Nan Peete facts for kids

Nan Arrington Peete (born 1938) is an American Episcopal priest. A priest is a leader in some Christian churches. She became a priest in 1984. She worked at churches in Indianapolis and New York City.

In 1988, a very important church leader, Robert Runcie, invited her to speak. He was the Archbishop of Canterbury. She spoke at a big meeting called the Lambeth Conference. This meeting happens about every 10 years. Nan Peete was the first woman priest ever to speak there. Her speech helped more people support women becoming priests.

Nan Peete's Early Life

Nan Arrington was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1938. Her father, Maurice Arrington, was an engineer. Her mother, Phoebe Clanton Arrington, was a teacher. Both of her parents were Episcopalians. Nan grew up going to church.

She went to the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools and finished in 1955. In 1960, she married Robert Peete. They had two children, Richard and Valerie. In 1970, her family moved to Los Angeles.

Nan went to Occidental College and studied economics. She graduated in 1975. Later, she earned another degree in human resource management in 1978. She worked as a consultant for a few years.

Her Work as a Priest

Nan Peete decided to become a Christian minister. In 1984, she finished her master's degree in divinity. This is a special degree for people who want to be church leaders. She became a priest in the Episcopal Church that same year.

She first worked at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Upland, California. After one year, she became the main priest at All Saints' Church in Indianapolis in 1985. Besides her church work, she helped people who were homeless. She even helped start a shelter called Dayspring Center.

In 1989, Nan Peete moved to Atlanta. She helped train new priests there. She also helped priests find jobs in different churches. She worked in this role until 1994.

Working at Trinity Church

In 1994, Nan Peete joined Trinity Church in New York City. This is a very old and famous Episcopal church. She worked there for five years. She helped with church care and outreach programs. In 1995, she gave a main speech at a conference in Cape Town, South Africa.

From 1999 to 2003, she worked in the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Then, in 2003, she moved to the Diocese of Washington. She preached at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., in 2004. She also served on national church committees. Nan Peete retired in 2005.

Speaking at the Lambeth Conference

In 1988, Nan Peete was asked to speak at the Lambeth Conference. This is a big meeting for bishops from the Anglican Communion. Bishops are important church leaders. The meeting usually happens every 10 years.

Women as Priests

A big topic at the 1988 conference was the role of women in the church. Many people discussed if women should be allowed to become priests. Some bishops were against it, while others strongly supported it.

The Episcopal Church in the United States had already started ordaining women as priests in the 1970s. Other Anglican churches in Canada and New Zealand also allowed women priests. But in the Church of England and some other places, women could not yet be priests.

Nan Peete's Speech

Nan Peete was the first woman priest to ever speak at the Lambeth Conference. She spoke on July 22. Three bishops spoke before her about women's ordination. Then it was her turn.

Nan Peete talked about her life as a young Black girl in the United States. She shared how she sometimes felt left out because of her race or gender. She said that the church's teachings about equality helped her. She believed that women priests helped show this message of equality. She also said that having women as priests would make the church stronger.

After her speech, everyone stood up and clapped for her. Her speech was a very memorable moment at the conference. Many people believe her words inspired more bishops to support women becoming priests.