By Kristen Pratt Machado
The author reflects on her decades-long friendships, and how they inspire her relationship with the ECW.
In the Gospel of Luke, we learn that the post-menopausal Elizabeth has become pregnant against all odds. She meets with Mary, a young and engaged—but unmarried—woman who may need refuge against angry family members who did not understand that a miracle was underway. When the two women meet, Elizabeth’s baby, John the Baptist, moves in her womb, and Elizabeth is called to give Mary a blessing:
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.
—Luke 1:42-45
I have always loved this story because I am a great believer in both God’s ability to work miracles and the strength that a bond between women offers. Mary seeks solace and finds it in Elizabeth, the older and wiser one. Both are comforted by the bond they share and through their deep and tireless faith.
RELATIONSHIPS
While my relationships with other women have not involved any miracles thus far, I treasure the female friendships I have cultivated over the years (I am still close friends with a woman I met when we were little girls in first grade!). I have always sought out the company of other women and enjoyed being part of groups solely dedicated to fostering camaraderie among women and/or girls—from playing on girls-only sports teams to becoming an active member of a sorority to hosting “girls nights” filled with wine and nonstop talking. I have the same two best friends with whom I went to college, and the new friends I have met in Winston-Salem, NC, are treasured additions to what I would call my fellow women warriors—ladies who are doing their best to take care of their families, make a difference in the world, and have some fun along the way.
Withstanding my women’s Bible study group, of which I am the oldest (most seasoned?), my friends are all mostly about my same age. This is my comfort zone. So when a very thoughtful and forward-thinking then-member of St. Timothy’s, Dale Link, contacted me about bridging a generational gap in the parish’s ECW, I was intrigued but nervous. When we did meet, and she asked if I would help her in getting young women at St. Timothy’s more interested in ECW, my first thought was to be extremely flattered because I’m not very young. After that warm glow wore off, I was terribly unsure. I had never attended an ECW meeting before (and to be honest, I didn’t really know what it was) but I did have a feeling that I should give this a chance. I wanted to be part of a church-based women’s group. I also figured older women in our congregation had a lot of wisdom that young women could benefit from. Plus, it became clear that ECW’s survival at St. Timothy’s could be in jeopardy, and the more I learned about the history of the ECW, the more I knew I couldn’t let this happen.
Well, fast forward to today, and I am co-president of St. Timothy’s ECW with a vibrant, warm, energetic, and, yes, wise woman named Terry Jones. Terry retired after a career spent helping children as an elementary school counselor and now works as an educator at Old Salem, a museum and gardens that focus on preserving the cultural heritage of Salem, a colonial town started in 1753. She often remarks that I have inspired her in many ways (I think my sometimes charming children may have added to this feeling), but it is she who has taught me some very valuable lessons. Just by brainstorming with her and trying to find ways to get the older and younger women of this parish to come together and to find value in what ECW has to offer, I have learned what it means to be part of a church community. She taught me that it’s the people who make a church and that our collective commitment to following Jesus’ teachings is critically important. Her resilience in the face of setbacks and her inherent kindness inspire me to continue on faith’s bumpy path.
INVIGORATING ECW
So, Terry and I are working to reinvigorate ECW at our parish. We are trying new things this year—different meeting times, more emphasis on social justice and fellowship, and additional events outside of our traditional structure. Will it work? I don’t know, but one thing I know for sure is that the cause is worth fighting for. And I am enjoying the journey. †
— Kristen Pratt Machado is the executive editor of a monthly clinical journal serving dental hygienists and director of publishing operations for the journal’s parent company, Belmont Publications, Inc. She and her husband, Ché, have two children—5-year-old Piper and 3-year-old Beck—and reside in Winston-Salem, NC. Kristen is a member of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church where she leads the Meals for Moms (and Dads!) Ministry and volunteers on the Vacation Bible School committee. She is also a member of the Winston Salem Women’s Fund, a community of passionate women creating social change.