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Ecumenical Women United Nations Commission on the Status of Women 66th Session (2022) Survey

Purpose of the survey:

Ecumenical Women is an international coalition of church denominations and ecumenical organizations working towards gender equality and gender justice that have status with the Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC) at the United Nations.

As in previous years, Ecumenical Women will advocate at UNCSW 66 as the Commission considers the theme “Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes”.

Ecumenical advocacy at the UN depends on input and feedback from all stakeholders from diverse faith-based global organizations. Your input is valuable, as it will inform Ecumenical Women’s CSW 66 advocacy priorities and joint written statement.Your feedback will be reviewed by EW member organizations’ representatives.

This survey will aim to highlight the gender dimensions of the work of your organization in four areas: climate change, pollution, biodiversity, and disaster risk reduction. While this may seem repetitive to some, the survey was drafted this way intentionally in order to encourage us to think beyond only climate to the various aspects of environmental work. It will also try to draw out theological understandings of our relationship to the earth and the moral imperative to care for it as well as advocacy and policy recommendations to address these issues.

You are invited to fill out this survey by September 10th, 2021. There are 8 sections, with a total of 27 questions. We estimate the survey to take 45-60 minutes to complete, depending on how much detail you can share. The more details you can give, the better our statement to CSW can be, and the stronger our supporting advocacy work can be. Many of the question require a response, if you have no information to share please reply with N/A.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete this survey!

Return Completed forms to: ewcsw66survey@gmail.com

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Your Ecumenical Women member organization: *

Your name: *

Your email address:

Your agency/organization (if different than Ecumenical Women member organization): *

Geographical areas in which your organization and its members live, work or are engaged in ministries, programs or policies: *

What is your denomination/organization/agency’s theology regarding the connection between faith, Christian values, creation care and environmental/climate justice? *

Women and Climate Change

4 questions, approx. 8-10 minutes

What are the most critical issues relating to climate change faced by you/ your organization’s members? (ex: climate-induced displacement and migration, desertification/drought, flooding, sea level rise, food insecurity, etc.) *

How is your organization/agency working to address these issues and support populations affected by them? Can you share examples of how women and girls are demonstrating leadership in addressing these issues? *

In what areas is your organization working that focus on how women are disproportionately impacted by climate change? Can you give us examples? ( For example, if women are the ones carrying water, and water is getting hard to find, their workload increases) *

What changes are needed to improve women’s and girls’ agency and empowerment, and gender equality? *

Women and Environment – Pollution

4 questions, approx. 8-10 minutes

What are the most critical issues relating to pollution faced by you/ your organization’s members? (ex: clean water, clean air, waste management, etc.) *

In what areas is your organization working that focus on how women are disproportionately impacted by pollution? Can you give us examples? (For example, disproportionate impacts on women’s health and child mortality) *

What changes are needed to improve women’s and girls’ agency and empowerment, and gender equality? *

Women and Environment – Biodiversity

4 questions, approx. 10-12 minutes

What are the most critical issues relating to biodiversity faced by you/ your organization’s members? (ex: species extinction, crops, increased contact with disease, etc.) *

In what areas is your organization working that focus on how women are disproportionately impacted by biodiversity? Can you give us examples? (For example, biodiversity loss and degraded ecosystems can perpetuate gender inequalities by increasing the time spent by women and children in performing certain tasks, such as collecting valuable resources including fuel, food and water, and reducing time for education and income generating activities.) *

What changes are needed to improve women’s and girls’ agency and empowerment, and gender equality? *

Women and Disaster Risk Reduction

4 questions, approx. 10-12 minutes

What are the most critical issues relating to disaster risk reduction faced by you/ your organization’s members? (ex: increased landslides and other natural hazards, access to resources, etc) *

How is your organization/agency working to address these issues? In what areas is your organization working that focus on how women are disproportionately impacted by climate-related disasters? Can you give us examples? *

How are women and girls demonstrating leadership in addressing these issues, particularly in climate resilience and disaster risk reduction policies? (For example, are women included in disaster management committees? Are women engaged in adaptation and mitigation strategies?) *

What changes are needed in disaster risk reduction policy and programming to improve women’s and girls’ agency and empowerment, and gender equality? *

Impact on marginalized communities

1 question, approx 3-5 minutes

What are your organization/agency/church advocacy priorities and/or programmatic priorities specifically focused on the rights of Indigenous peoples (especially women and girls) or other marginalized communities, particularly in the context of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity? *

Policy Recommendations

2 questions, approx. 5-7 minutes

What do you see as the role of faith-based organizations / churches in addressing this year’s theme of: “Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes”? *

What are your organization’s policy recommendations (at international, regional, or national levels) related to issues of climate change, pollution, biodiversity, and disaster risk reduction? *

Additional Information and Resources to Share

2 questions, approx. 2-3 minutes

Please share with us any resources (policy briefs, toolkits, multimedia, etc.) your organization has produced on these themes. (Please include links here, or email documents to ewcsw66survey@gmail.com)

Is there anything else that you would like to share as it relates to women and girls, and climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes?

Thank you!

We greatly appreciate your time and thoughtful contributions to this survey, and to the work for gender justice.

Episcopal Church Women2021-09-07T15:21:24+00:00September 3rd, 2021|

Crock Pot Cooking Outreach Ministry – Jump Start Kitchen

Karen Wilkes, Patty Jacobson, and Bobbi Johnson, members of St Christopher’s Episcopal Church, Boulder City, NV., introduce a new generation to the wonders of crock pot cooking. Their low cost method of preparing dinner was a stable for many years with thrifty families, and as food cost have risen, they are now teaching classes to assist young families with the wonders of ‘set it and forget it’ one pot meals.

Their YouTube video will help you start this ministry in your parish.

Episcopal Church Women2021-08-25T16:31:02+00:00August 25th, 2021|

Province 1 Report

Province 1 ECW board meets monthly via Zoom. During the last quarter President Susan Howland worked with Parliamentarian Dennis Clark to prepare a bylaw change allowing Annual meetings and other Province Meetings to be held via electronic media in addition to in person. Dennis was most helpful and in April the Province met via Zoom and was able to change the bylaws allowing for meetings via electronic media.

Diocese of Connecticut – Their board meets every two months. Their much-anticipated Annual Meeting is once again postponed and hopefully will be the 1st Thursday in May 2022.

Diocese of Rhode Island – The board meets monthly on the fourth Monday. They decided to still ask the parishes to contribute to the Fair Share fund as in prior years. The response has been terrific. One parish asked for $38 sent $150 from their mission money. They continue to send money to local charitie es that distribute food and other services to the underserved and COVID affected organizations and mission parishes. They are discussing how to raise/ingather UTO funds from the parishes.

Diocese of Western Massachusetts – Their board continues to meet bi-monthly and continue their outreach programs.

Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont do not have representation as there is no diocesan structure. There are groups of women doing ministry in these states in individual parishes.

Province One will be holding their Annual Meeting on Saturday, June 12th from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Karen Patterson has said she would be able to attend and bring greetings from the National ECW. The only item on their agenda is to elect the representative to the UTO Board. UTO board did not continue the terms of their members to 2022 and thus need a new representative for 2021-2024. There will be speakers, times to gather and end with worship. Last years Province Annual meeting was well attended and everyone so enjoyed the variety of the content.

Margaret E. Noel
Province 1 Representative
May 13, 2021

ECW Province 2

Barbara Taylor

On May 1,2021 the Episcopal Church Women of Province 2 met via zoom to hold their annual meeting. The meeting was hosted by the Diocese of Long Island this year. The Bishop of Long Island, The Rt. Rev. Lawrence Provenzano, welcomed the attendees and opened the meeting with prayer. He also addressed the ladies and expressed his continued support for the organization. Representatives from the dioceses of Province 2 were in attendance along with the Province representatives to the National ECW Board, the National UTO Board and the National CPC Board. Reports were given by the representative from each diocese, elections were held and the treasurer’s report was adopted. Everyone agreed that it has been a difficult year because of the pandemic, but that the work was being carried on by individuals, parishes and dioceses.

Since this was the year of celebrating the 150^th year of the ECW, the theme for the meeting was “ECW 150 Years and Beyond.” The program reflected a summary of the history of the ECW and predictions about the future of ECW. Two female priests and one postulant glimpsed a bright future for the organization. They expect that the women of the church will continue in their fight for social justice in all its forms and they see technology playing a greater role in keeping the organization moving forward. Attached is a copy of the 150- year history of the ECW as presented at the meeting.

Province 3

Lexington ECW Diocesan Board 2020 Report

Despite the limitations of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, our Lexington ECW board has made every effort to continue serving the churches of our diverse diocese. Here in Kentucky our churches range from urban ones near Cincinnati, down through the suburban ones of the central Kentucky bluegrass, and farther still, down to those nestled in Appalachian mountain communities.

Last year we supplied several church pantries with desperately needed funding so they, in turn, could serve hungry, struggling individuals in their local communities. Altogether, we offered $13,000 to five churches with promises to these and others to provide additional $25,000 in funding during the 2021 year.. Those served in 2020 were St. Phillips in Harrodsburg, St. Paul’s in Newport, St. James in Prestonsburg, St. Timothy’s in Irvine, and Christ Church in Harlan.

In addition, we supplied our Bishop Moody fund with $500, our own Cathedral Domain with $600, and Reading Camp $600.

Besides supplying funds to those churches in need, our ECW board voted to provide our new bishop, the Rt.. Revd. Mark Van Koevering, with new robes befitting his position.

Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 restrictions, our diocese was unable to hold our annual Women’s Weekend at the Cathedral Domain during 2020. We do plan to resume this August, offering reduced rates so more women may be able to participate. Most of us regulars would agree our weekend on the mountain both fulfills our spirits and more deeply bonds us not only to our Heavenly Father but to each other.

Finally, although our board members are glad we were able to serve our parishes as well as we did during the 2020 pandemic, we certainly pray that better days are ahead for us all!

Carole Mize, President

Province 4

Since the beginning of the Pandemic last March, all in-person meetings have ceased. All of the Episcopal Church Women meetings and events have taken place by electronic means. We continue with two of our signature events, the ECW Saturday Event, and the Annual Meeting. However, we had to cancel the ECW Children’s Sunday Event.

ECW Saturday Celebration- February 6, 2021- Morning Prayer Service- with a guest speaker, The Rev. Leslie Hague, Rector, All Saints Episcopal Church, in Ft. Lauderdale, with an outstanding message on How the ECW can and will continue its ministry in the climate of the church today. At this service, we also recognized the Distinguished Women from each deanery. We had 175 participants on the ZOOM Service.
Last year, May 1, 2020, we held the Annual Meeting via ZOOM. Because we were praying that we will be able to meet in person before September 2020, we had only the business meeting. We were able to announce the selections of the three Catherine Brown Scholarship recipients.
We are planning the 2021 Annual Meeting scheduled for Saturday, June 12, 2021. This will be via ZOOM with Morning Services and Business Meeting. We have proposed to amend the bylaws at this meeting, including handling business electronic means and incorporating the Distinguished Women.

Warm regards and Blessings,

Edith Newbold, President

Diocese of Southeast Florida

Diocese of Florida – Provincial ECW Report

The COVID-19 pandemic prevented an in-person gathering for the annual meeting in October 2020, however, new officers, President Dorothy Holder, President-Elect Heather Prox, and UTO Chairperson Rosie Connolly staring their terms of service in January 2021 were installed by Bishop John Howard in a small socially distanced ceremony at the St. John’s Cathedral in Jacksonville.

About 30 ladies gathered on Holy Ground at Camp Weed on Saturday, February 20, 2021 for our first in-person socially distance meeting in almost year. At this meeting we introduced our Diocesan Outreach initiative to the ladies which was received with tremendous enthusiasm. We will be supporting an initiative through the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center “See the Girl”, that serves at risk young girls.

Saturday, May 1, 2021 some 90 ladies representing all five regions gathered at Camp Weed for a one day Diocesan ECW/DOK Spring Retreat, following all COVID-19 processes. Our dynamic Retreat Leader Kris Munroe delivered an amazing and inspiring message incorporating our theme Order My Steps.

At this retreat and in support of our Outreach initiate, we raised $1125.00 to donate to the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center “See the Girl”.

Our summer meeting is planned for August 16, 2021 and the annual meeting October 23, 2021.

Respectfully submitted by,

Dorothy Holder

ECW President, Diocese of Florida

Report from ECW Diocese of South Carolina.

Today The first day of May is most important step in our journey; Rev Ruth Woodliff-Stanley has been elected Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina. Having been in a schism for the past ten years, the women of the diocese have not been meeting collectively but all of our remaining 35 churches have ECW’s and groups working heartily to keep their churches in mission and ministry. All of the churches in SC have been involved in food ministry, and assisting in all aspects of the work of the churches during the pandemic.

I will write a report to our newly elected Bishop when her office is established in Charleston. I believe that Our diocese is filled with women who have leadership qualities to take over the next journey. It will be exciting for a new beginning. Meanwhile, I am in full belief that the women in SC are living through our roots of Mission and Ministry.

Jacqueline Robe

Province 5

Diocese of Chicago

www.ecwchicago.org

The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) has continued to serve the women of the diocese through programs of faith and fellowship.

Diocesan Convention 2020 Since this was an online-only meeting, the ECW sent a recorded greeting to the assembled delegates, but did not otherwise participate. Jane Schenck and Susan O’Brien recorded messages focused on the continuation and added importance of our annual giving in this time of pandemic.

136^th Annual Meeting and Convention – November 14, 2020 This event was postponed from its usual timing in the spring and was totally virtual. We kept our original theme of Creation Care and invited our 2020 ministry partner, Magdalene House-Chicago represented by its director, Mary Lawrence, to speak about the start-up of its ministry to trafficked women. Our other speaker was Catherine Duffy, the Province V Convener of the Creation Care Network, who spoke about getting green projects started in parishes. The event concluded with a video presentation of Fr. John Crist’s “Stations of Creation” which included hymns and canticles sung by Lisa Rogers Lee who was accompanied by her husband, the Right Rev. Jeffrey D. Lee on piano.

The Fall Retreat planned for October 17-18 at DeKoven Retreat Center in Racine, Wisconsin was reimagined as a 1-day online event led by Jeannie McCabe of the Diocese of Arkansas. Music was provided by Catherine Balassie (pre-recorded) and Janet Irving (live) and was an uplifting event for an international group of over 50 participants (yes, we had a woman from the U.K. and another from Canada, as well as many other dioceses and provinces besides Chicago). It opened our eyes to Zoom as an effective delivery system which we will be using past pandemic times.

The ECW diocesan board rolled up its collective sleeves and re-wrote its bylaws to simplify the organization structure. We faced the possibility of a much smaller organization primarily devoted to distributing our income, and, as we were finishing the task, five new women joined our board. We plan; God laughs and says, “I know what I have planned for you.” We are planning a full calendar of events for 2021:

137^th Annual Meeting and Convention – May 8^th online only

Altar Guild Conference – September 18^th online only

Fall Retreat – October 15-17 a hybrid event to be held at DeKoven Retreat Center in Racine, Wisconsin for as many as the center can accommodate, but also broadcast on Zoom. The theme and working title are: “Come to the Well: Refreshing our Bodies, Minds and Souls.”

As always, our website is a source of updated information and event registrations and details: www.ecwchicago.org.

Jane P. Schenck, Treasurer and Convener

Diocese of Indianapolis

Mission: The Episcopal Women’s Ministries (EWM) serves to connect and support women throughout the diocese as they grow in their baptismal ministry. We do this by sharing and encouraging women’s ministries within and beyond the diocese; seeking, developing and recognizing women leaders; and educating and advocating for justice.

Membership in the EWM: all women communicants in good standing in the Diocese of Indianapolis are members of the Diocese of Indianapolis Episcopal Women’s Ministries and the larger national association of Episcopal Church Women.

Leadership of the EWM: The ministry of the EWM is coordinated by the EWM Council which collaborates with or represents several ministries of the national church: Episcopal Church Women, The Order of the Daughters of the King and United Thank Offering. We no longer have someone to represent Church Periodical Club. The EWM Council meets 4 times annually, with extra meetings added as needed. This year, all meetings have been held virtually on the Zoom platform. The Council also serves as a resource for the women of our diocese to explore different ministries and events available in our diocese, Province 5, and National ECW.

Social Media – Facebook (FB): @EWMINDYTEC

In compliance with the Diocese of Indianapolis’ mandate to recognize and learn about racial justice and equality, EWM Council members attended seminars and workshops:

Sacred Ground Race Dialogue Series (February/March) – There was a quite extensive reading list and homework involved with this.
“Understanding Implicit Bias and Microaggression” Seminar, sponsored by DOK and presented by Shafer Leadership Academy (March 13, 2021)

Unfortunately, EWM budget was cut significantly by our diocese and so we are making some hard decisions about how our funds will be used.

From the group of the 2020 Honored Women group, we chose our Distinguished Woman, Barbara Wills, from Grace Episcopal Church in Muncie, IN.

Our spring event will be on Saturday, April 17 on the Zoom platform and is entitled “Tea and Conversation with Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows”. We put together a packet which has been mailed to registrants. It contained a lovely printed booklet containing a recipe for scones, a short essay about tea and mindfulness, how to make a pot of tea (who knew it was so involved?), and information about our ECW/EWM communications; packet of tea, 2 flower-shaped papers embedded with wildflower seeds, and a fancy napkin. We also asked attendees to use a favorite tea cup or mug and to wear a pretty hat (gloves optional) to get into the spirit of the event. As of April 8, we had 33 registrants.

We are hoping our Fall Retreat can be held in person at Waycross Camp and Conference Center in southern Indiana this year, but will comply, of course, with directives from the Diocesan Office about the final decision.

Beverly Ruebeck and Lisa Matucheski

Co-Chairs, Episcopal Women’s Ministries

Diocese of Milwaukee

The ECW has had little activity in the past few months. However, we are excited to share that Women’s Miniweek will be occurring in person from Saturday August 7th though lunch on Tuesday August 10. It will be held at our usual site – Camp Lakotah, Wautoma, WI. This site is where we have been for over 40 years. COVID protocols will be in place and much of the activities will be outside (there is a lovely open-air pavilion with picnic tables and fireplace and plenty of room for open air activities plus an overhang porch on the side of the dining hall). For more information go to the Miniweek for Women 2021 website. We continue to have the Mary and Martha newsletter every month though there is little to share beyond COVID updates. Some parishes are safely opening up with restrictions.

The diocese of Milwaukee is in a time of transition which will be for several years. Our former Bishop Steven Miller retired on Dec. 31, 2020.

Bishop Jeff Lee who retired from the Diocese of Chicago at the end of 2020 became our provisional Bishop on April 1. He will be with us for at least 2 years in a part-time position. The added piece of information is that there will probably be discussions between the 3 WIsconsin dioceses regarding structure. At this point the Bishop of Fond du Lac is serving 2/3 time in Fond du lac and 1/3 time in the Diocese of Eau Claire as their provisional Bishop. Needless to say – the pandemic has made many changes in our views of our mission and work in our diocese. We have learned much, adapted as best we can and we see the future as a challenge with a variety of possibilities and opportunities. Constance Ott – ECW President Diocese of Milwaukee

Diocese of Ohio

The Diocese of Ohio ECW board virtually met on October 17, 2020, January 16, and March 13, 2021. We also met on March 22 and 29 to fine tune the details, as well as to practice, for our virtual Annual Meeting and Retreat scheduled for May 15. Many parishes in the diocese did not have in-person worship or gatherings over the past year due to COVID-19. Thus, the focus of our board meetings was to provide fellowship and maintain a pulse on our limited activities.

In 2020, we awarded $1,000 to one applicant for the Carlotta East Scholarship. This scholarship was established to provide aid to Episcopal women who need financial assistance to complete their education, upgrade their skills before returning to the workforce, or complete training for the priesthood. In addition, we used our local CPC funds to award a $500 book grant to one of our seminarians.

The annual meeting and retreat, which had originally been planned for May 2020, was rescheduled, and consequently cancelled, for September 18 & 19, 2020. It was postponed again and rescheduled a second time for May 14 & 15, 2021 at Bellwether Farm. We have now made the decision to meet virtually for the annual meeting and retreat. The program will be condensed from two days to one day. The existing program will be adapted to a virtual format that includes a business meeting, keynote speaker’s presentation, three workshops, and will conclude with a worship service. We are eager to return to Bellwether in 2022.

On May 15, 2021, we will have a business meeting and retreat via Zoom. Besides the business meeting, we will have the following speakers and hosts:

Keynote Address – Connecting to Community through Nature Introduction by Natalie Ronayne, Chief Development Officer, Cleveland Metroparks and Kelly Coffman, Cleveland Harbor Eastern Embayment Resiliency Study (CHEERS), Cleveland Metroparks
Chair Yoga by Angee Mantell
Healing Power of Nature by Joe Blanda, MD, introduction by Patty Kellner, President, Kirtland Bird Club
Labyrinth by Sue Mueller

We will conclude with worship officiated by The Rt. Rev. Mark Hollingsworth, Jr., Bishop of Ohio.

We invite all to attend this event. Look for an invitation soon.

Susan Quill, President, Diocese of Ohio Episcopal Church Women (ECW)

DIOCESE OF WESTERN MICHIGAN

In 2020, due to COVID-19, we had to cancel our April board meeting and the May Annual meeting both originally scheduled to be held at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Lansing. On December 18, 2020 our beloved ECW president, Pam Chapman passed away in Grand Rapids after a lengthy illness. The board voted to send a memorial to St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids in memory of Pam.

The board finally reconvened virtually on March 21, 2021. The board currently consists of Marilee Roth (Vice President & Acting President), Kay Hanson (Secretary), Tammy Mazure (Treasurer), Ruth Smith (Missions & Outreach), Sarah Swart (UTO), Lois Weed (DOK), and Gail Donovan (Member-at-Large). The decision was made to hold our annual meeting in the fall of 2021. If we can meet in person, we will meet at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Lansing and if we cannot, we will plan a virtual assembly on the same date. Gail Donovan will oversee securing a date in the early fall for our annual meeting.

During this meeting, we also discussed our need to update our page on the diocesan website, revise our bylaws, set a budget, to obtain more board members, hold officer elections this fall, and to find ways to have more presence within the diocese. Our new Diocesan UTO Coordinator, Sarah Swart, has been doing a terrific job of connecting with parishes in our diocese for their ECW and UTO contacts. We plan to have a presence at our joint Eastern and Western Dioceses convention which will be held from October 29-30, 2021, at the Radisson Hotel, Lansing. We also need to plan for the Honored Woman choice for our diocese for 2022.

Our next board meeting is scheduled for May 15 at 11 AM via Zoom.

Marilee Roth, Vice President & Acting President

The Order of the Daughters of the King®

In this challenging time of Covid-19 the Province V board has been meeting monthly. There is business to tend to, but we also have a care and share time to pray for and support one another. The board of the Province is a chapter on its own, the Blue Monarch Chapter. We connect with an intentional prayer calendar and a monthly shared list for intercessory prayers.

Because of Covid-19, there has been no travel around the Province, but I attended these Zoom diocesan DOK assembly events and represented DOK at ECW events in 2020:

October 3- Diocesan Assembly of Northern Indiana
October 17- Diocesan Assembly of Indianapolis
October 24- ECW Diocese of Chicago Retreat
November 7- Diocesan Assembly of Michigan
November 14- ECW Province V Meeting

Also, on March 13 of this year I attended another Indianapolis Assembly gathering on a training, “Understanding Implicit Bias and Micro-aggression: Supportive Strategies for Everyday Solutions”, led by Melinda Missineo, PhD, Professor of Sociology at Ball State University.

Our Province V Assembly for 2020 was held on September 18. We were able to provide some of the aspects of an in-person assembly in a four hour Zoom platform. 55 women were in attendance. On January 23, we held a Fellowship/Sharing morning for an unstructured time to gather and have conversations, with 61 women attending.

On April 17,2021 we are holding our Virtual Spring Assembly, with election of officers for the next triennium. Our theme is Hope and Strength, based on Isaiah 40:31- “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength”.

It is our tradition to meet just prior to the Episcopal General Convention and planning continues for our National Convention (Triennial) in June 2022. We will meet in Baltimore at the Hyatt Regency on the Inner Harbor. “Come to the Table” is the theme and we always look forward to the worship and fellowship with Daughters from around the world.

Kathy Schultz
Province V President

Church Periodical Club (CPC)

Ministry of the printed word….

Province V ECW support during this year of Covid-19 has been a sign of hope. Although contributions have been down, CPC has received from several diocesan contributions. Also, the quilt fund raising at the last annual Province VECW meeting as well as the support of our Rally fund-raising. Our Province received donation from Chicago, Western Michigan, Milwaukee, Fond du lac and Missouri for that event which was held online during February 2021.Our website is undergoing updating. So, if you need information, please contact me. (see below).

Remember this ministry supports the seminaries (we have two in our Province Bexley-Seabury and Nashotah House), grants for children and youth as well as adult needs. Our province has been blessed to have grants provided in both categories. Think about a way you and your congregation can be involved. This is one ministry that circles the globe and all ages. Here are some ideas to jump start your thoughts: Once church begins in person have a place where everyone can place their pennies for the MOP children’s fund.1.If you have a book group each person would contribute 25 or 50 cents for each book, they read for the NBF adult/seminary funds.

2.Have a book exchange at church everyone brings their books and donates for ones they take. (remainders to look book sale)

3.Ask those having garage sales to tithe 5% to congregation and 5% to CPC.

The list goes on…..I am here to answer questions, provide materials and be your cheerleader……

Another great need is to have contacts in each of our diocese. I can assist you in deciding what you can do and support you-mainly it is to communicate within your diocese re: CPC.

Maryfran Crist

Province V Rep. to NECW

I participated in the three Zoom sessions for our annual meeting. We started with the Province V ECW Presidents meeting on April 24^th. Then Province V ECW hosted a “Community Conversations” with The Rev. Dr. Maria Evans, talking about “Calling-In” instead of “Calling-Out” people on April 24th. Then on May 1^st was the Province V ECW Annual Meeting. Our speakers were Sister Veronica Mary, Mr. Sean McConnell, The Rev. Rosalind Hughes, and The Rev. Darlene Kuhn.

Sister Veronica Mary from the Diocese of Michigan talked about “Care and Connection in Community as a Pandemic Exits”. Mr. Sean McConnell, Episcopal Relief & Development, Senior Director for Engagement, discussed “Care of Surrounding Community”. The Rev. Rosalinda Hughes from the Diocese of Ohio, discussed her book Whom Shall I Fear? Urgent Questions for Christians in an Age of Violence. The Rev. Darlene Kuhn from the Diocese of Western Michigan was our Chaplain.

The Diocese of Ohio ECW Annual Meeting will be on May 15^th and I will be attending the Zoom meeting.

I have been working with John Wilkerson on the survey for contact information from local congregations. I sent the survey out to the Diocesan presidents in Province V, some filled them out on their own churches, and some were sent to churches in their diocese. I believe around 15 have been received. I look forward to John’s report at our meeting.

Jan Goossens

Worship Committee

Sister Veronica Mary talked about a missionary in the 600’s and another in the 1300’s that were sent to the Middle East and Mongolia respectively. In the talk she said each missionary discovered Christians in those areas already. Then she said that people traveled on the Silk Road, the Pilgrim Road, and the Roman Road. And I had an “AHA” moment.

For the Opening Ceremony, lets use the roads of the past 150 years. They are trails, wagon train roads, stagecoach roads, dirt roads, paved roads, interstate roads, and air routes.

For the Closing Ceremony we can use the digital roads, (i.e. email, Facebook, Insta Gram, Zoom, Google Meet, and etc.).

The Worship Committee has endorsed this idea. We are looking for ideas on how to proceed.

Jan Goossens – chair

Jennifer Kenna

Ema Rosero-Nordalm

Connie Sanchez

Margaret Noel

Episcopal Church Women2021-05-28T13:40:49+00:00May 28th, 2021|

The Episcopal Churchwomen – The First 150 Years

To better understand how the Episcopal Church Women came into being, let’s look at a little bit of the Episcopal Church history.

In the 1830’s the General Convention of the Episcopal Church organized or reorganized the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society to support missionary bishops sent to the western frontier to establish small dioceses. They were to be paid by the Board of Missions, but the stipends were small. At the time women in the church had no real standing, but they supported the missionaries with what was called “box” work, i.e. care packages with some of the supplies they would need- food, altar vessels, linens, etc. The missionary work expanded to overseas locations and the work continued.

In the 1850’s because of the industrial revolution, the men went to work in the factories and the women no longer had to help with the family- owned farms or other family businesses. Therefore, they had more time and were anxious to become involved in ministries of the church having to do with the social order. At that time the female diaconate was encouraged and the women began a nursing ministry, founded an orphanage and a training school for women.

The women’s auxiliary to the Board of Missions was authorized by the General Convention in 1871. Of the trust funds available to the Board of Missions at least 50% came from women.

The first Triennial meeting was held in New York in 1874 at the same time and place as the 31^st General Convention.

In the early 1900’s other organizations and programs for women flowed from the auxiliary: In 1885 the Daughters of the King was established to be devoted to prayer and evangelism; In 1877 The Girls Friendly was formed to pay attention to female factory workers; in1888 the Church Periodical Club began purchasing Christian literature for parishes in the American west; and in 1889 the United Thank Offering gave funding to female missionaries.

In 1920 the national Council recognized the Executive Board of the Women’s Auxiliary.

By 1922 a national Board had been formed to oversee the direction of the work of women not only in supporting missionaries, but in social service, religious education, and prayer and worship.

The Auxiliary also advocated for growing roles for women in the church. In 1939 the first woman to receive a Bachelor of Divinity degree was from an Episcopal seminary and in 1947, 3 women completed a 2 year program in Christian education which was co-sponsored by the Women’s Auxiliary to the Board of Missions.

Prior to the 1958 Triennial Meeting, the Women’s Auxiliary became the General Division of Women’s Work.

At the 1958 The Triennial Meeting bylaws were adopted which designated diocesan groups to be known as the Episcopal Church Women. The organization supported the ordination of women to the priesthood and that women should be seated as delegates.

By 1968 the Executive Council and the General Division of Women’s Work voted to integrate planning and work of women into the total program of the church.

In 1985 the Triennial Meeting adopted bylaws forming Episcopal Church Women, Episcopal Church, USA.

Regular publication of the Communique commenced in 1988 and in 2001 the national website was launched.

Today the women continue to uphold the social justice programs of the church; feeding the hungry, supporting the immigrants, advocating for housing equity, supporting education, giving comfort to the sick, shut-ins, the marginalized, and the status of women around the world.

Barbara Taylor

St. John’s, Springfield Gdns.

Diocese of Long Island

Episcopal Church Women2021-05-24T12:39:23+00:00May 24th, 2021|

A Woman of Comfort

Combined Deanery Meetings – February 9,10,11, 2021

Psalm: 121:7-8

“The Lord will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”

As we face the continued saga of Covid-19 I would like to take a few minutes to talk about our role as women in the church and the world. We are all facing that new term of “compassion fatigue”. We may be growing weary of the requests for help on all fronts in this isolated and precarious time. How can we “give” any more than we already are? Time, talent, and treasure are beginning to run thin.

Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner of Great Britain spoke about the need for resilience during this time. Her message was delivered at a virtual worldwide symposium on January 28, 2021 entitled; The Role of Religion and Faith Based Organizations in International Affairs. “Dream and hang on” are her words for us. Dream of Covid-19 being over and reaching our new normal. She suggests that we use our “emotional language” of caring for others and “call things out” such as gender disparity and inequality for us as a church family. Yes, it is difficult for us to go on.

As Episcopal Church Women the comfort ministries often find their way to us. Women of the National Episcopal Church will celebrate 150 years of comfort to the world in 2021. In our Diocese of Southwest Florida, we are beginning our 51^st year of service.

As I visit the seven deaneries in our diocese, I am always moved by the way in which women are serving in their local parishes. In one, the ECW supports women of low income by providing free mammograms. They also, comfort women who are going through treatments for cancer and other diseases by driving them to appointments, providing meals and childcare and just being there.

ECW, in some churches, brings comfort so often by providing mourning families with beautiful funeral receptions. These women are the quiet force behind preparing the church with tissues, lovely memorial service bulletins and even serving at the altar during the service.

It is our joy to bring comfort to others through serving on prayer support groups; holding in thought and prayer those in our parishes who are charged with the tasks of searching for a new rector, preparing for stewardship campaigns, and bringing communion to our shut-ins. In our weekly prayers on Sunday, we ask that God will “… comfort and succor all those in need, sorrow or any other adversity.”

Comfort for me is the bringing of hope to those who feel hopeless, lost, unloved and those crying out to the Lord. Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and his love for all of his children is a way for us to comfort each other.

I know that I personally turn to the Psalms when searching for comfort. Psalm 121:7-8, “The Lord will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” is especially comforting during times of uncertainty. Also, there is much comfort in Psalm 23 not only in times of grief but also in those times that anxious thoughts fill my mind. He is always there.

Think about that small baby, born in a stable, to parents of few means. Where did they find comfort? Surely, most of us would not consider a stable as comfort however it gave shelter and comfort to this family and to a great miracle. He came as a baby. He taught us an itinerant preacher. He brings us joy and comfort to this day to those who believe in Him.

We need to think about these words from Rachel Martin as we remember our role as women in the church and world.

“Cheer when you friend wins.

Hold her when she’s sad.

Love her when she needs hope.

Care for her when she says she’s fine.

Believe in her when she doubts.

Show up for her when she’s alone.

Be the one she knows is in her corner

not because she’s perfect

but rather because you are the friend to her that she needs there.

In good and bad and fabulous and hard and normal.

That is friendship.

Cherish it.”

Michelle Schombs,

President, ECW Diocese of Southwest Florida

Episcopal Church Women2021-04-22T13:10:27+00:00April 22nd, 2021|

Columbia Food Bank at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Columbia, PA Province III

Over 60 years ago, in the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Women served free, hot lunches to the community six days a week. It quickly became evident that many of the people who came in for lunch did not have food to start or end the day. Community members were living in hunger. The ECW started sending groceries home with them after each lunch. And the food bank was started.

The food bank was partially supported by state and federal programs, which provided free food and equipment. Additionally, food and monetary donations, and volunteers from the local area, helped the food bank meet the community’s people in need. In order to receive free food, people could sign up for a voucher at the local Community Action Program (CAP) office, present it to the food bank, and take their groceries home.

In 2006, St. Paul’s discovered that the voucher system was no longer including a screening process. After a number of meetings, the church elected to forego all government support and become self-sufficient even though it meant losing free food and government-provided refrigeration equipment. The food bank instituted a screening and qualification system that was still in force prior to the pandemic.

In 2013, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church decided it was in the best interest of the church, the food bank, and the community to have the food bank become a separate corporation with its own 501 (c) (3) designation. On September 18, 2014, The Columbia Food Bank received its nonprofit status as a charitable organization.

In 2020, the food bank served 1,043 households, or 2,053 individuals, which equates to 41,657 meals. From 2019 to 2020 there was not a dramatic change in the number of people they served but more the demographics. There was a shift of the 61 and older population that stayed home, and therefore those numbers dropped while the working force numbers rose.

Community giving of both money and food has skyrocketed. Financial organizations outside their normal territory are giving. A Chicago-based company sent them a donation because an owner who was originally from the Columbia area had decided that the Columbia Food Bank would be their charity of choice. In 2019 their food distributions were 66,000 pounds, and in 2020 distributions rose to 69,000 pounds.

The food bank staff feel fortunate as even in the midst of COVID, they continue to receive donations. At times they needed to go on scouting missions, like all of us, for certain items like jelly and hot dogs. The day we spoke they received 35 $25 gift cards to a local grocery store for perishables. They have never had to turn anyone away. “We adapt and persevere.”

Information provided by Danielle Peters and Sue Ollar and the Columbia Food Bank columbiafoodbank.org

Episcopal Church Women2021-03-26T13:45:30+00:00March 26th, 2021|

Desmond Tutu: Una Biografía Espiritual del Confesor de Sur África

Rev. Michael Battle, Ph.D.
Herbert Thompson: Líder de la Iglesia y Sociedad:
Director del Centro Desmond Tutu
Seminario Teológico General, New York

Seria hipócrita de mi parte si no ofrecería esta reflexión acera de la reconciliación racial si no promoviese a un agente anglicano de la reconciliación racial. Lo hago, no porque quiera ufanarme de vender libros; en cambio, como una manera de ofrecer un artículo introductorio acerca del tema de reconciliación racial. Muchos de nosotros hemos pasado por la era apocalíptica del virus COVID-19, agitación social, y la polarización política. Un prominente líder dentro entre las mujeres de la Iglesia episcopal me escribió que ella había trabajado como una guardiana designada por la corte de aquellos con discapacidades mentales y por consiguiente observo de primera mano situaciones graves sobre la humanidad en necesidad de sanación y reconciliación. A pesar de ello, para algunos de nosotros, debido a nuestro estatus socioeconómico, nos damos cuenta de que estamos “resguardados” de estas tormentas apocalípticas, pero queremos ser parte de la solución y no del problema. Bueno, el agente anglicano que mencione arriba es una guía maravillosa para educarnos en lo atinente a estos tópicos, especialmente sobre el ministerio de reconciliación.

El Agente Anglicano que describí es, de hecho, una santa bajo mi perspectiva. Él es arzobispo Desmond Tutu, reconocido por su ministerio de reconciliación en Sur África y el resto del mundo. Por mi parte yo voy un poco más allá y lo catalogo como místico cristiano en mi nuevo libro, Desmond Tutu: Biografía Espiritual del Confesor de Sur África (Westminster John Knox Press, publicación el día 16 de marzo de 2021). Por más de 25 años, yo he visto de cerca la espiritualidad profunda que ayudo a Tutu a desmantelar el “apartheid”, tras haber vivido con Tutu en los años 1993 y 1994. Su espiritualidad esta enraizada en la práctica Cristiana Antigua a la vez que el concepto africano de Ubuntu, interdependencia Humana. En este libro yo examino como el misticismo Cristiano de Tutu forma su compromiso para la justicia restauradora y conciliatoria.

“La vida de Tutu y su trabajo son cruciales tanto para el bienestar del mundo como para la supervivencia de la iglesia que parece estar parcializada hacia la crisis y las guerras culturales,” Escribo. La pelea de Tutu en contra del “Apartheid” es una batalla espiritual, la cual engloba lecciones de como resistir el auge del nacionalismo cristiano de hoy. “Sometiendo al opresor para vea a Dios en la cara del oprimido fue su contribución más grande.” Concluyo. Para que el opresor pueda confesar que su Dios fue ultimadamente disminuido en la religión del “Apartheid’ fue un milagro que debemos replicar.”

En cualquier ministerio de reconciliación, necesitamos entender la fuente de la que fluye dicha reconciliación. Aunque yo puedo argumentar que las mujeres son más una fuente de reconciliación que los hombres, la última fuente de reconciliación es Dios mismo. Entendiendo a Tutu como un místico cristiano es esencial para comprender la siguiente perspectiva: “El objetivo de la vida de un místico es alcanzar la unión con Dios,” Yo explico en mi biografía sobre Tutu. La manera en que Tutu trato de alcanzar su meta no solo esta animada a través de su liderazgo en la iglesia, pero a través de su liderazgo político también. Tutu ofrece a la Iglesia Episcopal de mujeres inspiración y a la misma vez estrategia para ser una fuera política y espiritual para ser conciliatoria en un mundo apocalíptico. Al cultivar tal fuerza del alma la Iglesia de Mujeres Episcopales contrarresta el sistema de racismo y de falta de humanidad y establece en un mundo que carece de autoestima la practicidad de construir comunidades y redes de contactos que apoyen a todos los marginados en el mundo.

Acerca del autor

Michael Battle es profesor de Herbert de la Sociedad e Iglesia y director del Centro General Teológico Desmond Tutu en Nueva York, y presidente y Jefe Estratégico del instituto PeaceBattle. El autor de 11 libros, incluyendo Reconciliación: La Teología Ubuntu de Desmond Tutu, el enfoca su ministerio en la no violencia, reconciliación cristiana, espiritualidad humana, y Ubuntu (La comunidad africana a nivel mundial) Battle vivió en residencia con el arzobispo Desmond Tutu en Sur África por dos años y fue ordenado sacerdote en Sur África por Tutu en 1993. En el 2010, le fue otorgado una de las condecoraciones más distinguidas en la Iglesia Anglicana como lo fue “Six Preacher.”

Para más información, visita su página web: michaelbattle.com

Episcopal Church Women2021-03-26T13:41:35+00:00March 26th, 2021|

Desmond Tutu: A Spiritual Biography of South Africa’s Confessor

Desmond Tutu: A Spiritual Biography of South Africa’s Confessor

The Rev. Michael Battle, Ph.D.
Herbert Thompson Chair of Church and Society
Also, Director of the Desmond Tutu Center
General Theological Seminary, New York

I would be remiss in offering this reflection on racial reconciliation if I did not promote a primary Anglican agent of racial reconciliation. I do so not out of the aggrandizement of selling a book; rather as a sort of introductory article to the subject of racial reconciliation. So many of us have waded through an apocalyptic era of COVID-19, racial unrest, and political polarity. One prominent leader among the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) wrote me that she worked as a court-appointed guardian for the mentally ill and therefore saw firsthand grave situations of inhumanity in need of healing and reconciliation. And yet, some of us, due to our socioeconomic status, are more “sheltered” from these apocalyptic storms but want to be part of the solution rather than the problems of our world. Well, the Anglican agent I mentioned above is a wonderful guide to educate us all about such topics, especially the ministry of reconciliation.

The Anglican agent whom I describe above is in fact a saint in my perspective. He is Archbishop Desmond Tutu, renowned for his ministry of reconciliation in South Africa and the rest of the world. I go further and describe him as a Christian mystic and saint in my new book, Desmond Tutu: A Spiritual Biography of South Africa’s Confessor (Westminster John Knox Press, launching on March 16, 2021). For more than 25 years, I have seen up close the deep spirituality that helped Tutu dismantle apartheid, having lived with Tutu in 1993 and 1994. His spirituality is rooted in ancient Christian practice as well as in the African concept of Ubuntu, human interdependence. In this book I examine how Tutu’s Christian mysticism shapes his commitment to restorative justice and reconciliation.

“Tutu’s life and work are crucial for both the wellbeing of the world and the survival of the church that seem equally bent toward crisis and culture wars,” I write. Tutu’s fight against apartheid is a spiritual battle, one with lessons for resisting the growth of Christian Nationalism today. “Getting the oppressor to see God in common with the oppressed was Tutu’s greatest contribution,” I conclude. “For the oppressor to confess that their god was ultimately diminished in the religion of apartheid is a miracle that we all need to replicate.”

In any ministry of reconciliation, we need to understand the source from which reconciliation flows. Even though I would argue that women are more of a source of reconciliation than men, the ultimate source is not from human beings but from God. Understanding Tutu as such a Christian mystic is essential to understanding this often-neglected perspective. “The aim of the mystic’s life is to achieve union with God,” I explain in Tutu’s biography. The way that Tutu tried to reach this goal is not only animated through his leadership in the church but through his political leadership as well. Tutu offers the ECW inspiration as well as strategy to be both a spiritual and political force for reconciliation in an apocalyptic world. By cultivating such a soul force the ECW counteracts systems of racism and inhumanity and establishes in a world that lacks self-esteem the practicality of building communities and networks that support so many who are marginalized in this world.

About the Author

Michael Battle is Herbert Thompson Professor of Church and Society and Director of the Desmond Tutu Center at General Theological Seminary in New York, and President and CEO of the PeaceBattle Institute. The author of 11 books, including Reconciliation: The Ubuntu Theology of Desmond Tutu, he focuses his ministry on nonviolence, Christian reconciliation, human spirituality, and Ubuntu (the African worldview of community). Battle lived in residence with Archbishop Desmond Tutu in South Africa for two years and was ordained a priest in South Africa by Tutu in 1993. In 2010, he was given one of the highest Anglican Church distinctions as “Six Preacher.”

For more information, visit his website at michaelbattle.com

Episcopal Church Women2021-03-26T13:36:17+00:00March 26th, 2021|

Grace Episcopal Impacts City of Alvin: Province VII

by the Reverend Suzanne Smith

How one small church has made a big impact in her community by feeding souls and hungry bellies…

Grace Episcopal Food Drive It started with a little blessing box beside the church and has become a major ministry to the community, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The blessing box evolved into a weekly Houston Food Bank distribution site. Then, in the middle of the third month of operations, the pandemic hit. At this time, the organizers pivoted to a drive-through distribution, which at its peak has been visited by over 400 families a week. The parish hall, previously used for Christian formation and fellowship, became a food storage warehouse for pallets upon pallets of non-perishable food items.

The mobile food pantry has been providing food in Alvin on a weekly basis since December 6, 2019. We partnered with the Alvin/Manvel and Houston Food Bank in order to bring fresh food and produce to Alvin, an area that struggles with food insecurity. 51.7% of Alvin Independent School District (AISD) students qualify under Title 1 for Free or Reduced-Cost breakfast and lunch. The district has 18 Title 1 campuses.

Every Thursday morning, the Houston Food Bank brings a refrigerated truck containing 8,000 to 10,000 pounds of fresh food and vegetables. The truck is set up in the Grace Church parking lot. Before COVID, volunteers from Grace and other community organizations unloaded the food from the truck, bagged it, and then the guests would shop each fresh food station.

When COVID began, in one week, Grace seamlessly transitioned to a drive-thru mobile food pantry underneath the beautiful oak trees in front of our church. Our first attempt provided food for 281 families. The families were given 35-40 pounds of food, and we estimate around 1,000 people were fed in Alvin because of these efforts!

The drive-thru option allowed food to be given out in a safe way by the volunteers boxing up the food and then guests driving through the parking lot and the food delivered to their trunks. Some of these folks waited in the car line for up to two hours to get their food. It was calm and ordered, and all who received food were profoundly grateful.

Since the first mobile food pantry, the people of Grace, along with other churches and members of the community, have distributed nearly 500,000 pounds of food through the mobile food pantry to over 30,000 people in Alvin.

We have also expanded our Blessing Box ministry to include an outside Blessing Refrigerator. A team of parishioners keep the fridge stocked with cold items such as milk, juice, butter, cheese, and eggs. Combined, the Blessing Box and Fridge see between 65 and 100 visitors a day.

Grace has long been a beacon in the Alvin community, and over the last year it has become a vital component to the well-being of her citizens through our food initiatives. We said “YES” to God in one way, and the doors kept opening, so we have continued to walk through them. This ministry is more than a blessing to Grace. It is a blessing and gift to the Alvin community.

Episcopal Church Women2021-03-26T13:27:24+00:00March 26th, 2021|

Serving the Community with Love as Christ Teaches Us

Mónica Elías Orellana My name is Monica Elias-Orellana. I was born in California and moved to Chelsea, Massachusetts, when I was 11 years old. It was then that I was introduced to the Episcopal Church, where I found myself embraced by God’s call to “serve thy neighbor.” I was taught early in life that I must help others even if I possess little.

As a teenager I volunteered at the soup kitchen and pantry at St. Luke’s-San Lucas. I also got involved with the youth group at what I began to call my church. The Rev. Edgar Gutiérrez -Duarte, who is the priest there, encouraged my sisters and me to reactivate the youth group, and with his support we were incredibly happy to lead it.

After I graduated from high school, I attended the University of Massachusetts in Boston, where I graduated with a degree in Biology and a minor in Asian American Studies.

I thought I wanted to be a physician, but my call and my passion has always been serving the community. While in college, I volunteered at a local nonprofit, The Neighborhood Developers, where soon after I was hired, I became the Chelsea Community building manager, a position I still hold. My role is to organize the Chelsea residents who have been most impacted by the housing crisis. Together, we work to create systemic change. Other areas of my work include relationship building, leadership development, and creating opportunities for empowering residents to participate in municipal decision making.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic started, we have seen a high rate of infection and sadly many deaths in Chelsea. Families are forced to live in a single apartment because rents are awfully expensive in the city. Chelsea has a housing crisis, and the community has an ever bigger and immediate need for food and other urgent necessities.

When I found out that my church was the center of food distribution for the city of Chelsea, I offered to help. Soon after, I started volunteering my time at St. Luke’s-San Lucas. The Neighborhood Developers saw value in the service I was offering the Chelsea community. So, since March 2020, they have allocated some of my hours to St. Luke’s-San Lucas as their volunteer coordinator.

In my work as community organizer, I am fortunate to work with a strong base of community members. I am able to constantly recruit volunteers to help run the operation of St. Luke’s, where every week we receive more than 19,000 pounds of food, serving more than 500 families.

Mónica Elías Orellana at the pantry For me it is an honor to work with community members who, with love and dedication, serve families in need. My heart is full of joy and my eyes rejoice at seeing the beauty of local community members coming together to help one another. I have met incredible people who have worked many hours unloading boxes of food into the church, unpacking them, and distributing the food and other necessities given to the community. I admire that labor of love despite fears of exposure to the deadly virus. I am moved as I watch families come to the pantry for food and sometimes see tears and expressions of gratitude as they receive what they need to survive these difficult times.

It has been a blessing to work in my childhood church along with amazing individuals like Rev. Edgar Gutiérrez-Duarte. I am filled with joy now as an adult working with my childhood leaders! Now, I lead with them and call them my peers. Although sometimes it has not been an easy journey, I have met amazing people along the way. My hope is to be able to similarly inspire others to serve the community and to serve as mentors to young women of color.

Episcopal Church Women2021-03-26T13:17:08+00:00March 26th, 2021|

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