Women forging the way

At a time when appointing women to ministry positions was unheard of in most other churches, The Salvation Army in the Eurobodalla and lower Shoalhaven region has hosted dozens of female Salvation Army officers.

The trend started in 1886 with Captain Eva Meale, Milton’s first officer. In fact, in the first 10 years of The Salvation Army’s existence in Milton, just over half of the Salvation Army officers appointed there were single women. And for the first 10 years of The Salvation Army’s ministry in Moruya, single women officers were in charge. Ordaining women was a revolutionary concept at the time so these women were real pioneers and must have experienced an odd look or two around town!

The Salvation Army has always given equal rights to women, with the wife of the founder, Catherine Booth, a strong leader in her time. In Australia, women have  risen to every leadership position within The Salvation Army – even General! Our beloved General Eva Burrows (pictured right with then-Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke) led the worldwide Salvation Army for seven years. She passed away earlier this year.