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This article originally appeared on lutheranworld.org

On September 26, Bertha Godfrey Munkhondya became the first woman ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi.

In a congratulatory letter to Munk­hondya and the ELCM, Lutheran World Federation general secretary Martin Junge expressed gratitude for Munkhondya’s willingness to serve the church.

Women in Black Baptist circles knew that it was only a matter of time before one of their own was named to lead a major church organization.

Female clergy describe having a sense of anticipation for years before the elevation of Gina Stewart this summer to presi­dent of the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Society, a 124-year-old movement of about 10,000 volunteers and contributors based in Maryland.