TRIBUTES TO FIRST FEMALE PARISH MINISTER

Tributes have been paid to the Church of Scotland’s first female Minister of Word and Sacrament, the Rev Euphemia (Effie) Irvine, who has died aged 93.

Mrs Irvine grew up in Whiteinch in Glasgow, where her parents were members of Jordanvale Parish Church. She was a housewife for 16 years before deciding to become a religious studies teacher.

However, when she was a year into her course at Glasgow University, in 1968, the General Assembly made the decision that the Church of Scotland would admit women as ministers.

Following an assistantship at Renifield Church, she became the first woman minister to be called to a parish when she was ordained and inducted to Campsie Trinity with Milton of Campsie. Six years later the linkage between her two parishes was dissolved, and she stayed on as minister at Milton of Campsie until her retirement in 1988. In 2003 she published her autobiography, ‘A Journey of Faith’.

Following the announcement of her death, on February 1, the Moderator of the General Assembly, the Rt Rev Dr Derek Browning, said: “In 1971 Effie Irvine became the first female minister ordained into a parish when she became minister of Campsie Trinity Church and Milton of Campsie Parish Church.

“She overcame in very short time the initial controversy that surrounded her appointment by going on to win people over by being an excellent minister to her community and gave tremendous support to the people in her parish. She was so well loved that Irvine Gardens in her parish was named after her.

“This year we celebrate 50 years of women being ordained to ministry in the Church of Scotland. Effie was one of the pioneers, and blazed a trail for women to serve the Church in this way. We give thanks for her life, and for the faithful ministry Effie exercised.”

And former Moderator the Very Rev Lorna Hood tweeted: “So sad to hear this morning that Rev Effie Irvine has died aged 93. Effie was the fiirst woman Church of Scotland minister to be ordained into a parish. Great communicator and exceptional pastor. Led the way for folks like myself. You were an inspiration Effie. Thank you.”

This article appears in the April 2018 Issue of Life and Work

Click here to view the article in the magazine.

To view other articles in this issue Click here.

If you would like to view other issues of Life and Work, you can see the full archive here.