I was intrigued by the Rev. Ann Hicks' letter [TLC, Sept. 20], as I don't think in my never-mind-how-many years as a cradle Episcopalian, I have ever heard anyone called "Priest Someone."

We are priests; correctly our title would be the Rev. Ms. or the Rev. Mrs., and what we are called is still a mystery. I was ordained in Canada, where all the clergy were Reverend Last Name ... grammatically incorrect but very useful as denominations and genders were not marked. When I returned to the States, I let my parish select. They opted for "Mother Alison," but, over the four years I have been there, almost all of the congregation have moved easily into Alison. This delights me. It is the name of my baptism, and the name, I hope, God calls me. The children still use Mother Alison, but the use of my first name states that I am not "holier than thou" to the parishioners whom I call by their first names and makes for a friendship among us all.

(The Rev.) Alison Cook

Church of Our Saviour

Lebanon Springs, N.Y.