2022

Jane Henning

Province V – Diocese of Milwaukee

Jane Henning, the epitome of an Episcopal Church Woman, exercises her gifts freely, inspiring and nurturing members of Grace Episcopal Church, as well as the larger church, with exceptional organizational skills, humor, and humility.

Jane has served her parish as president of ECW, Rector’s Guild, and Altar Guild, leading by example and encouraging young women.

Her gracious stewardship has renewed Grace’s physical and spiritual spaces — from caring for the courtyard garden to fundraising for an historic stained-glass window for Grace’s 150th Anniversary Celebration.

She welcomes visitors at Grace’s Reception Desk, plans elegant parish celebrations, and records Sunday services for shut-ins, recruits volunteers for the Grace Estate Sales generating funds supporting the Dioceses of Newala, Haiti, Liberia, and beyond. Her “Nourishing Grace Committee” created  togetherness during COVID.

Jane is Diocesan Altar Guild President and initiated Altar Guild Adventures, visiting significant churches in Wisconsin and Chicago. Her crowning achievement was the 2010 Diocesan Convention Liturgical Treasures display of diocesan churches’ sacred objects. She received the “Bishop’s Shield Award” for her accomplishments.

Her ECW Board enthusiastically nominated Jane Henning for this honor. Her spirit prodigious; her energy endless. Few enter Grace Church without being touched by something she has created, tended, or inspired.

Angela Breeher

Province V – Diocese of Missouri

Angela Breeher has made a significant difference in this Diocese, spending a lifetime in service to the churches and leadership. Beginning with her work as an assistant in the offices of the Bishop under Bishop Hayes Rockwell, she went on to serve as parish administrator at Emmanuel, Grace, and Holy Communion.

In addition to a career as a professional servant of the church, Angela has faithfully given her spare time to her congregation at St. Paul’s, St Louis. Just in my tenure at St. Paul’s, she spent two years as Sr. Warden and subsequently led as a delegate to convention. While serving as Sr. Warden, she oversaw a ¼ million-dollar renovation of our building.  She has also served on Diocesan Council, has faithfully led and attended convocation meetings, and has coordinated Diocesan events in support of mission. In the midst of her church, professional and family commitments, Angela served on boards, mentored, and cultivated neighborhood community by hosting an annual pumpkin carving.

As a single mother, Angela raised two fine young men. Her son, Bill sustained a permanently disabling brain injury at young age. Angela tirelessly worked to enable Bill to become the independent adult he is today. She is wholeheartedly committed to her family and keeps her large family a priority in the midst of a busy schedule. Angela will never put herself forward, but she is a tireless advocate and servant for the people and organizations she loves and believes in. While the majority of her time is spent serving the church, she also tirelessly advocates for the Episcopal City Mission and the youth in detention there.   She is a woman of distinction in every respect.

Barbara Wills

Province V  – Diocese of Indianapolis

We at Grace Church, Muncie, Indiana, think that Barbara Wills should be honored because she is a tireless servant with great leadership skills in the parish and the community.

She has served as Senior Warden for over 5 years. She co-chaired and worked on “Urban Day Camp” for middle school children in the downtown area; they learned to bake bread, plant trees and cook and had 3 meals a day.

A member of the Altar Guild, and The Order of Daughters of the King, Inc., she chaired a Technology Committee co-authoring Technology Grant for Grace Church.   Barbara and her husband volunteer in the “Gathering Grace” program which began in 2008, and has grown, now serving 100-150 free hot meals every Sunday.  Barbara has been there every Sunday.

She has been a member of Sacred Places Committee, helping to write grants to establish a commercial-grade kitchen in order to ensure the continuation of Gathering Grace and to assist in offering cooking classes to Second Harvest clients. Many applications for grants were submitted and our new kitchen is now completed, thanks, in part, to the work of Barbara Wills.

Susie Brock

Province V – Diocese of Chicago

Susie Brock and St. Lawrence Church Libertyville have literally grown together, and she is now our longest standing parishioner and a dedicated ECW member.

As our parish administrator for 17 years, Susie performs her job responsibilities exceptionally well, but more importantly practices radical hospitality, offering compassion, a sympathetic ear and collaborative problem solving.

In addition to clergy team support, Susie initiates programs for the women and children of St. Lawrence. She organizes potluck dinners and United Thank Offering Ingathering Sundays, and encouraged parish women to create 400+ girls dresses from pillowcases in the “Little Dresses for Africa” program.

Her simple act of comfort – having on hand a box of graham crackers for needy visitors – has now grown to feed 70+ families weekly thru Hope Food Pantry.

Susie has contributed to the National Church too. She and The Rev. Vicki Garvey ran the children’s program at the diocesan convention for 8 years; in 2018, she developed and implemented children’s programs and child-care services for General Convention vendors, deputies and ECW Triennial attendees in Austin, Texas. Susie personifies the words of Mother Teresa: “Small things done with great love will change the world.”

Joan Summerfield

Province IV – Diocese of Western North Carolina

Joan Summerfield, grew up in a Christian home and attended Sunday school every Sunday.

After marrying a priest, she joined Grace Episcopal Church in Morganton, NC. Her first experience with ECW was going to their wonderful Thanksgiving Bazaars, and later attending several weekend retreats sponsored by the ECW.

She worked as a Registered Nurse most of her married life in Mental Health and finally as Director of Infection Control at the Harlem Valley Psychiatric Hospital in Wingdale, NY.

Retiring  to North Carolina in 1995, she joined the Episcopal Church Women’s group, serving the Diocesan Board of the Western North Carolina ECW, by first chairing  the All Saints Day Memorial Offering (ASDMO). She became Vice-President for two years and then President for 2003-2004.

Their weeklong mission trip to San Palo Sula, Honduras in  January 2005 to “Our Little Roses Ministries” was a highlight of her tenure. She later served as co-chair of the Foothills Deanery of  Western North Carolina Diocese.

She says, “It has been a pleasure serving with such a fine group of women for so many years.”

Phyllis A. Webb

Province IV – Diocese of Upper South Carolina

Phyllis has been a faithful member of The Church of the Redeemer in Greenville, South Carolina for 48 years, has sung in the choir, and been president of their ECW Chapter and their guilds.

She has served as the United Thank Offering coordinator for 22 years, and twice been President of their Daughters of the King chapter. Phyllis served four years as NW District Director for the women of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina and twice as Diocesan ECW President.

She coordinated getting local ECWs to provide lunch for the volunteers building the sanctuary for St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Greenville – the “Miracle Church” –   truly a “habitat” moment as many churches in our diocese completed the building of this sanctuary.

As a board member of Pleasant Valley Connection, she watched them build their facility and receive a UTO Grant for children and seniors in this underserved neighborhood.  Phyllis is grateful for the unfailing support of her husband, Steve, better known in the diocese as “Mr. ECW” and her mother-in-law, Maria Webb who was a shining example of an Episcopal Church Woman.

Leila J. Mizer

Province IV – Diocese of Southwest Florida

Leila, presently the Senior Warden at St.  James House of Prayer Episcopal Church in Tampa, serves as a lector, email communications person, camera operator and stewardship chairperson there, is a member of The Order of the Daughters of the King, having served as president of the local chapter, Diocesan President and currently as  the historian for the Diocesan DOK. She was ECW Diocesan president-elect for three years, president for three years.

She is the treasurer for her local ECW chapter.  She is a member of the Diocesan Race & Reconciliation Committee, and a member of the Union of Black Episcopalians serving as the secretary for the Rev. John E. Culmer Chapter of the U.B.E. in the Diocese of Southwest Florida. She is on the transition team for the Bishop Coadjutor Search Committee.

Leila retired as a public-school administrator in Pasco County, FL.  She was Principal of R. B. Cox Elementary School for fifteen years and Supervisor in Exceptional Student Education for two years.  She earned an ED Specialist degree in Administration from Wichita State University as well as a master’s degree in School Psychology from WSU.  Leila’s undergraduate degree in education is from Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas.

Sylvia Doubleday

Province IV – Diocese of Southeast Florida

Mrs. Sylvia (“Sylvia”) Doubleday is a dedicated member of Episcopal Church Women (“ECW”) at The Episcopal Church of the Atonement, Lauderdale Lakes, FL.

She is a Lay Eucharistic Minister, has been a choir member at various times, and led the Church as a Vestry member on three occasions.  Dedicated to serving and helping others, Sylvia volunteers for four groups: Cursillo, Daughters of the King “DOK”, ECW, and Mothers’ Union.

As an ECW member, she works in the background supporting women, ECW-supported charities, and others in the Church through prayer and fellowship. Reliable and dependable, Sylvia sees commitments through, even with short notice. She teaches adults to read and avoids the publicity.

A charter member of the Mothers’ Union, she was instrumental in instituting the annual scholarship fund, which provides scholarships for graduating seniors who have been accepted in a college or university. Sylvia’s “life in the secular community reflects her Christian values”.

When asked about the woman in the Bible who she is most like, Sylva reflected that she has aspects of many. We believe she is most like Rebekah who was very industrious and hospitable.

Lisa Towle

Diocese of North Carolina

The ECW of the Diocese of North Carolina is pleased to name Lisa H. Towle as its Distinguished Woman for Triennial Meeting 2022.

Lisa served as President of the Board of National Episcopal Church Women from 2015-2018.

Before that, from 2012-2015, she was Secretary of the National ECW Board. Prior to that, she led the church women of the Diocese of NC as President for 12 years and head of Christian Social Ministries for 3 years. Lisa has also been a proven leader in her home community.

Brenda Davis Hawkins

Province IV – Diocese of Mississippi

Brenda Davis Hawkins, Church of the Holy Trinity, Vicksburg, MS is the Diocese of Mississippi’s Distinguished Woman nominee. Married for 54 years to Russell Edward Hawkins, they have 3 married children and 5 grands.

She has served as President: Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary, Library Board, and Mental Health Association. Chairman of the Board: City of Vicksburg Zoning, Family Development, and Haven House Family Shelter receiving the United Way of West Central Mississippi’s Volunteer of the Year award and Leadership award.

Serving on Diocese of MS. ECW Board for 24 years, she’s been ECW President, Secretary, Convocation Coordinator, and Delegate to three Triennials.  Currently Brenda is UTO Coordinator for the Diocese.

At Holy Trinity, Brenda is in ECW, Daughters of the King, Lector, Pastoral Care and Docent Chair welcoming visitors, sharing history, architecture, and beautiful stained-glass windows. Brenda loves her Church and takes great pride in sharing its beauty and Good News of God’s Love.