Homecoming Chapel Service Celebrates Ordination of Women
In conjunction with the Presbyterian Church celebration of women's ordination, four women are participating in the Homecoming Worship Service in Dunning Memorial Chapel Sunday, Oct. 2 at 10 a.m. The service is open to the public.
Nancy Jo Clendenin Dederer ‘85, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Homewood, Ill., offers the sermon and celebrates communion. She receives support from Constance Koch Pipok '55, a Methodist minister celebrating her 50th Alma College class reunion, Suzanne Keck Sorenson '62, an Episcopal priest, and Barbara Loomis Greer '61, organist and Presbyterian elder.
The Presbyterian Church (USA) recognizes the 50th anniversary of the ordination of women as clergy, 75 years for elders and 100 years as deacons in 2005. The worship service is also World Communion Sunday.
Dederer graduated with her M.Div. degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1991, receiving the Jagow Prize for Speech and Preaching and the Bryant Kirkland Prize for Practical Theology. Her first call was to the Manassas, Va., Presbyterian Church as associate pastor. She is working toward her Doctor of Ministry in Parish Revitalization at McCormick Theological Seminary.
A life-long Presbyterian who grew up in Sylvania, Ohio, Dederer received her B.A. in Speech and Theatre. She received the Harlan McCall Prize in the field of secondary education. While at Alma, she sang in the choirs, worked with chapel programing and was housing director for the Highland Festival each May. She also spent one term abroad at the Alliance Francaise in Paris.
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Posted: Mon, September 26th, 2005 at 5:13PM
