AN ORDINATION has been celebrated at the Chapel in the Garden.

Elizabeth Harley was ordained at the Chapel in the Garden on East Street on Sunday, October 3.

Rev. Harley has been the lay leader for the past eight years but following a three-year course at the Unitarian College and successfully passing the exams, she was welcomed at the chapel as their minister. Rev. Harley has now become the first Unitarian - a Christian movement that believes God is one singular entity, as opposed to a Trinity - woman to be the minister at the chapel.

The chapel held a special valedictory service, attended by Rev. Harley's course director Helen Mason and Assessor Rev. Michael Dadson, to formally present her with her certificate of acceptance.

Rev. Harley said: “There have been Unitarians in Bridport for over 350 years so it felt like a piece of history to be welcomed as the first Unitarian woman to be Minister at the chapel. Interestingly, there have been Unitarian women Ministers in the UK since 1904 but Bridport somehow missed out.

"Ministry training with Unitarian College has been a really wonderful opportunity to deepen my faith and to get to know this congregation even better. Even during Covid we organised zoom services but it means so much to me to have this service here in the Chapel, with so many of my family, friends and members of the congregation here to share this day with me.”

The service included prayers, readings, a story by Elizabeth’s husband, Reverend John Harley, Minister of the Bristol Unitarian Chapel, and a range of songs.