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History of Women
The George W. South Memorial Church of the Advocate is an Open and Affirming Fellowship that fights for the dignity of all people.
The Church played a key role in women’s and religious history as the site of the “irregular” ordinations as priest of the first group of 11 women in the Episcopal Church on July 24, 1974. Prior to the ceremony the parish approved the following statement: “The goals of the Advocate have always been to move towards one world, one people, and one love concept. We are not afraid to take any step or measure that will make that concept a reality.” Within two years the Episcopal Church officially authorized the ordination of women.
Barbara Harris, a lay member of the Advocate congregation was the crucifer for the ordination. Harris was later ordained Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts on February 11, 1989. As the first woman ordained as a bishop and an African American, she received death threats and obscene messages.
Barbara Harris, a lay member of the Advocate congregation was the crucifer for the ordination. Harris was later ordained Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts on February 11, 1989. As the first woman ordained as a bishop and an African American, she received death threats and obscene messages.
CHRONOLOGY
Under Reverend Paul Washington, the church supported rights demonstrations and protests and established the Theology of Black Power. He thought God intended all humans, regardless of race or color, to be vessels of divine power.
A set of vibrant wall paintings from the 1970s depicts the Civil Rights movement's "stations." These murals use Old Testament verses to graphically represent African American history, like medieval churches. The medieval renaissance architecture and modern murals show America's inner city churches' vital social role.
The Church of the Advocate's founders' socially aware goals—abolishing pew rent and making the church “free for all time”—continue. The Advocate was a Civil Rights Movement hub for African-American and women's rights. It hosted the National Conference of Black Power (1968), the Black Panther Conference (1970), and the first Episcopal Church women's ordination (1974).
MURALS
Fr. Washington came to envision a series of large paintings to be mounted around the nave of the church that would show the parallels of the experience endured by Hebrew slaves in Egypt as described in the Bible and the experience suffered by Africans enslaved in America. He then presented the project to the congregation of the church. The artist and poet, Walter Edmonds, was involved in many of the activities of the church. He played with a jazz group and had painted a large mural as a backdrop for the stage on the upper floor of the Parish House. Richard Watson, the other artist and a musician, was also painting at the church. His work featured an African motif.
Knowing and admiring the quality of their work, Fr. Washington enlisted these two artists to undertake the project he envisioned. Consultations were held with an architect, Eugene P. Dichter, to ensure that none of the carvings or important architectural features of the church would be hidden by the paintings. Dichter's advice guided the construction of metal offsets from the walls on which frames for the paintings were fastened. Instead of canvas, the artists painted on waterproofed plywood attached to the wooden frames. The scaffolding from which the artists worked was erected by Edmonds and his teenaged son at Edmond's own cost.
Edmonds was assisted in building the scaffolding by a number of recovering drug addicts from the Mental Health Clinic in Mantua, West Philadelphia, where he was working at the time. Through the collection of special offerings, the Church of the Advocate paid for the materials, with some of the funds coming from the Rector's Discretionary Fund.
Fr. Washington selected the Bible passages that would guide the artists as they designed each panel. He told them he wanted the paintings to portray God's ongoing involvement in the world and how, down through the ages, God has worked through individuals and people to fulfill God's purpose.
The artists took three years, from 1973 through 1976, to complete the paintings. Walter Edmonds remembers that he would come down in the evenings and stay weekends in the church, camping in the sanctuary to soak up the atmosphere. Richard Watson also stayed overnight. "I would come down at 11 o'clock and work through until early morning. There was nothing else about. The church was there, I was there. It was a totally encompassing situation." The results are dramatic and riveting.
Knowing and admiring the quality of their work, Fr. Washington enlisted these two artists to undertake the project he envisioned. Consultations were held with an architect, Eugene P. Dichter, to ensure that none of the carvings or important architectural features of the church would be hidden by the paintings. Dichter's advice guided the construction of metal offsets from the walls on which frames for the paintings were fastened. Instead of canvas, the artists painted on waterproofed plywood attached to the wooden frames. The scaffolding from which the artists worked was erected by Edmonds and his teenaged son at Edmond's own cost.
Edmonds was assisted in building the scaffolding by a number of recovering drug addicts from the Mental Health Clinic in Mantua, West Philadelphia, where he was working at the time. Through the collection of special offerings, the Church of the Advocate paid for the materials, with some of the funds coming from the Rector's Discretionary Fund.
Fr. Washington selected the Bible passages that would guide the artists as they designed each panel. He told them he wanted the paintings to portray God's ongoing involvement in the world and how, down through the ages, God has worked through individuals and people to fulfill God's purpose.
The artists took three years, from 1973 through 1976, to complete the paintings. Walter Edmonds remembers that he would come down in the evenings and stay weekends in the church, camping in the sanctuary to soak up the atmosphere. Richard Watson also stayed overnight. "I would come down at 11 o'clock and work through until early morning. There was nothing else about. The church was there, I was there. It was a totally encompassing situation." The results are dramatic and riveting.
"One cannot look at these paintings", Fr. Washington says, "and not be passionate." Each person looks at them from his/her own perspective and each sees different things. Whites have represented the 'master race'; they have written the history and rarely seen the darker side. Those who have been oppressed see a different reality because their experience has been different."
Come and be a part of The Advocate – where history meets hope, and community is our greatest treasure.
Contacts
Tel. 555-555-5555
Loc. 1801 W Diamond St, Philadelphia, PA 19121
Hours
Sunday - Worship 10am
Office Hours
Monday - Thursday 7am - 5pm
Friday - Saturday 7am - 4pm