Episcopal Church Women

MaryRose Chappelle

Province III – Diocese of Washington D.C.

MaryRose Chappelle has been an active member of Calvary Episcopal Church in Washington since 1956. She has served as Vestry member, Chair of St. Ann’s Guild, Advisor to the Youth Committee, Church School teacher, Church School Superintendent, Lay Eucharistic Minister, Bereavement Officer, and President of the Episcopal Church Women and Girls of Calvary.

At the diocesan level, MaryRose served as convention delegate, member of the DC Chapter of Union of Black Episcopalians(UBE), Chair of the Annual Absalom Jones Celebration, and member of the Committee on Racism.

MaryRose has been recognized for her service in her church, community and the District of Columbia. These recognitions include Resolutions from the Council of the District of Columbia, the Outstanding District of Columbia Employee Award, the District of Columbia Public School’s Distinguished Service Award, and the Girl Scout Thanks Badge Award, the highest adult honor attainable for service with the Girl Scouts, USA.

MaryRose was the first African American to receive the Knox Award, the highest adult honor in the Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital, the Outstanding Church Woman of the Year Award, the Martin Luther King Outstanding Community Service Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Union of Black Episcopalians.

Cynthia “Cindy” Helton

Province III – Diocese of Virginia

Cindy Helton enjoyed a career in public education, retiring after 35 years. She was received into the Episcopal Church in 1981.  Attending St. George’s Episcopal Church, Fredericksburg, Virginia, she serves as a lay leader on church commissions, as a teacher and youth leader, a coordinator of the United Thank Offering, as a lay prayer minister, as warden and in various roles of leadership in the ECW. She has provided leadership as a member of the Commission on Racial Justice and Healing.

Appointed by the Rt. Rev. Shannon Johnston in 2018, Cindy served as ECW President of the Diocese of Virginia for four years, keeping the organization functioning during the pandemic by serving one year beyond her term.  This ECW Board of Directors is dedicated to eliminating Human Trafficking and facilitating Racial Reconciliation. Cindy was recognized by the group as “a trailblazer in promoting diversity and furthering the work and creating beloved community within the ECW and the Diocese of Virginia.”

Cindy feels that she has grown and been enriched through her work with the ECW, her church, and her community.

Dr. Angela M. Parker

Province III – Diocese of Southern Virginia

Angela has served on the Diocesan level as Diocesan ECW President, ECW First Vice-President, Special Stewardship Chairman and Convocation VIII Chairman.
She has served on the Ecclesiastical Court, Executive Board, and Standing Committee on the Diocesan level. She has served her community for 41 years in the Brunswick County Public Schools system. Angela also served as Adjunct Professor at the former Saint Paul’s college, Lawrenceville Virginia.

Angela is currently serving her church as Church Treasurer, music minister, President of the ECW, President of the Altar Guild, Eucharistic Minister, Visiting Eucharistic Minister, Worship Leader and Lay Preacher.

She has also chaired or is the coordinator of the following committees or activities: Easter Egg hunt, Vacation Bible School. Church Outing and Prayer Breakfast, Christmas Coat Drive, preparing Food Baskets for needy families in Brunswick County. Angela is a Life Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and the Union of Black Episcopalians. Angela is currently the Board Chairman for the Brunswick County Teachers Federal Credit Union.

Amy Lancaster

Province III – Diocese of Pennsylvania

In 1997, while serving as superintendent of Sunday Church School, Amy was notified she was appointed Representative of the Bucks Deanery to the Board of the Episcopal Church women (ECW) of the Diocese. Thus began a journey, a ministry, and an adventure.

Amy had taught school in three dioceses in Virginia, and was aware of the Historic Black Colleges (HBC) there. At her first Board meeting, she was not bashful raising questions and starting a discussion about an endowed grant award that was going to North Carolina, revealed in the detailed treasurer’s report.

Bylaws and other changes were made to have only committees of Worship, Fellowship, Mission, and Advocacy, along with United Thank Offering (UTO) and Finance. Through the years, Amy served on several of these committees.

ECW remains a large part of Amy’s life. She has been president, immediate past president, and the UTO representative. With the support and help of Bishop Bartlett and Bishop Turner, the UTO committee did all the screening (including mandatory site visits) and processing of UTO proposals. This practice continues. Today the ECW functions with a steering committee of at least five. Amy serves as treasure on that committee to this day.

Mary Parsons

Province III – Diocese of Delaware

Mary is a life-long member of the Episcopal Church. She served for many years on the ECW Board in Delaware.

She has served many years in her local parish, St. Mary’s, Bridgeville, DE.

Dottie Arthur

Province III – Diocese of Maryland

Dottie is a cradle Episcopalian and has been involved in many aspects of the church.

She has served as Vice President of Province III for three years, Province III Representative to the National Board of Episcopal Church Women for three years and was a member of the Province III ECW for 16 years and served on the nomination committee several times.

Dottie was a delegate to the Maryland Diocesan Convention for 10 years, served on the vestry for three 3-year terms and for 25 years was in the choir, served on the Altar Guild and was a reader and chalice server. Besides her involvement in the church, she is a wife, mother, grandmother and an active member in the community.

Alyce Peiffer

Province III – Diocese of Central Pennsylvania

Alyce has been a member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in York, Pennsylvania since her teenage years.

She married her husband Don in 1972 at St. Andrews. She enjoys singing in the choir and has long been a member of the Altar Guild.

She has made various full sets of vestments for the church as well as altar linens. At a Diocesan ECW Annual Meeting we presented a stole that was designed by the board and sewn by Alyce to the 11th Bishop of the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, Audrey Candy Scalan.

Joanne Hutchison

Province II – Diocese of New Jersey

Joanne Hutchison is a life-long Episcopalian and currently a member of Holy Trinity, Wenonah, in the Diocese of New Jersey. At Holy Trinity, Joanne is the directress of the Altar Guild.

She uses her talents as a seamstress to adorn the church with hand-sewn frontals and vestments. Joanne’s artistic vision and leadership have assisted her in leading the floral committee, and she decorates the church with beautiful flowers, often from her own gardens, during Christmas, Holy Week, Easter and other special occasions.

Joanne has received the Jubilee Ministry, Kitchen of Hope Community Service Award, and is active in several service organizations. She has served as the outstanding Secretary of the Diocesan ECW Board and also served on the Diocesan Altar Guild Board. She is married to Gerald, her husband of 54 years, has two daughters and three grandchildren. She is moved always by her love of God and her church.