In 1975, Bishop Creighton of Washington, D.C. announced that he would perform no further ordinations to the priesthood until he can ordain both women and men. On September 7, 1975, Four women were ordained priests by retired Bishop George Barrett. The service was held at St. Stephen and the Incarnation in Washington, DC.

An impressive number of women deacons joined hands and formed a circle of support around the ordaining bishop and the priests who participated with him in the laying-on-of-hands. About 1,200 people were present at the two hour service. The new priests stated that 'Episcopal authority is given to enable bishops to implement the principles of faith within the church. To refrain from ordaining a qualified candidate because she is female or because a church institutional body votes to discriminate against women is to allow a political process to inhibit faithfulness to the Gospel."

Excerpts taken from History of the Episcopal Women's Caucus webpage

Women Ordained:
Eleanor Lee McGee
Alison Palmer
Betty Powell (Rosenberg)
Diane Tickell (deceased 2002)

Ordaining Bishop:
George W Barrett