Sandra McPhee, Karen Chane to serve International Anglican Women's Network
Episcopal News Service. April 21, 2009 [042109-03]
Sandra McPhee and Karen Chane have been chosen to represent the Episcopal Church on the International Anglican Women's Network (IAWN), an official network of the communion that reports the work of Anglican women, and the challenges they face, to the Anglican Consultative Council.
McPhee, an attorney and chair of the Executive Council's International Concerns committee, was elected to IAWN's seven-member steering committee at its February meeting in New York.
Chane, a conference administrator for CREDO (a program for clergy and lay employees of the Episcopal Church to promote wellness in the areas of health, spirituality, finance, and vocation), was chosen by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori to serve as the Episcopal Church's provincial link to the network. In this role, Chane will be responsible for communicating the issues of women in the Episcopal Church to the network and for bringing the voices of global Anglican women back to the U.S.
"McPhee has been committed to improving opportunities for women in the world for most of her life, both through distinguished service in the Episcopal Church and through her professional career as an attorney," said an announcement from the Women's Ministries and Leadership Development office of the Episcopal Church. McPhee is serving a third term on the steering committee of the Episcopal Partnership for Global Mission, having served as convener for two separate terms. She also serves on the board of directors of the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes.
Chane is the wife of Washington Bishop John Chane and serves as a member of the Southern Africa Partnership Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. She is also a member of the board of Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington, a community partnership that brings together homeless people, people with HIV/AIDS, and others in need with support and volunteers from Episcopal and other churches in a joint effort to improve the lives of all.
The IAWN reports to the ACC, the communion's most representative body, which next meets May 2-12 in Kingston, Jamaica. "The networks are one of the ways the ACC serves and promotes particular areas of mission and ministry across and throughout the communion," explains the Rev. Terrie Robinson, coordinator of the Anglican Communion networks.
The IAWN recently held its first meeting of the provincial links and priorities were set for the coming three years. The full statement of the meeting is available here.