President’s Report
National Episcopal Church Women Board Meeting
Reporting Period: September–December 2025
Since the September 2025 Board Meeting, I have remained actively engaged in representing and advancing the mission and ministry of the National Episcopal Church Women through worship leadership, governance, communications, partnerships, and provincial and diocesan engagement.
Provincial, Diocesan, and National Engagement
In October, I had the honor of serving as keynote speaker at the Arkansas ECW Fall Gathering (October 10–11), offering reflections on the theme “Cultivate and Let Go.” I also attended the Province I ECW Annual Meeting via Zoom on October 18, along with the virtual event Balancing Act: Master the Art of ECW Budgeting, which was later posted to the NECW YouTube channel on October 19. On December 4, I was also in attendance for the stellar presentation of Saying ‘No” to Gender Violence: The Rape of Tamar” by the National ECW Chaplain Rev. Dr. Gayle Fisher-Stewart. This presentation was later posted on our YouTube channel also.
On November 15, I attended the Diocese of North Carolina ECW Annual Meeting in Winston-Salem, NC, where I served as keynote speaker. My presentation included my personal testimonial, an overview of National ECW initiatives, reflections on spiritual cultivation and release, and a visioning session focused on the future of ECW. I also participated as a speaker at the Province V ECW Meeting held November 22–23 at Bellwether in Ohio.
Committee Work and Governance
Throughout this reporting period, I remained engaged in National ECW governance. On October 14, 2025 the National ECW Secretary, Patricia Rutenberg, resigned from her position. The Executive Committee met on October 16 to discuss possible candidates for the office. I present to the board for consideration as Secretary, Fran Bramblette. Fran has served the Diocese of Alabama ECW as the Birmingham Convocation Co-Coordinator for two two-year terms, as President-Elect for one term and as President for one term. She was recognized as the Distinguished Woman from the Diocese of Arkansas at Triennial 2024.
I also attended the Joint Standing Committee on Planning and Arrangements meeting via Zoom on November 5 and the Finance Committee meeting on November 19. Additionally, I attended the Church Women United Common Council meeting on November 20. On December 3, I met with the Ad Hoc Committee that is developing a grant program for inactive and new Diocesan ECWs to start or restart ECWs. This is a promising new program that we are hoping will promote new Diocesan ECW Chapters.
I have sought clarification from DFMS on per diem reimbursements for the board. In response I was informed that DFMS would be moving to a new platform for reimbursements in 2026 and that new travel policies would be announced at the introduction of this new system.
Communications and Digital Ministry
I met regularly with our communications team—John Wilkerson and Gloria Rogers—on October 27, November 24, and December 22 for communications review and planning. Topics discussed
included the monthly News Blasts, website updates, upcoming virtual events, and planning for the next Communiqué.
I continued to lead Morning Prayer on Facebook Live on October 1, October 8, October 29, November 26, and December 24, while also recruiting additional leaders to share in this ministry.
Justice, Advocacy, and Partnerships
I participated in multiple planning sessions with the International Anglican Women’s Network on October 20 and November 10 in preparation for the 16 Days of Activism, including Break the Silence Sunday. As part of this work, I scheduled the 16 Days of Activism posts on Facebook. I also attended Sacred Ground on October 26 and participated in the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery Episcopal Indigenous Justice Roundtable via Zoom on December 16.
On behalf of the National ECW an application to host a Virtual Parallel Event at the NGO CSW70 Forum in New York City was submitted and accepted. The National ECW will be presenting a virtual workshop on “Raising Awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women” on Wednesday, March 11 at 12:30pm. The Social Justice and Communications Committees are now working on orchestrating this momentous event. On December 19, I met with Lynnaia Main and Annie Kate Jacobs to discuss attendance at UN NGO/CSW70 and National ECW’s potential participation.
Future Planning
Looking ahead, I solicited hotel bids for the January 2027 Board Meeting from locations in Cartagena, Colombia; Jackson, Mississippi; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Richmond, Virginia; and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. After careful consideration, the Hyatt Hotel in Cartagena, Colombia has been booked for the January 14-19, 2027 Board Meeting.
Conclusion
This season has been marked by deep engagement across the Church, strengthened partnerships, intentional communications planning, and faithful leadership in worship, justice, and governance. I am grateful for the continued collaboration of the Board, officers, and committees as we move forward together in this ministry.
Respectfully submitted,
Lisa Bortner
President, National Episcopal Church Women