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The Wareham Evening Discussion Group was tasked with
researching the lives of inspirational Christians.
Everyone chose from a list supplied by Brian.
This is the first in a short series of their researches.
I do hope that what they have written will inspire you also.

Ella Gordon – A Pioneer of Women's Ministry

Although the Presbyterian Church of England accepted the
principle of women’s ordination in 1921, it was not until 1956 that its
first woman minister was ordained.

Annie Isabella (“Ella”) Gordon, was born in Aberdeen in 1909.
Despite a B.Sc. and M.A., there was no ordination route for women
into the Church of Scotland, so Ella volunteered for service under
the Women’s Foreign Mission of the Church. Five years in turbulent
Manchuria followed, until 1941 when she was sent packing by the
Japanese occupation.

Back home during World War 2, she worked for the Church of
Scotland. Still cherishing her sense of call, she gained a further first
-class degree at St Colm’s Missionary College, having ensured that
the course included everything needed for entry into the ministry.
She returned briefly to Manchuria, before Mao and the Communist
takeover saw her expelled in 1946.

A story from that period shows the affection Ella evoked. She had a
beloved bicycle which the children she worked with dismantled,
distributing the parts to prevent them being requisitioned. When
things eased and Ella was back in Britain, the children gathered the
parts and assembled them, before riding the bicycle over 100 miles
to the nearest port, addressing it to “Miss Ella Gordon, Liverpool,”
and shipping it off. The bicycle made it and remained Ella’s sole
vehicle.

Ella had been in touch with leaders of the women’s movement in
the Presbyterian Church of England and in 1952 was invited to join
efforts in North Shields working with a large new estate. Initial

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