Lydia Emelie Gruchy was born on September 5, 1894, in France. When she was 19, she
moved to Saskatchewan, Canada. Lydia became a teacher, but a man named Edmund Olivier
encouraged her to go to a special school to become a minister. A minister is someone who
leads church services and helps people with their faith and spiritual life.
At the school, Lydia learned about the Bible and how to help people. Even though she
studied hard, when she finished school and asked to become a minister, the leaders of the
church said “no” because she was a woman. At that time, no women were allowed to be
ministers.
In 1925, a new church called The United Church of Canada was formed. Lydia asked again
to become a minister, but they also said “no.” Lydia didn’t give up. She worked at three
different churches, teaching and leading services, but she couldn’t do everything her male
classmates could do, like serving communion and baptizing people.
Every two years, for the next 13 years, the local church community asked the United Church
to make Lydia a minister. Every time, the answer was “no.” Finally, the local churches told
the United Church that they would make Lydia a minister unless they stopped it. At a big
meeting, the United Church leaders asked if women could be ministers. This time, the
answer was “yes.”
In 1936, when Lydia was 42 years old, she became the first woman minister in The United
Church of Canada. Today, there are ministers of all genders in the United Church!
Lydia believed that God wanted her to help others. Edmund Olivier and the churches in
Saskatchewan saw her gifts and supported her. Because of Lydia’s hard work and the
support of her friends, The United Church of Canada decided that people of all genders
could be ministers.
75 Days Until The UCC Anniversary
Tagged:
100th Anniversary; Centennial