wfn.org | [ENS] Iowa priest ordained in unusual locale-a prison

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Title:[ENS] Iowa priest ordained in unusual locale-a prison 

12/3/2003  

Iowa priest ordained in unusual locale-a prison

by Nancy Morton
 
031203-2 

[Episcopal News Service] When Bishop Alan Scarfe came to Anamosa, Iowa on
November 23 to ordain Anne Moats Williams to the priesthood, he went to the
State Penitentiary instead of St. Mark's Episcopal Church. 
Although Williams is a long-time resident of the town and member of St.
Mark's, the congregation from which she was called to the priesthood is
incarcerated. She knows other Episcopal clergy serve in prisons, but she
believes hers is not only the first ordination "inside the walls," but also
among the first where inmates were part of the discernment process.

The ordination of the five-foot one-inch tall, red-haired grandmother took
place in the prison chapel, a large hall with folding chairs for 65 men and
30 visitors. The altar stood in the center of a raised platform. A long,
slender cross hung on the wall behind it with a piano and organ at stage
right.

As the procession formed, three singers and the organist, all inmates, took
their places for the opening hymn. An inmate read the Old Testament lesson
and the organist chanted the litany. Later in the service another prisoner
sang the "Lord's Prayer."

Door of the heart 

During his homily, Scarfe walked down into the congregation to talk about
God's unfailing and love and forgiveness and to describe what a priest is
and does. He began with his own experience as a fifteen-year old hearing at
a youth group that Jesus loved him and was knocking at the door of his
heart. The door's handle was on the inside.
 
 "All I had to do was open the door and Christ would come in. I did and he
did." The bishop noted that it took him a while to make connections with a
sacramental religion, but gradually, "I found something in the Eucharist
beyond words-Christ's presence around me and in others."

 "Anne, as your priest," he explained, "is a symbol of Christ's presence
among you. As you take the bread and wine offered at communion, you are
receiving Christ's presence within you. The priest offers reconciliation,
forgiveness, a new beginning and blessing. Anne is called to recognize
Christ's presence in you to reconcile, forgive and be a blessing to each
other."

A sea of hands

The moment of consecration was especially moving. As Williams knelt before
the bishop, clergy and members of her discernment team, Scarfe beckoned her
congregation to join in the laying on of hands. About a dozen of the inmates
came forward. Soon the only thing visible was the tip of the bishop's red
miter above the sea of hands stretching forward.

John Harper, a deacon at New Song Church in Coralville, was among the
visitors. After the service he wrote to his fellow deacons, "The power of
the Spirit was as palpable to me in that moment as in just about any moment
in memory. The Church is not just about serving people at the margins but
about making them fellow ministers, full members in the body of Christ. That
image will live with me a long, long time."
 
After the ordination the visitors moved to St. Mark's to join members and
wellwishers for a reception and celebration of a new ministry. Although
Williams' primary responsibilities are at the prison, where she leads Bible
study, will offer counseling and take her place on the rota of prison Sunday
services, she was installed that same day as vicar of St. Mark's.

For Williams at 56 the term "local priest" means being prepared within the
diocese for sacramental ministry in a specific locale. Attending seminary
was not required.
She has had an active ministry as a laywoman both at St Mark's and as
diocesan coordinator, trainer and active mentor for (EFM), the Education for
Ministry program of the School of Theology at the University of the South in
Sewanee, Tennessee.

Discernment in prison

Until seven years ago she never visited the prison even though the
131-year-old, maximum-security facility sits just off Main Street in the
heart of her hometown. Then, she was invited to accompany a team of
Episcopalians engaged in prison ministry.

 From time to time over the years Williams confides that she has thought
full-time parish work." In this very different setting, however, the call
prison. 
With Christ Church in nearby Cedar Rapids as her sponsor, a discernment team
Church who are active in their Jubilee Center. The group met once inside the
hospital chaplain, a deacon experienced in prison work and members of Christ
was formed with people from Anamosa, including an inmate, along with a
resurfaced. 
about being ordained but she said, " I could never visualize myself in

The Commission on Ministry recognized Williams' call and set about her
formation with seminary-trained clergy as mentors, course work available
through the diocese, and clinical pastoral education at a hospital within
commuting distance from home. She was ordained to the transitional diaconate
six months ago.

The mentoring continues as do ministry support teams both at the
penitentiary and at St. Mark's. Local and locale merge in new ministry for a
new priest.

-- Nancy Morton is editor of Iowa Connections, the newspaper of the
Episcopal Diocese of Iowa.