To better understand how the Episcopal Church Women came into being, let’s look at a little bit of the Episcopal Church history.
In the 1830’s the General Convention of the Episcopal Church organized or reorganized the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society to support missionary bishops sent to the western frontier to establish small dioceses. They were to be paid by the Board of Missions, but the stipends were small. At the time women in the church had no real standing, but they supported the missionaries with what was called “box” work, i.e. care packages with some of the supplies they would need- food, altar vessels, linens, etc. The missionary work expanded to overseas locations and the work continued.
In the 1850’s because of the industrial revolution, the men went to work in the factories and the women no longer had to help with the family- owned farms or other family businesses. Therefore, they had more time and were anxious to become involved in ministries of the church having to do with the social order. At that time the female diaconate was encouraged and the women began a nursing ministry, founded an orphanage and a training school for women.
The women’s auxiliary to the Board of Missions was authorized by the General Convention in 1871. Of the trust funds available to the Board of Missions at least 50% came from women.
The first Triennial meeting was held in New York in 1874 at the same time and place as the 31st General Convention.
In the early 1900’s other organizations and programs for women flowed from the auxiliary: In 1885 the Daughters of the King was established to be devoted to prayer and evangelism; In 1877 The Girls Friendly was formed to pay attention to female factory workers; in1888 the Church Periodical Club began purchasing Christian literature for parishes in the American west; and in 1889 the United Thank Offering gave funding to female missionaries.
In 1920 the national Council recognized the Executive Board of the Women’s Auxiliary.
By 1922 a national Board had been formed to oversee the direction of the work of women not only in supporting missionaries, but in social service, religious education, and prayer and worship.
The Auxiliary also advocated for growing roles for women in the church. In 1939 the first woman to receive a Bachelor of Divinity degree was from an Episcopal seminary and in 1947, 3 women completed a 2 year program in Christian education which was co-sponsored by the Women’s Auxiliary to the Board of Missions.
Prior to the 1958 Triennial Meeting, the Women’s Auxiliary became the General Division of Women’s Work.
At the 1958 The Triennial Meeting bylaws were adopted which designated diocesan groups to be known as the Episcopal Church Women. The organization supported the ordination of women to the priesthood and that women should be seated as delegates.
By 1968 the Executive Council and the General Division of Women’s Work voted to integrate planning and work of women into the total program of the church.
In 1985 the Triennial Meeting adopted bylaws forming Episcopal Church Women, Episcopal Church, USA.
Regular publication of the Communique commenced in 1988 and in 2001 the national website was launched.
Today the women continue to uphold the social justice programs of the church; feeding the hungry, supporting the immigrants, advocating for housing equity, supporting education, giving comfort to the sick, shut-ins, the marginalized, and the status of women around the world.
Barbara Taylor
St. John’s, Springfield Gdns.
Diocese of Long Island