Bishop George Hearn, although at that time, the Anglican Church of Australia had not approved the ordination of women. In 1986, when she had almost completed her training, and Rockhampton Diocese was debating whether to ordain women or not, Heather’s husband Bernie, was transferred with his work to Brisbane.
“On their arrival in Brisbane, Heather and Bernie began to worship at St Clement’s on the Hill, Stafford, where their friend and former priest, the Rev’d Godfrey Fryar was parish priest. Stoically, Heather continued training at St Francis’ College under the guidance of Archbishop John Grindrod, in the hope that soon, the Brisbane Synod would consent to ordaining women.
“Finally, on The Feast of the Annunciation, 25th of March, 1988 Heather was ordained as a Deacon in the Church of God to serve in the Parish of St Clement’s, Stafford. The Archbishop had given Heather the choice as to whether she wanted to be ordained in the Cathedral or in her home parish of Stafford, and Heather chose Stafford. It was a great celebration and women from around the diocese were jubilant that at last, they may have the opportunity to be ordained too.
“The next few years were not easy for Heather as there was quite an amount of resistance to the ordination of women in the Church generally, and in Brisbane diocese in particular. However, Heather went about her ministry quietly and lovingly.
“Heather was licensed to Stafford and for the next twenty years worked in an honorary capacity assisting at services and taking pastoral care of many parishioners. She was also heavily involved in the Diocese, working to prepare programs at St Francis College for the training of deacons, encouraging and interviewing enquirers to the Diaconate. …
“In 1996, Archbishop Hollingworth collated Heather as Archdeacon of the Household of Deacons involving Heather even more in Diocesan activities. She retired from this position in 2002. “
Reverend Josephine Pyecroft was also ordained in Brisbane but serves as a priest in Tasmania. A profile for her 2022 title as Senior Australian of the year in Tasmania gives a short biography. She has since retired.
“Reverend Josephine (Jo) Pyecroft work[ed] as an Anglican priest for the rural community surrounding Quamby Parish in Tasmania’s north. She work[ed] with the three historical churches of Westbury, Hagley and Carrick, and minister[ed] weddings, baptisms and funerals.
“During the COVID-19 lockdown, when churches were closed, Jo harnessed modern technology and did her weekly Sunday Communion Services with sermons using her iPhone. She pre-recorded them before posting to the Quamby Parish Facebook page so people could still feel like they were going to church.
“Jo was also one of the key figures in saving the Quamby churches from being sold in 2018 by the Anglican Diocese of Tasmania.
“Before moving to Tasmania, Jo was one of the first ordained women in the Anglican Church and the first female precentor in the world, looking after the Anglican Cathedral in Brisbane.
“Serving the people in her community is what [has kept] Jo going. [She didn’t} receive a stipend or other payment for her work.”