Lady Father

by Susan Bowman

“Lady Father” is a narrative account of my journey through the ordination process in the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia of the 1980’s and the subsequent years of ordained ministry. As the first female admitted to the ordination process by the Rt. Rev. C. Charles Vaché, 7th Bishop of Southern Virginia, who was then a strong and vocal opponent of the ordination of women, I was a “reluctant pioneer.” Dubbed “the Lady Father,” I have served the church for 25 years and I am now offering my experiences and the insights I learned from them to others who feel a similar call and who may find themselves a similar journey “against the flow.” “Lady Father” is filled with anecdotes that will ring true with many clergy, bring hope to those aspiring to ordination, and shed light on the continuing debate in the Church over who should be ordained. “The Process” described in the book is a journey most clergy have traveled, but my story is a unique blend of the obstacles, denials, and rejections I faced and overcame, along with the uplifting moments and spiritual growth that came out of the struggle. It is truthful and so, at times, it is painful; it is often light-hearted, even humorous; it is moving as it deals with real people, real events, and real emotions; and, most of all, it is mine – my story, my journey, my life.

Genres: Nonfiction

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 12, 2011

About the author

Susan Bowman was born and raised in Petersburg, Virginia. In 1969 she received a BA in Philosophy from the College of William Mary. She began her long and mostly self-taught journey toward computer competency, living and working around the Southeast. Through on-the-job training, Susan mastered the first automatic typewriter (MTST) and by 1971 was formatting a book on aircraft carriers using the MTSC (Magnetic Tape Selectric Composer).

Susan worked for the City of Petersburg for almost eight years before answering a call to ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church. She attended seminary at the University of the South’s School of Theology and graduated with a Masters of Divinity Degree in 1984.

Following her ordination to the priesthood in 1986, Susan served as Chaplain in a girls’ group home and then as Pastor for three churches until retiring in 2007. She worked as a Travel Specialist for AAA and a columnist for the AAA bi-monthly magazine, “Going Places.” In 2007, she answered another call to be “Pastor-on-Loan” to a small United Methodist congregation where she served for 12 years.

In May 2010, Susan became the Senior Editor of an online magazine, Our Heritage Magazine Online. In this capacity, she writes feature articles, recurring columns, and lead stories; she edits all copy for the six online and two printed issues.

In 2011 she published her memoir, Lady Father, which traces her journey through the ordination process and subsequent ministries. Learn more about it and Susan at https://ladyfather.com.

She has also written a prequel to Lady Father, “God is in the Journey,” which is available as a Kindle eBook on Amazon.com. She is retired and living in upstate New York where she volunteers for Hospice.

Reviews

[Anne W Whitehurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace and Courage

Rev. Susan Bowman's memoir takes one on the journey of so many women of the generation that came of age in the 70's and 80's. All she wanted to do was follow the call in her heart to become a minister - unfortunately she wanted to do it in that most boys' clubbish of boys' clubs ... the Episcopal Church. Her story takes us thru the heartbreaks and triumphs of her personal spiritual growth and religious education to the even richer victories and harsher setbacks of parish politics.

It is a story that will feel familiar to many women of her generation ... the ones who were not marching and picketing for equal rights in the workplace, but instead the more typical women who only wanted to use their educations and their gifts to do a good job in their chosen fields; women who wanted to be judged for their hard work and not for their gender. In her well told story she captures the real ups and downs of the times and gives today's young women a roadmap for approaching the disappointments of life with grace and courage. Well done!

[D Cassidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Father is a book for everyone.
A unique journey of an unwilling pioneer, this book is a must read.

Join Susan in her personal pursuit of call and purpose.  See Susan's struggles and successes, humor and hurt, elation and despair, her opponents and her champions. You will see what Susan sees & it is likely you will feel what she feels.

Lady Father is a book you won't want to put down and when you've read it, you will look for more.
Lady Father is an enjoyable read and one you will not soon forget.
Thank you Susan!

[Carol Topp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Lady Father after hearing Susan Bowman do a radio interview. I was curious to hear about her struggle to simply follow what she felt was a calling from God. Susan clearly points out that she did not have an agenda. She was no crusader for women's rights. She simply felt she could best minister to people if she were an ordained Episcopalian priest.

Susan tells her story in a way that's helpful to the reader understand the complex hierarchy of the Episcopalian church of the 1980s. Although I admit I used the dictionary feature on my Kindle to understand the difference between vicar, rector and priest!

I gained a new appreciation of what a minister can suffer at the hands of his or her own church. Susan writes about her struggles in such a gracious, forgiving manner. She's an example to us all of long-suffering, patience and grace.