Episcopal Church Women, Author at National Episcopal Church Women

Online Retreat: Winning the Right to Vote Oct 24th 2020

Winning the Right to Vote – flyer Top image

Diocese of El Camino Real in California

Join us for this morning retreat with Ida B. Wells (1862-1931), a well-known African American suffragist and journalist, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933-2020), the Jewish Supreme Court justice, both of whom contributed mightily to women’s rights. The ECW Retreat will be led by The Rev. Linda McConnell.

Come and learn about Women’s persistence more than 100 years ago to earn all women the right of citizenship through the right to vote.

On August 18, 1920, the 19^th Amendment to the Constitution was finally ratified, enfranchising all American women, and declaring for the first time that they, like men, deserve all rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

Meeting time is PDS – Pacific

RESERVE A SPACE AT THE RETREAT:

Mark your calendar for Oct. 24^th, 10:a.m. – 12:00 noon PDT.

Send an email to ECW President Donna Seelbach at dsdonnaseelbach2@gmail.com to reserve a space. Donna will send you the Zoom link by the Friday (Oct. 23^rd) prior to the retreat.

Episcopal Church Women2020-10-05T14:39:03+00:00September 28th, 2020|

Praying with Sparrows – A poem of the 2020 pandemic

Praying with Sparrows

A poem of the 2020 pandemic

I never thought to pray with sparrows, black throated wild
and scrambling for seeds cast carelessly on the hillside.
They hover throughout the hours like unceasing prayers
Giving thanks when no words can.

Warily they brave the rains, the frenzied force, even my hoarse voice
an unknown thunder in their world. Spring’s worst storms roll by
and they sing unheard, choral chirping drowned in human despair
Yet the birds of heaven will teach us.

Tomorrow I will not seek the wood-dark birds; I must wait
for monochrome March skies to bend into blue, and scatter millet
for featherless creatures, new and startled, who do not yet know me.
And later, much later, pray with unfevered heart and rejoice in light
The healing of a new day.

Marilyn Hanchett

Westminster, Maryland

Episcopal Church Women2020-09-04T12:28:37+00:00September 4th, 2020|

Province VII ECW Zoom Conference – Sept 12 2020

All women in Province VII are invited to this conference. Province VII, also called the Province of the Southwest, consists of the Dioceses of Arkansas, Dallas, Fort Worth, Kansas, Northwest Texas, Oklahoma, Rio Grande, Texas, West Missouri, West Texas, Western Kansas and Western Louisiana. The National ECW President, Karen Patterson, will be joining us. Come and be filled with the Holy Spirit as we share our stories and ideas regarding women’s ministries in the Episcopal Church.

This is a free Zoom conference, but we would appreciate participants registering so we will know how many will be attending.
The live conference will be limited to the first 100 registrants, however a recording of the event will be available to those unable to join us live.
Once registration is full, all additional registrants will be notified once the recording is available.

Keynote Speaker

Cynthia Davis has been involved in what she calls “Telling the Story of the People of God” for most of her life. Even as a child, Davis found joy in discussing the Bible stories that form the foundation of our faith. Her grounding in the Word of God has helped her see God’s action throughout her faith journey. Her novels, blog posts, and other writings grew out of sharing the truth that God is Love. “Women and men within the Bible were real people, just like each of us, yet God chose to love them,” Davis says. “God chooses to loves us, too, even with our faults and failings.” As retreat leader and speaker, Davis presents a variety of topics, reminding attendees of their call as God’s Beloved children, and telling the story of God’s work with all of us. Since 2000, Davis has authored a dozen books, including seven books of Biblical fiction. She tells the ‘rest of the story’ by imagining what might have been and enjoys introducing the stories of Bible women and men during her retreats.

Carry the Light of Love

Cynthia (Cindy) Davis will help us find inspiration by looking at women throughout the ages who shared the light of the God’s Love in the world of their time. These faith-filled women can in-spire our faithful response to our own challenges. Women like Miriam, Mary, Julian of Norwich, Hildegard of Bingen, and even Florence Nightingale all listened to the voice of God in difficult times. They responded with love. Their lives show us the light of God’s Love and teach us how to carry God’s Love into the world today.

Schedule

Saturday September 12, 2020(All times indicated are Central Time)9:00-9:15 am Welcome and Introduction of ECW Leadership9:15-9:30 am Opening Prayer

9:30-9:45 am Karen Patterson – National ECW President

9:45-10:00 am Break time

10:00-11:00 am Women as Light Bearers Cynthia Davis

11:00-11:30 am Share Time

11:30-12:00 pm Closing Worship

Episcopal Church Women2020-10-23T21:08:59+00:00August 10th, 2020|

Healing in Yarn with the Diocese of Chicago

Chaplain Micheal at Rush Hospital Chicago

Bishop Anderson House provides spiritual care training to lay persons as well as caring for the spiritual needs of the patients, families and staff of Stroger Cook County Hospital and other Illinois Medical District hospitals. Chaplains serve people who are shaken by gun violence and severe traumatic injuries. The Teddy Bear Ministry shares cuddly bears with pediatric patients, but often adult patients or medical staff appreciate a Teddy Bear for comfort. Prayer shawls have become a welcome part of Bishop Anderson’s outreach. The following is an article that they posted honoring the creators of these special care items.

She hurried up to the chaplain, asking if there were any more prayer shawls at the office; the medical unit stash was depleted. When the chaplain returned with an especially attractive shawl, the nurse threw up her arms excitedly, grabbed the shawl and wrapped it around her own shoulders. A devoted cadre of knitters and crocheters create these beautiful symbols of caring and love for the patients, families and staff that chaplains Micheal and Rose visit at Stroger and Rush hospitals. We are especially grateful to the following Prayer Shawl and Knitting Ministries for their donations:

• Trinity Episcopal Church, Wheaton
• Church of the Holy Nativity, Clarendon Hills
• St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, Wilmette
• St. Paul & the Redeemer, Chicago
• Emmanuel Episcopal Church, LaGrange
• Church of the Holy Spirit, Lake Forest
• St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Barrington

The Chicago ECW has a program called “knitogether” where knitting ministries can share ideas and projects. We have prayer cards for knitters that might be useful. They are posted on our website: https://www.ecwchicago.org/knitogether

Submitted by: Beth Petti

Episcopal Church Women2020-08-14T15:09:50+00:00August 5th, 2020|

Episcopal Women’s Ministries Fall Retreat

September 25 and 26 on Zoom – 2020

Living our Call as Disciples – a Virtual Retreat – Led by the Reverend Canon Kristin White, Canon to the Ordinary for Congregational Development and Leadership.

ALL are welcome to participate – women, men, couples, youth; from the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis or beyond

Registration is FREE! Here is the registration link: https://bit.ly/EWM_Fall20. Call-in, audio-only option available.

Friday Sept 25 – 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM EDT – Opening prayer, meet & greet with Canon White and other attendees, and overview of our Virtual Retreat.

Saturday 8:00 AM EDT – Yoga Session – Optional

Saturday Sept 26 – 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM EDT – Over 2 morning sessions and 2 afternoon sessions including teaching, discussion, prayer and silence, we will reflect on discipleship and learn practices to help us grow as disciples.

Please register promptly. Each person attending should fill out their own registration form even if in the same household as other attendees. For a more detailed description of the retreat, or a biographical note about of Canon White, see the EWM Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/303823720781051/

For other questions or if you would like technical assistance, please email Retreat Chair: Louise Boling at copperboling@gmail.com

Submitted by:

Lisa Matucheski
Secretary & Co-Chair EWM
Episcopal Women’s Ministries
Diocese of Indianapolis

Episcopal Church Women2022-09-28T17:37:20+00:00July 29th, 2020|

St. Asaph’s Prays through Epidemic Times

July 19, 2020

Rev. Joy delivers Homily

July 19, 2020

Service in Pavilion

St-Asaphs-Epidemic-Times-July-20,-20120-24-attended-service

July 20, 2020.

Twenty Four attended service

We, at St. Asaph’s Church in Bowling Green, Virginia, are now able to hold services in our pavilion next to the church. We gather each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. following social distancing and wearing our face masks.

The Rev. Charles Joy, officiates at morning prayer. Music is played. Each person has a small water bottle. It has been nearly 100 degrees many mornings in July. But after so many weeks of not having our service it is a joy to be back together thanking God for the brightness of the day and the time we can share with Him and our friends. Bishop Susan Goff has given her blessing for us to meet. We are grateful.

Submitted by: Dale Brittle

Episcopal Church Women2020-07-28T16:23:01+00:00July 28th, 2020|

St George Mask Makers Respond To An Urgent Call for Help

St George Mask Makers Haven House, a domestic abuse shelter in Leesburg, FL, had an urgent need for face masks for the 40 children in its care. Trusting in their longtime supporter, Christine Berti of St George Episcopal Church (The Villages, FL), they reached out for help. Christine sprang to action.

The ECW/Women’s Guild of St George had already distributed about 75 face masks to members of the congregation when it became apparent that every Floridian would need one. Five members of the Women’s Guild made masks and then other members delivered them to needy congregants.

Christine reached out to the Women’s Guild Board for help. The Board contacted all the mask makers (including Christine!) and Christine took it from there. Those that could help: Pat Barry, Jennifer Gore and Christine herself, launched into action and in 3 days had made 64 masks for the children of Haven House. Chris then coordinated pick-up and delivery.

Submitted by: LaVerne Collins

Episcopal Church Women2020-07-27T14:06:07+00:00July 27th, 2020|

A Breathless Moment

It is a breathless moment
when, coming to the edge
Of what confounds me,
I pause and ask myself
if I have courage
To trust completely
and risk failure,
Sometimes I have faltered,
Turned back into the
Wilderness of self-contained
existence and stumbled,
But when I listen to the
beating of my heart
I hear the voice of
My Creator calling me
to step outside myself,
And I am always held
safe and secure.

by C.C. Johnson

Diocese of Lexington
Parish – St. Raphael the Archangel

Episcopal Church Women2020-08-18T14:22:29+00:00July 27th, 2020|

Triennial 2021 Status Update

I wanted to bring you all up to date on the status for Triennial 2021. Basically at this time, we are not certain as to how we will proceed, whether Triennial will be rescheduled, held in a virtual meeting or exactly how it will evolve. We will keep you all informed as we know. Triennial is held in conjunction with General Convention and we cannot determine how we will proceed until their arrangements are confirmed. This has not yet been decided.

To date, General Convention’s Chairs and Vice Chairs, parliamentarians and chancellors of both houses and the executive officer have met to consider alternative plans for General Convention. The task group is working actively to consider various scenarios and will make a report to the Standing Committee on Planning and Arrangements. That body will make a recommendation to the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies, who will then ask Executive Council for their advice and consent to their decision about how and when the 80^th General Convention will proceed.

All of this sounds very detailed, I know, but we must take so many factors into consideration. As many of you know, Pat Wellnitz and I serve on the Standing Committee on Planning and Arrangements. The Committee, as well as others, are exploring new ways to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we go forward.

Karen Patterson Episcopal Church Women President 2018 to 2021 Karen O Patterson
Episcopal Church Women
President 2018 to 2021

Episcopal Church Women2020-07-25T19:59:46+00:00July 25th, 2020|

Cornerstone Kids, Inc., the Children’s Haven

The mission of Cornerstone Kids, Inc. is to assist at-risk inner-city children in their educational, spiritual and emotional development in a safe, secure and nurturing environment.

Cornerstone Kids, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit after-school program located at St. James House of Prayer Episcopal Church in Tampa. The program is structured specifically to reach at-risk, inner-city children who reside in low-income, single-parent households in Tampa Heights and surrounding neighborhoods. Cornerstone Kids, Inc. was started as a club in 1984 for the children in the neighborhood by Reverend Bruce Caldwell, the rector of the church at that time. He filled an unmet need for the underserved children of the area.

In 1994 the program expanded to include hot meals served daily, homework assistance, and academic and social guidance/enrichment. Cornerstone Kids, Inc. provides a comprehensive after-school program that serves 35 children in grades K-5, ages 5-11 years old. When the program was reorganized the decision was made to become a registered nonprofit organization. Several members responsible for enhancing the program make up our diverse, 10-member board of directors today.

At Cornerstone Kids, we offer the children the opportunity to develop academic skills to succeed in school and provide opportunities for learning outside of the traditional school day. Our program activities assist us with our mission of providing the educational, spiritual and emotional development of the children who do not have this opportunity for growth and academic support in Tampa Heights.

Our curriculum activities include homework assistance/tutoring, reading, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), mentoring and development of social emotional skills for all children, free of charge. You will find the children Monday-Friday in a safe, nurturing, supervised environment from 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. with four instructors, a cook and an executive director. We are also blessed to have many partners who volunteer with the program to implement valuable projects/programs to help us live our mission.

During the summer we operate on a modified schedule Monday through Thursday from noon until 4 p.m. Lunch is served daily. The curriculum includes field trips, indoor and outdoor activities, Spanish, reading and math programs, and other enrichment activities. One of the highlights of our summer program is vacation bible school (VBS). Every summer we are given the opportunity to attend VBS with the children of St. John’s, St. Andrew’s and St. James House of Prayer Episcopal Church. It is a beautiful experience when the children meet new friends and learn about God together. We have many success stories. One of our former students is an airline pilot, which was his childhood dream, and others are having successful high school experiences. Some of our students have finished college and others are enrolled in two- or four-year programs. During the summer, some former students return to volunteer. A few students in our program today are children of former students.

Cornerstone Kids, Inc. is funded by our annual fundraiser, The Lincoln-Douglass Ball; special projects, grants, private donors and donations from many of our churches; The Episcopal Church Women; and other organizations in the Diocese of Southwest Florida. Thanks for helping us make a difference!!

Due to COVID-19 and the Safer-At-Home Ordinance in Hillsborough County, the school system is closed until May 1. Cornerstone Kids, Inc. follows the Hillsborough School System calendar; therefore, our program is not in operation at this time.

KFORCE Giving Day

On December 6, 2019, Cornerstone Kids, Inc. partnered with KFORCE Staffing Agency to celebrate their Annual Giving Day. Approximately one dozen KFORCE employees attended the event and participated in a variety of indoor board games and artwork with the children. They also provided goody bags with healthy treats and gifts for the children to take home. It was a fun day for all.

Bess The Book Bus

Bess the Book Bus visits Cornerstone Kids up to three times each year. She is usually our Special Guest Reader at our “Annual Book Give Away” in March of each year and she supplies books for the kids to take home as well as for the program.

Framework’s Teens in Action

The Teens in Action have been volunteering with our program for many years. This year they took a different approach on delivering the Social-Emotional Development Training to the children. The program is delivered to all of the students on a level to help them understand. The sessions are called “Social Emotional Learning Themes.”

The themes are designed to help the students build prosocial skills through positive social interactions with the staff and their peers. The children perform activities that involve Self-Esteem, Comfortable and Uncomfortable Emotions, Gratitude, Kindness, Making Good Decisions, Teamwork, and Diversity and Culture. Each theme has a learning activity that relates to it. The children enjoy interacting with the teens each week.

What are Cornerstone Kids, Inc.’s plans for the future in connection with the kids and the effect that the coronavirus has had on the them and the program?

As of April 18, 2020, our governor announced that all schools in Florida will continue to stay closed for the rest of this school year. With that decision plans are to prepare to open our Summer Enrichment Program based on the date Florida and the CDC will suspend the Safe-at-Home/Social Distancing Coronavirus guidelines and when Bishop Smith will allow face-to-face meetings/gatherings on the church premises. When that happens, hopefully we will open our Summer Enrichment Program for six weeks, which will include Vacation Bible School, recreation/enrichment activities and fieldtrips.

Cornerstone Children Group Since the program has been closed, I have been contacting our parents via telephone and text messages to find out how the children are handling their schoolwork online and offering to help any way that I can based on the current condition. Getting the work done online has been a challenge for some of our parents due to no online service or computer; however, the children are still able to complete their work using prepared paper assignments. Many parents expressed how thankful they are of our program for doing what we do on a daily basis with the children. Some expressed how sorry they were for not saying it often enough.

Children in our program are able to receive a free breakfast and lunch at “Grab-and-Go” locations at designated schools. Some parents are receiving food from the local food bank and other locations. This was a concern since a part of our program was feeding the children a hot meal daily.

Olatha Leggett

Executive Director

Cornerstone Kids, Inc.

813-293-1284

Episcopal Church Women2020-08-17T19:37:07+00:00July 21st, 2020|

Episcopal Church Women

About Episcopal Church Women

Diocese of El Camino Real in California

RESERVE A SPACE AT THE RETREAT:

Praying with Sparrows

A poem of the 2020 pandemic

Keynote Speaker

Carry the Light of Love

Schedule