Mira Washington from Church Women United, CWU, spoke to the board this past Saturday while they all met in Syracuse for a board meeting. She went on to visit with the board members for the rest of the weekend and shared many delightful stories about the lives of Christian women and how their dedicated service is honored around the world.
The CWU is celebrating their 82nd year and Ms. Washington is their youngest elected president. She was raised in the organization and has been a member for nearly thirty years. “Social justice is not just my passion but Church Women United’s passions,” she said. “In fact, the CWU was one of the organizations in operation following World War Two when Elinor Roosevelt went looking for assistance in rebuilding after the war.”
“The average age of women in the organization is 78 years old. We are diversified from all ethnic cultures.” They advocate for women and the issues that impact women. Since her term started, they have developed a vision statement and focused on a true cause. Her hope is to rekindle participation in the World Day of Prayer.
She went on to explain what Justice and Righteousness means to Church Women United:
- Health Equity – God’s Word: On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:12-13 NIV
- Climate Stewardship – God’s Word: But ask the animals, and they will teach you. Or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:7-10
- Social justice – God’s Word: “In the temple courts (Jesus) found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, ‘Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market.” His disciples remembered that it is written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’” John 2: 14-17
- Hunger and poverty – God’s Word: He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children of the needy and will break in pieces the oppressor. Psalm 72:4 NKJV
“We ask our regions and their member states to align themselves with the Church Women United national organization’s policies. We are sustaining ourselves on donations from state and local groups,” she said. They have also been blessed with endowments from many of their long-term members.
Their social policies have been written since 1941. “We are still facing some of the ethnic and gender national policies that are substandard for women in our culture.”
She speaks of harmony in the home and in the church. “We work to support all denominations as they come to us for assistance. I’ll be very transparent; I am very traditional, and my husband is progressive.” As churches evolve to a more progressive policy, she sees the first hurdle being harmony at home and then the congregation.