Alison Cheek facts for kids

Alison Mary Cheek (born April 11, 1927 – died September 1, 2019) was an important religious leader. She was born in Australia but became famous in the United States. She was one of the very first women to become a priest in the Episcopal Church. She was also the first woman to lead a special church service called the Eucharist in public.

Early Life and Learning

Alison Cheek was born on April 11, 1927, in Adelaide, South Australia. She finished her studies at the University of Adelaide in 1947. Later, she married Bruce Cheek, who was her economics teacher.

Alison and Bruce moved to Boston, USA, for a short time. Then they went back to Australia. In 1957, they moved to the United States again. Bruce got a job with the World Bank in Washington, D.C.

Alison became very involved at St. Alban's Episcopal Church. Her church leader suggested she take classes at Virginia Theological Seminary. She was asked to lead many programs at the church. In 1963, she joined the seminary.

At first, she did not plan to become a priest. But during a church retreat, she felt a strong calling to do so. She had four young children at home. Her bishop told her not to think about becoming a priest yet. It took her six years to finish her degree while studying part-time.

Becoming an Episcopal Priest

After finishing seminary, Alison worked as a lay minister at Christ Church in Alexandria. A lay minister is someone who serves the church but is not a priest. She was in charge of helping people and was allowed to preach sometimes.

Later, she worked with counseling centers. She also returned to St. Alban's to continue her church work as a laywoman. Eventually, her church leader encouraged her to become a priest. On January 29, 1972, she became the first woman deacon in the Southern United States. A deacon is a step before becoming a priest.

In 1973, church leaders voted against allowing women to be priests. Alison Cheek decided to work with other women and their supporters. They wanted to change the church's mind.

On July 29, 1974, Alison and 10 other women were ordained. This special ceremony happened at the Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia. These women are known as the Philadelphia Eleven. In August, Alison became an assistant priest at the Church of St. Stephen and the Incarnation in Washington.

In November of that year, Alison Cheek made history. She became the first woman to lead the Eucharist service in an Episcopal church. She did this even though the local bishop did not approve. She also worked with groups that were often left out, like people in the gay community, Black people, and women facing poverty. She believed in helping everyone.

In 1976, Time magazine recognized her work. They named her one of 12 "Women of the Year." This was for her efforts to help women become priests.

Later, she served at Trinity Memorial Church in Philadelphia. She then went back to school at the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1989, she became the Director of Feminist Liberation Studies there. She earned her D.Min. degree in 1990.

In 1996, she joined the Greenfire Community and Retreat Center in Tenants Harbor, Maine. She helped lead, teach, and counsel people there. Later, she became active with St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Rockland.

Death

Alison Cheek passed away at her home in Brevard, North Carolina, on September 1, 2019.

See also

• Philadelphia Eleven