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So far Episcopal Church Women has created 438 blog entries.

Good Samaritan Feeding Tampa Bay

Our church is going through changes. The first is that we are adapting to being in the middle of a pandemic, and next, we are going through a transition period of welcoming a new priest. Our new priest supports our Episcopal Church Women ministry and urges our Bishop’s Committee along with our ECW to continue to look beyond our church walls to serve our community in its needs. Our ECW ministry consists of a small group of dedicated, caring women who do exactly that!

Through researching our justice ministry, we learned from our county that hunger topped its list of needs. Even before the pandemic, one out of four children and one out of seven adults go to bed hungry in Pinellas County. Since the pandemic, food insecurity has begun to affect families who never experienced hunger before. Hunger and food insecurity remains a top priority in our community.

We decided that this was an issue that we needed to address.

But how could a small group of women and a family-sized church reach and successfully and continuously serve this need of food insecurity to a community at large?

By coincidence, the son of our recording secretary of our Bishop’s Committee and president of our ECW recently took a job with a non-profit organization called Feeding Tampa Bay. She told us that the Feeding Tampa Bay organization provides and distributes bags of food free to those in need. We had a contact!
We presented our proposal to partner with Feeding Tampa Bay to our new priest, and she was excited and eager to participate and support our endeavor.
Our ECW president contacted her son, and immediately he set up a distribution station at our church. Feeding Tampa Bay would supply the food, and we, along with their volunteers, would package and distribute the food, in addition to managing traffic. Imagine—all this was free of charge to our church and community! All we had to do was supply the space and volunteer workers.

Our church property has wide driveways on either side, allowing for easy entry and departure, along with lots of parking spaces. Feeding Tampa Bay arrives every third Thursday with their tractor trailer truck filled with fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, milk, a type of protein, etc., for distribution to our community. We gather with their volunteers and package all the food into bags. Our clients drive through, and we place the bags of food, according to size of family, in the trunk of their cars. By partnering with Feeding Tampa Bay every month, our church with our ECW distributes between 6,000 to 9,000 pounds of fresh food to those in need. We are becoming known in the community as a church that helps those in need.

Our ECW is a staunch supporter of the program. We are keeping our ECW strong by trying to support all programs that our priest and other members of Good Samaritan may devise. By working together to feed and serve our community, we are seeking to live up to our name as being Good Samaritans. Go ECW!

The Church of the Good Samaritan ECW Clearwater, Florida

Episcopal Church Women2022-03-22T14:19:10+00:00March 22nd, 2022|

Cornerstone Kids: Una Larga Historia de Servicio y Evangelización

La compañía “Cornerstone Kids” ha servido a la comunidad de “Tampa Heights” por 38 años. Comenzó a fungir como “Cornerstone Club” en el año 1984, fundada por el Reverendo Bruce Caldwell, quien fuera el rector de La Casa Episcopal de Oración. Su intención fue la de proveer un lugar seguro para los niños en la zona menospreciada de “Tampa Heights” para su entretenimiento y el poder evitar la negatividad del vecindario en cuestión. El Club fue financieramente apoyado por la iglesia y operada de manera exitosa dos o tres días a la semana por largos años.

En octubre de 1998, el programa comenzó operando solo cinco (5) días por semana como una compañía sin fines de lucro del tipo 501(c) (3) con el nombre oficial de “Cornerstone Kids Inc.” La organización se transformó en una “Cafetería para Niños” que alimentaba a los niños de la bahía de Tampa y les daba alimentación diaria y balanceada.

Hoy en día, dichas comidas todavía son servidas diariamente, y la compañía “Cornerstone Kids”, funge como un programa que sirve a niños en los grados que van desde el Jardín de niños hasta el quinto grado de la escuela primaria en el área de “Tampa Heights” y las zonas circunvecinas. Ahora, luego de 37 años, el programa continua sus operaciones en laos predios de La Casa de Oración de la Iglesia Episcopal “St. James” en Tampa.

Las Actividades del programa se enfocan específicamente en ayudar a los niños con sus tareas, tutorías, las materias de matemáticas y lectura, tecnología, y el desarrollo socioemocional de niños que van desde las edades de 5 a 11 años y que se encuentran en riesgo debido a su clase social. El currículo incluye arte y manualidades, estudios Bíblicos, viajes de campo, juegos de mesa, matemática y lectura, educación financiera, y otras actividades dirigidas a su desarrollo en general.

En el año 2013, la compañía “Cornerstone Kids” fue galardonada con la subvención de los “Ministerios del Programa de Impacto Jubilar”. Dicho programa es un ministerio de justicia social que sirve a los pobres y oprimidos. Fue establecido por un acto de la “Convención General del año 1982” como un “ministerio de discipulado mancomunado en Cristo para los oprimidos y pobres.” Uno de sus primeros ministerios fue el de localizar y afianzar como centros Jubilares estas congregaciones, incluyendo grupos ecuménicos que ya están directamente establecidos en la misión y el ministerio con los pobres.

Como parte del marco de referencia del grupo “Adolescentes en Acción” ubicada en la bahía de Tampa, los estudiantes de la escuela secundaria “Plant” sirven como voluntarios en la compañía “Cornerstone Kids” todas las semanas. Este grupo ayuda a los estudiantes de la escuela secundaria a desarrollar sus habilidades de liderazgo y también participan en sus campanas de civilidad. El programa utiliza un currículo basado en el aprendizaje emocional y social. Los adolescentes trabajan con los estudiantes de “Cornerstone” en sus habilidades comunicativas y en el desarrollo de estrategias para complementar al resto apropiadamente. Muchos de estos adolescentes sienten que ellos ganan muchos más del tiempo invertido con los estudiantes de “Cornerstone” de lo que ellos mismos anticipaban. Para aprender más de este programa llamado “Adolescentes en Acción” y “Cornerstone Kids” por favor visiten la página web: cornerstonekidsinc.org.

Episcopal Church Women2022-03-22T14:10:38+00:00March 22nd, 2022|

Cornerstone Kids: A Long History of Service and Evangelism

Cornerstone Kids Incorporated has served the Tampa Heights Community for 38 years. It started as Cornerstone Club in 1984, founded by Rev. Bruce Caldwell, who was the rector of the Episcopal House of Prayer. His intent was to provide a safe place for the children in the underserved Tampa Heights community to play and avoid the negative influences in the neighborhood. The club was financially supported by the church and operated successfully two or three days a week for many years.

In October 1998, the program began operating five days a week as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the official name of Cornerstone Kids Inc. The organization became a “Kids Café” of Feeding America Tampa Bay and began providing the children a hot, well-balanced meal daily.

Today, hot meals are still served daily, and Cornerstone Kids Inc. is a comprehensive after-school program that serves children in grades K-5 in Tampa Heights and surrounding neighborhoods. Now, after 37 years, the program continues to operate on site at St. James House of Prayer Episcopal Church in Tampa.

Program activities focus specifically on homework assistance/tutoring, reading and math programs, technology, mentoring, nutrition, and the social-emotional development of at-risk children ages 5-11. During the summer, Cornerstone Kids Inc. operates on a modified schedule Monday through Thursday. The curriculum includes arts and crafts, Vacation Bible School, field trips, indoor board games, organized outdoor activities, reading and math programs, financial literacy, and other enrichment activities.

In 2013, Cornerstone Kids was awarded a Jubilee Ministries Program Impact Grant. The Jubilee Ministry Program is a social justice ministry of advocacy and service for the poor and oppressed. It was established by an act of the 1982 General Convention as “a ministry of joint discipleship in Christ with poor and oppressed people, wherever they are found, to meet basic human needs and to build a just society.” One of its major ministries is locating and affirming as Jubilee Centers those congregations, including ecumenical clusters, already directly engaged in mission and ministry with poor people.

As a part of Frameworks Tampa Bay’s Teens in Action program, Plant High School students volunteer at Cornerstone Kids each week. Teens in Action is a program helping high schoolers develop performance and leadership skills and partake in civic engagement. The program uses a social and emotional learning curriculum. The teens work with the Cornerstone students on communication skills and developing strategies to compliment others appropriately. Many of the teens feel that they get a lot more out of spending time with Cornerstone students than they ever expected. To learn more about the Teens in Action program and Cornerstone Kid please visit: cornerstonekidsinc.org

Episcopal Church Women2022-03-22T14:06:25+00:00March 22nd, 2022|

A Favorite Chapter Christmas Version of 1 Corinthians Chapter 13

If I design fabulous Christmas cards, with flaw-less family photos and write newsy, clever Christmas letters about my perfect life, but have not love, I’m a phony friend.

And if I have super power to remember the correct sizes and color preferences of everyone on my list; and if I have faith to find parking on Black Friday, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give my Christmas bonus to the church, and work all day Saturday greening up the church, handing out shower towels and free soup, but have not love, I gain nothing.

If I trim the tree with Waterford angels and Pottery Barn stars, attend the Bishop’s Christmas party, and sing in the community chorus, but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops to comfort a whimpering child and then wipe up the broken eggs. Love climbs down the ladder to set aside her many strings of lights, to hang a wreath for an elderly neighbor next door.

Love is kind… and tired; a lot of tired.

Love does not envy the animated Disney characters, dancing to surround-sound music on the neighbor’s light-covered rooftop.

Love does not yell at the kids to get the basket-ball off the breakfast table, but is thankful for a family breakfast together.

Love seeks to encourage, support and intentionally help.

Love rejoices in giving to those who cannot.

Love does not engage in political angst, but seeks common ground and celebrates the freedom to disagree.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never fails.

Love is action. Love is work; hard work.

Barbie’s shoes will be lost, remote control batteries will die, sweaters will shrink, jewelry will tarnish – Santa might even be elected; but the gift of love will last forever.

Because the greatest of these is love.

By Cindy Cutts, Talk Story Editor-in-Chief – St. Jude’s Episcopal Church on Hawaii Island

“Love is kind… and tired; a lot of tired”

Episcopal Church Women2021-12-03T15:35:15+00:00December 3rd, 2021|

Rev. Deacon Twilla R. Two Bulls of the Oglala Sioux Tribe Grandmother’s Buckskin Dress

For the first time since the pandemic started, the National Board was able to venture away from their homes and meet in person. Most members were able to travel to Rapid City, South Dakota, and spend three days planning the upcoming Triennial meeting and addressing the business workings of the National Organization. Those not able to attend in person joined the meeting virtually.

While in S. Dakota they were treated to a presentation by Rev. Deacon Twilla R. Two Bulls of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. She and her sister instructed the women in traditional crafts such as buffalo hide bracelet making as well as provided firsthand accounts of how the pandemic has affected life on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. She also brought her grandmother’s buckskin dress for the women to admire.

The last day of the meeting allowed a bit of free time for the group to travel by bus and visit Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial. Throughout the three day event, old friendships were rekindled and the blessings one feels when sharing their spiritual work resonated.

Buffalo Hide Bracelet Making

Evening Dinner and Sharing

The National Episcopal Church Women held their October 2021 board meeting in Rapid City, SD. The Rev. Deacon Twilla R. Two Bulls from the Lakota Nation visited and discussed the historical link between her family and the Episcopal Church.

Episcopal Church Women2021-11-03T13:23:07+00:00November 2nd, 2021|

Proyecto encubierto

Escrito por Margaret Noel
Representante de la provincia 1, NECW

El Proyecto encubierto de Rhode Island recibió una donación de 100,000 productos menstruales de la marca U producido por la compañía “Kotex” a través de la alianza de suministros de productos menstruales para acabar con la pobreza.

Una mujer de cada cuatro carece de los fondos para comprar productos menstruales. En mi estado de Rhode Island, una de cada seis mujeres que oscilan entre las edades de 12 a 44 años viven en estado de pobreza. De igual forma, una de cada cinco mujeres no trabaja, o asisten a la escuela. Por último, una de cada cuatro mujeres no asiste a la escuela específicamente por no tener acceso a productos menstruales.

Me gustaría resaltar tres (3) organizaciones que son las más útiles o prominentes en acabar con la pobreza de productos menstruales en los Estados Unidos:

El Proyecto Encubierto Rhode Island fue fundado en 1992 con la misión de satisfacer las necesidades de 20,000 niños al suministrar más de un millón de pañales y 180,000 pares de ropa de interior y medias todos los anos. Pero llegaron a la conclusión que la pobreza de productos menstruales no solo es un problema a nivel nacional; la escasez de los productos menstruales es, de hecho, un gran problema en Rhode Island. Y la necesidad para ayudar ha crecido exponencialmente de acuerdo con Richard Fleisher, fundador y presidente del Proyecto Encubierto. Impuestos de venta en los suministros de productos menstruales coloca una carga desbalanceada en individuos que pasan por el proceso menstrual. Treinta estados de la unión tienen impuestos sobre productos menstruales. El estado de Rhode Island no hace lo propio. El Proyecto encubierto, un miembro de la alianza de para periodos menstruales, recibe los materiales de necesidades básicas y los distribuye a más de dos docenas de comunidades y agencias de servicio social a través del estado basado en los datos obtenidos del Departamento de Servicios Humanos RI.

La Alianza para los suministros de periodos menstruales es una iniciativa de La Red de Panales Nacional o sus siglas en inglés (NDBN) – 501C(3), organización sin fines de lucro que lleva a un movimiento dirigido a ayudar a individuos y familias luchando para satisfacer sus necesidades básicas. Iniciado en mayo de 2018, con el apoyo de su fundador (la compañía U por Kotex), la alianza para el suministro de productos menst0ruales concientiza sobre la pobreza de productos menstruales (#pobrezadeproductosmenstruales) y apoya el desarrolla y la expansión del programa de suministro en comunidades a lo largo del país. La organización está formada por más de 115 programas que cobran, almacenan y distribuyen suministros de productos menstruales en comunidades locales. “Nosotros Podemos terminar la pobreza al concientizar sobre el problema, llevar una expansión del Proyecto encubierto y abogar por los cambios de políticas públicas”, dice Jennifer Gaines, directora del programa Alianza para el suministro de productos menstruales.

El espónsor U por Kotex cree que nada debería interponerse en el camino de las mujeres alcanzando sus sueños. Especialmente el no tener acceso a productos femeninos. Tras ser el fundador de la Alianza para productos menstruales, ellos han donado más de 30 millones de productos menstruales para ayudar a las mujeres en necesidad. Ellos están comprometidos a pelear por el fin de la pobreza de productos menstruales. Hagamos la diferencia juntos.

Para más información o donación vaya a: Allianceforperiodsupplies.org

Episcopal Church Women2021-11-02T19:21:14+00:00November 2nd, 2021|

Project Undercover

by Margaret Noel – Province 1 Representative, NECW

Rhode Island Project Undercover received a donation of 100,000 period products from U by Kotex through the Alliance for Period Supplies to support efforts to end period poverty.

One in four women struggle to purchase period products due to a lack of income. In my state of Rhode Island, one in six women and girls ages 12 to 44 lives below the Federal Poverty Line. Also, one in five low-income women in the US report missing work, school or similar commitments and one in four teens in the US have missed class due to lack of access to period products.

I would like to highlight three organizations that are most helpful in working toward ending period poverty in the United States:

Project Undercover Rhode Island was founded in 1992 with the mission to meet the emergency needs of 20,000 kids by supplying over one million diapers and 180,000 pairs of underwear and socks every year. But they realized period poverty is not only a growing public health issue nationwide; period poverty is a real issue in Rhode Island. And the need for help has grown significantly, according to Richard Fleischer, founder and president of Project Undercover. Sales tax on period supplies places an unequal burden on individuals who menstruate. Thirty states tax period supplies. Rhode Island DOES NOT. Project Undercover, a member of the Alliance for Period Supplies, collects material basic necessities and distributes them to more than two dozen community action partnerships and social service agencies throughout the state based on data from the RI Department of Human Services.

The Alliance for Period Supplies is an initiative of the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) — a 501©(3) nonprofit that leads a nationwide movement aimed at helping individuals and families struggling to afford material basic needs. Launched in May 2018, with the support of founding sponsor U by Kotex, the Alliance for Period Supplies raises national awareness of period poverty (#periodpoverty) and supports the development and expansion of period supply programs in communities throughout the country. The organization is comprised of more than 115 allied programs that collect, warehouse and distribute menstrual/period supplies in local communities. “We can end period poverty in the US by increasing awareness of the issue, expanding community-based programs like Project Undercover and advocating for changes in public policy,” said Jennifer Gaines, program director at the Alliance for Period Supplies.

Sponsor U by Kotex® believes nothing should stand in the way of women achieving their dreams. Especially not having access to feminine products. As the founding sponsor of the Alliance for Period Supplies, they have already donated 30 million period products to help women in need. They’re committed to the fight to end period poverty. Let’s make a difference together.

For more information or to donate go to: Allianceforperiodsupplies.org

Episcopal Church Women2021-11-02T19:20:52+00:00November 2nd, 2021|

The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art Laurel, Mississippi

Lauren+Rogers+Museum+of+Art by Mary Beth Welch – Province IV Representative, NECW

Using art to respond to the unique challenge of Covid 19, the Lauren Rogers Museum created and distributed thousands of grab and go activity kits which were inspired by their collections and exhibitions. Each kit included all the needed instructions and supplies for a fun family experience.

Due to Covid 19 and the cancellation of off-site field trips for schools, the Museum also created Classroom Art Kits. These free custom-designed all-inclusive art kits feature activities that relate directly to the Museum’s permanent collections and exhibitions and includes step by step instruction, resource guides and individually packed art materials for up to 30 students—everything teachers need for a creative class project.

In these days of prolonged homeschooling or visual classes, think of what art brings to the soul. What can the resources be in your area?

The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art opened to the public in 1923 as a memorial to a young man with a promising future in the booming timber town of Laurel, Mississippi. Princeton-educated and recently married, Lauren Eastman Rogers was primed to take his place with the Eastman Gardiner Lumber Company when he died in 1921 at the age of 23 from complications of appendicitis.

In the wake of this tragedy, Lauren’s family created the Museum in his memory as a testament to his spirit, his ability, and the promise of his future. Their goal was to create a place for the advancement of learning and to never charge an admission fee.

From their collections and classes to programs and performances, the LRMA Education Department strives to create dynamic learning opportunities for all ages and stages. Please see below for a brief overview of our offerings.

The LRMA takes art outside of their walls and into the community through a strong Outreach program. Each and every month the visit retirement communities, special needs facilities, community centers and schools. The Museum also works closely with the Laurel Housing Authority to provide craft activities during their summer feeding program.

Episcopal Church Women2021-11-02T19:05:45+00:00November 2nd, 2021|

¿Qué estamos haciendo como Diócesis para construer una comunidad bien equilibrada?

Escrito por Connie Sanchez – Representante de la Provincia IX, NECW

Construyendo una etnicidad bien balanceada, inclusive, cultural, y una comunidad diversa es un compromiso que la Diocesis de Honduras de la Provincia numero nueve (IX) ha propuesto para llevar a cabo, es un deber ineludible que como iglesia estamos llamados a hacer, sin embargo, lo propio llevaria un largo tiempo de educacion. Ya que debemos entender que la diversidad y la heterogeneidad siginifica un demanda que va mucho mas alla de las demandas pastorales que realizamos especialmente con las comunidades indigenas y Negras (Maya Chorti y Lenca), ambas necesarias para preserver la sostenibilidad de la diocesis y su legitimidad.

Esta tarea no es facil, lo cual es evidente en la practica en numerosas companias en nuestro pais y muchas congregaciones donde hay discriminacion, y que Tambien se complica debido a la crisis economica actual que todos experimentamos, aunado a la falta de guia espiritual y la perdidad de los valores en una Sociedad que carece de la presencia de Dios.

Sin embargo, en nuestra diocesis la educacion intercultural debe ser un compromiso de todas nuestras escuelas, programas y proyectos sociales para que sea una educacion verdaderamente inclusive, esto implica educar acerda de todas las diferencias e identidades, contribuyendo asi a la formacion de ciudadanos capaces de integrarse en una actitud de hermandad que haga visible el amor de Dios entre nosotros. De la misma forma, nuestra diocesis esta comprometida a la formacion de liderazgo y la representacion de los grupos etnicos principales para que puedan proveer oreintacion cultural y social sin perder su propia identidad y sus particularidades ya que a veces son victimas del miedo y la inseguridad.

Para que una comunidad eclesial sea mas justa, inclusive y equitativa, seria necesario incluir y aceptar a las personas indististamente de su etnicidad, o estatus social o economico, ya sea que ellos sean del mismo pais o de culturas diferentes. En este sentido, nosotros Podemos construir comuidades mas diversas y balanceadas con un sentido de respeto y justiciar para las diversas comunidades, las cuales por muchos anos han sido discriminadas, y por ellos estamos enfocando nuestra atencion pastoral a la ensenanza de las personas en lo atienente a valores como el respeto y el amor al projimo, sin distingo de las diferencias culturales y etnicas para asi tener comunidades mas equitativas e inclusivas llenas del amor Dios.

Episcopal Church Women2021-11-02T18:55:34+00:00November 2nd, 2021|

What are we doing as a Diocese to build a well-balanced community

by Connie Sanchez – Province IX Representative, NECW

Building a well-balanced ethnic, inclusive, cultural and diverse community is a commitment that the Diocese of Honduras of the IX Province has proposed to carry out, it is an inescapable duty that as a Church we are called to do, however, it is a long process of education. Since in the first place we must understand that diversity and heterogeneity pose far-reaching demands within the pastoral framework we are currently carrying out especially with the black and indigenous communities (Maya Chortí and Lenca), both to preserve the sustainability of the Diocese, on the one hand, as if to respect its legitimacy before the community to which we belong, on the other.

This task is not easy, as demonstrated in practice in numerous companies in our country and in many congregations where there is discrimination, and it is further complicated due to the economic consequences of the current crisis we are experiencing as well as the lack of guidance and loss of values in society that highlight the lack of God’s love.

Therefore, in our Diocese educating for interculturality must be a commitment of all our schools, programs and social projects so that it is truly an inclusive education, this implies educating in respect of all identities and differences, contributing to the formation of citizens capable of integrating and fellowship, making God’s love visible among us. In the same way, our Diocese is committed to the formation of leadership and representing the main ethnic groups so that they provide social and cultural orientation without losing their own identity and their particularities since they are sometimes victims of insecurity and fear.

For an ecclesial community to be more just, inclusive and equitable, it would be necessary to include and accept people regardless of their ethnicity, or social and economic status, whether they are from the same country or from other cultures. In this way, we could build more inclusive, cultural and diverse ethnic communities well balanced with a sense of respect and justice for the different communities, which for many years have been discriminated against, for this we are leading our pastoral attention which will teach our people respect and the love of one another regardless of our ethnic and cultural differences in order to have more equitable and inclusive congregations, fuller of the love of God.

Episcopal Church Women2021-11-02T18:54:13+00:00November 2nd, 2021|

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