Communiqué Spring 2023
Table of Contents
Message from the President – Karen Patterson
Illuminations: The Saint John’s Bible
Women Development Services: Light in Darkness
Los Servicios para el Desarrollo de las Mujeres: Luz en la penumbra
Final Disposition of Sacred Linens, Hangings, and Vestments
Para la disposición final de los Linos Sagrados, Colgantes, y Vestiduras
Prayer for this time in the world
The Square
The Square (El cuadrado)
Outreach Amazon Wish Lists
La Campaña de la lista de Regalos de Amazon
Communities of Belonging
Comunidades de pertenencia La Epidemia de la Soledad
Episcopal Women’s History Project Award Ceremony
El Proyecto de la Historia de las Mujeres Episcopales Ceremonia de premiación
Articles appearing within the Communique’ do not necessarily represent the opinions of the National Episcopal Church Women nor the Episcopal Church. The organization strives to provide a platform for women to present ideas and opinions that affect women’s issues. The editor may be contacted for comments or questions at: editor@ecwnational.org
Karen Patterson Episcopal Church Women President 2022 to 2024
Message from the President
Best wishes and greetings to all of you for 2023! I hope this finds each of you and your families in good health and enjoying being with each other. Covid changed our lives over the past couple of years. Here’s hoping we can make the best of those changes and restore our family units.
As you may have noticed, we have added two new members to the NECW board, and they are Madeline Sampson as the Province 8 representative, and Annie Kate Jacobs as our Social Justice Chair. We hope that you will greet them and welcome them warmly to our gatherings.
This issue of the Communique is probably a more contemplative presentation – many things to think about, many prayers to look at and consider how they may affect our lives or the lives of others. Some information about the next issue is also included – which we think you will find very interesting.
We will be having our board meetings in 2023 in Province 8, Province 5, Province 2 and Province 6 – working on our plans for General Convention and Triennial in July 2024 in Louisville. Start making your plans now!
Triennial 2024 planning is already underway. We are excited to announce that our theme will be: Empowering Women of Faith – Empoderando a las Mujeres de Fe. We are blessed that so much of the preplanning we did for Triennial 2022 will be usable for 2024. This will help significantly due to this board’s two year term as opposed to a typical three year term.
Karen Patterson
National Episcopal Church Women President 2022 – 2024
A Prayer of Hope and Guidance
Almighty and most merciful Father, we thank you for all the blessings of this life. We thank You especially for the Episcopal Church Women. We ask you to guide us as we work to find more ways to serve our global village and the local communities. By Your grace, equip us to feed the hungry, provide clothing for those in need, and accept the differences within us…
Illuminations: The Saint John’s Bible
Women have always been involved with the Church. In fact, women have played a role within the broader spiritual community for millennia. This feminine wisdom is gracefully illustrated within the works of The Saint John’s Bible.
In 1998, Saint John’s Abbey and University, located in Collegeville, MN., commissioned renowned calligrapher Donald Jackson to produce a hand-written, hand-illuminated Bible…
Women Development Services: Light in Darkness
Pakistan, being a male-dominated society, has always kept women suppressed, both in the workplace and at home. Women are conditioned to keep the family honor as their utmost priority. Suffering for the rest of their lives is considered “obedience” on their part. Speaking up for themselves is considered dishonor to the family.
Los Servicios para el Desarrollo de las Mujeres: Luz en la penumbra
Pakistán, siendo una Sociedad dominada por los hombres, siempre ha suprimido a las mujeres, tanto en casa como en el ambiente de trabajo. Las mujeres son condicionadas a mantener el honor familiar como su prioridad más importante. Sufrir por el resto de sus vidas está considerado como un signo de “obediencia” de su parte. Tener una voz propia es considerado como un deshonor con su familia.
Final Disposition of Sacred Linens Hangings and Vestments
Altar linens, hangings, or vestments beyond repairing or recycling are often stored in an out-of-the-way place and soon forgotten. Perhaps they were a memorial gift to honor a church member or used only for special services over a period of many years. Sadly, all have a life of service but must eventually be retired properly due to damage or years of wear on the fabric.
Para la disposición final de los Linos Sagrados, Colgantes, y Vestiduras
Los linos de los altares, colgantes, y vestiduras que no tienen reparación o cuyo reciclaje se encuentra en un lugar fuera de alcance y olvidado. quizás fueron un regalo memorial para honrar a un miembro de la iglesia o eran usados exclusivamente para servicios especiales a lo largo de un periodo de muchos años. Tristemente, todos tienen un tiempo de uso, pero eventualmente deben ser retirados propiamente debido al daño acumulado a través de los anos, o simplemente a raíz del uso constante.
Prayer for this time in the world
When we wake and discover our lives
Are suddenly in a never-before time,
A never-again-the-same time,
Grant us courage, O God, in knowing
That all times are yours,
That you are ever before and after,
That with you there is no “never.”
The Square
At the October 2022 meeting of the NECW Board of Directors, the parliamentarian introduced the first of a series of presentations entitled “Taking the ME out of Meetings.” His contention being that the decline of civility across our land as well as across the globe has, more than ever, impacted behavior of members at meetings of various groups to which they belong. After practicing and teaching the science of parliamentary law for half a century, he has seen an alarming rise in the number of individuals and factions seeking to assert their oft-narrow opinions on the remainder of the members of a society in a manner inconducive to the well-being, harmony, perhaps even the existence of that association.
The Square (El cuadrado)
En la reunión de octubre de 2022 realizada por la nueva Junta de directores del NECW, los parlamentarios introdujeron la primera de una serie de exposiciones tituladas “Taking the ME our of Meetings” o en castellano “Eliminando el YO fuera de las Reuniones” Su razón es la de la falta de civilidad a nivel local y mundial que, ahora más que nunca, ha impactado el comportamiento de los miembros de varios grupos a los que pertenecen. Tras haber practicado y enseñado la ciencia de la ley del parlamentarismo por media década, él ha visto un alza alarmante en el número de individuos y facciones buscando apabullar con sus opiniones a los demás miembros de la sociedad de una manera que no conduce al bienestar, armonía, quizás hasta la existencia de la asociación misma.
I tried to capture you – Poem
You alluded me. I smelled fresh moonlight, felt your light bless me and I wonder…
Perhaps these moments are just to be between us, deep within, held close in the tapestry of my inner being, gazing at the moon.
I am offered a window to the unseen God.
My heart opens and gratitude flows, knowing the Divine is not absent, but a living light.
Shining in all beings
Outreach Amazon Wish Lists
At a recent Province VII gathering, Lindsey Murphy, the outreach director for The Church of the Transfiguration in Dallas’ food bank ministry, shared with us an innovative way of approaching outreach. Instead of asking parishioners to bring certain items to church that would be donated toward the chosen outreach, she created an Amazon wish list that was used instead. If you’re unfamiliar with Amazon wish list, here’s how it works. First of all, the church would have to have an Amazon account.
La Campaña de la lista de Regalos de Amazon
En una reciente reunión provincial número VII, Lindsey Murphy, la directora de la iglesia de la transfiguración localizada en el ministerio del banco de comida, compartió con nosotros una idea innovadora de cómo llevar a cabo la campaña. En vez de preguntarle a los feligreses que traigan ciertos artículos a la iglesia para ser donados a una causa caritativa especifica, ella creo una lista de regalos en Amazon. Si no estas familiarizado con dichas listas, funciona de la siguiente manera. Primero que todo, la iglesia debe crear una cuenta en Amazon.
Prayer For a Friend in Need
Heavenly Father, a Friend most dear
has asked for prayer.
For she and her family have had
an awful lot to bear.
Prayer for Caregivers
Gift us, Lord, with the humility
of those who care beyond knowing
and being known; who give their time ungrudgingly
with simple and wordless presence;
who listen like the patient dawn
holding its breath,
anticipating birdsong even
from a dark and starless sky.
Communities of Belonging
The Loneliness Epidemic is essential reading for clergy and laity alike, as it explains the nature of epidemics and how loneliness has reached such proportions. The work of Susan Mettes has been preceded by a few decades of reflections on loneliness. Bowline Alone by Harvard professor Robert Putnam is a fascinating account of how Americans have walked away from organizations and other forms of community since the 1950’s. Drawings evidence from nearly a half-million interviews across 25 years, Putnam’s research shows that Americans are increasingly disconnected from each other.
Comunidades de pertenencia La Epidemia de la Soledad
La Epidemia de la Soledad es lectura esencial para el clérigo y los laicos por igual, ya que explica la naturaleza de las epidemias y como la soledad ha alcanzado proporciones inigualables. La obra de Susan Mettes tiene una larga data y esta llena de reflexiones sobre el tema de la soledad.
Episcopal Women’s History Project Award Ceremony
Thank you very much for this invitation to join you today, and thank you so very much for the honor of receiving the, Every Woman Counts Award.
As requested, I am glad to share little bit about my story with some reflections on the leadership of women in our beloved church which is sometimes late to the party in terms of inclusion and counting everyone, but often works mightily to make up for a late arrival.
El Proyecto de la Historia de las Mujeres Episcopales Ceremonia de premiación
Muchas gracias por esta invitación para unirme a ustedes, y gracias mil por el honor de recibir el premio Every Woman Counts Award (Cada mujer importa.)
De acuerdo con lo estipulado, estoy contenta de compartir un poco mi historia con algunas reflexiones sobre el liderazgo de las mujeres que participan en nuestra amada Iglesia, la cual es a veces un tanto tardía en lo atinente a la inclusión pero que trabaja encarecidamente para lidiar con ello, y entender el concepto.
Prayer for this time in the world
Prayer for this time in the world
When we wake and discover our lives
Are suddenly in a never-before time,
A never-again-the-same time,
Grant us courage, O God, in knowing
That all times are yours,
That you are ever before and after,
That with you there is no “never.”