Sunday Sermon - 17 November

This morning I’d like to take us back in time. Imagine we are in England, in the middle of the 16th century, at a time of profound turmoil and upheaval. The nation is still reeling from the tumultuous reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI, who fervently promoted Protestantism across the land. They seized Church property and dismantled sacred Catholic shrines, leaving a trail of religious discord and conflict between the Catholics and Protestants.

Mary I followed her half-brother to the throne and sought to undo what her half-brother and father had started. A devout Catholic, Mary tried to restore Roman Catholicism to her Kingdom. Her reign was brutal and she became known throughout the land as "Bloody Mary." Determined to restore the Pope’s religion, she used force and violence to squash the Protestant movement. During her five-year reign, she is believed to have ordered the execution of at least 280 dissenters, burning them at the stake for their steadfast allegiance to Protestantism.

Now the year is 1558. Mary has died and her younger half-sister Elizabeth has assumed the throne. Elizabeth I’s primary objective was to calm the religious conflict that has been raging throughout England these past 30 years and restore stability and peace. Consequently, she establishes the Elizabethan Religious Settlement which would ultimately form the foundation of the Church of England. 

The Elizabethan Settlement’s key doctrines are the grounding principles of the Anglican Church as we know it today and two Acts, passed in 1559, remain the bedrock of Anglicanism:

• The Act of Supremacy - which states that the Monarch is the “Supreme Governor” of the Church in England

• The Act of Uniformity - which states that all services were to follow the rite of the new Prayer Book (The Book of Common prayer) and services were to be held in the English language

Elizabeth’s greatest genius was her ability, with these two acts, to find the “middle way” - the Via Media - which remains a fundamental tenet of the Anglican tradition throughout the world.  

In the 16th Century, the middle way was meant to find common ground between the core Roman Catholic traditions and those of the Protestant reforms.  For example, by stating that the Monarch was the “supreme Governor of the Church” those who still felt an allegiance to Rome were still able to revere the Pope as the “Head of the Church”.  

Today, it is this Middle Way that is the Anglican touchstone by which we embrace other Christian traditions within our own.  

Why do I share this with you this morning?

I tell the story of Elizabeth I because, to me, she is the epitome of the powerful role women have played in the Anglican Church from the time of its inception. The Elizabethan Settlement not only resolved much of the violence between Catholics and Protestants in 16th Century England, but laid the foundation for the Anglican Church for the remainder of time.  

But Elizabeth isn’t the only key female figure in Anglican history. Florence Nightingale is also held in high regard. In the 1850’s Florence Nightingale was a devout Anglican whose faith deeply motivated her to serve God as a nurse with a profound measure of compassion toward her patients. She viewed her nursing as a calling from God and trained her nurses by grounding their ethical duty and compassionate care in Christian principles. Nightingale’s influence extended far beyond nursing; she is remembered for her remarkable integration of faith, service, and social reform as an Anglican Christian. She elevated the role and identity of the nurse from a servant woman to professional health caregiver.

Lastly, and most relevant for today, are another two very important women. Mary Sumner who, in 1876, founded the Mothers’ Union within the Anglican Church. The Mothers’ Union focused on the importance of the Church’s teachings about family life and parental responsibility. Following Sumner’s model, Roberta Tilton was an American-born Canadian, a well-educated Unitarian who converted to Anglicanism after she married her husband, John Tilton.  Tilton was a woman to be reckoned with. Her compassion and sense of justice inspired her social activism. In 1885, Roberta founded the women’s auxiliary to the Missionary Society of the Church of England in Canada, an organization which would later become known throughout Canada as the Anglican Church Women, the ACW.  

The power and importance of women in the Anglican Church cannot be overstated throughout history and to this present day. I refer to these world renowned historic figures but there are so many more heroines within our global, national, provincial and diocesan churches, and I am well aware and have seen and experienced firsthand, the power and importance of the women in our own parish family of St. John’s.

Today, as we honour the women of our church we read of Hannah, a woman who was victimized and harassed for being barren and as a result found herself depressed and weeping. But she never lost faith. She prayed hard and fervently to God, so fervently she appeared drunk. She made promises to God, proclaiming how faithfully she would raise her son if only she was given the chance to have a child. Her prayers were answered and she bore Samuel - who would become a priest and the prophet who would ultimately anoint Israel’s first two kings, Saul and David.

Hannah, whose faith never wavered during her trials, remained resilient and prayerful. Teaching and raising her son to be a leader of faith amongst his peoples.

Elizabeth I whose wisdom and strength of leadership founded the principles which established peace in her lands and the foundation upon which the Anglican Church could endure.

Florence Nightingale who, as a woman of deep Christian faith grounded in the Anglican tradition, elevated the profession of nursing from a bedside servant to a highly regarded healthcare professional.

Mary Sumner, a leader and organizer of Anglican women who helped empower the Church to deeper service, to care for those in need, inspiring the likes of Roberta Tilton, who’s passion for social justice, founded the ACW.

These examples of powerful and mighty women in our church and faith are scattered throughout history, but we don’t need to look that far to see how the strength of women has upheld our parish throughout the years.

The women of St. Johns and, in particular, the ACW do wonderful and important work and service in this parish. Just to be clear, I’m not discounting the work and service of the men, but on this day it is right for us to honour and uphold the efforts of the female leaders amongst us.  

As we reflect on the powerful example set by Hannah, let us be inspired by her unwavering faith and her heartfelt dedication to God. In her darkest moment, Hannah turned to prayer with a fervent heart, believing that God heard her cries and, indeed, God did. Her story reminds us that our prayers are never in vain, and that God is faithful to those who earnestly seek Him. 

In the spirit of Hannah's devotion, we celebrate and honour the work of our Anglican Church Women. Like Hannah, these women are pillars of faith and strength, dedicating their lives to service, community, and prayer. Through their tireless efforts, they embody the compassion and perseverance that Hannah demonstrated so long ago, that Elizabeth invoked, Nightingale embodied, and Sumner and Tilton exemplified in their good work.

In closing, let us remember that each of us is called to mirror the faith of these powerful women in our own lives, regardless of our gender. Let us commit to supporting one another, standing together as a community united in love and service. 

The ACW’s initiatives—whether through supporting this church, our families, aiding the needy, or fostering spiritual growth—shine as beacons of hope and action in our world.

Today, we lift our prayers to God with trust and conviction, knowing, like Hannah, that God hears us. We pray in thanksgiving for the power and presence of women in our lives, in our church, in our world. We pray in thanksgiving for all Anglican Church Women, and especially for our St. Johns’ ACW. For their work, their compassion, and their love of our church and its mission.  

May we all be inspired by their model of leadership as we continue our journey in faith together as one body in Christ.

Amen.