Episcopal Church Women Set Sights on Growth and Triennial Meeting
Episcopal News Service. October 26, 1989 [89209]
NEW YORK CITY, September 30 -- The national board of the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) meeting here unanimously chose the theme "Restoring God's Creation to Wholeness" for the 1991 triennial meeting in Phoenix. The theme is an extension of a vision statement adopted by ECW calling for leadership in identifying social injustices and to pursue social action as a response to the baptismal covenant and the mission imperatives of the church.
"I think the ECW is regaining some of the momentum we lost in the 1970s," said Marge Burke, national president of ECW, at the conclusion of the meeting. Burke said that she finds a great deal of excitement out in the dioceses for the program of ECW. "We're finding that the reorganization of ECW into the national life of the church in 1985 is filling a void that women have felt."
"I know of two dioceses that have reorganized ECW structures on the diocesan level," Burke continued. "We are finding that women feel the need to come together and share their own unique spirituality. If we can provide a program that's interesting and worthwhile, women find the time to meet outside the demands of work and family," she said. "I think that if we offer women good programs and resources, ECW will have a significant place in the future of the Episcopal Church."
Burke added, "ECW's triennial meetings are probably the largest and best opportunities for training that occur in the church." Planning is now underway for the 1991 gathering, which will meet in Phoenix during General Convention. "It is an educational experience that can give women a substantial amount of information to take back to their own dioceses," she said.
The theme for the 1991 triennial meeting has "the same goals as the World Council of Churches' Ecumenical Decade in Solidarity with Women," Burke stated. The social justice committee of the national board has identified illiteracy, racism, sexism, and poverty as areas of focus for the triennium. Burke said that she sees the national board of ECW as a "clearing house and source of information" for addressing these concerns.
In addition to planning the next triennial meeting, the national board voted to enter into a "twinning" relationship with the Anglican Women's Fellowship of the Province of South Africa. This relationship will begin with a period of correspondence between women involved in the national structures of women's groups in the two provinces of the Worldwide Anglican Communion. Burke described the twinning project as one that would "begin like pen pals, and then we'll see what develops."
"We are charting a new path to strengthen relationships among women throughout the Anglican Communion," said Burke. The idea for the twinning relationship -- the first time ECW has made such a move on an international level -- developed after a meeting between Burke and Patricia Gorvalla, president of the South African Anglican Women's Fellowship. Burke said that a correspondence with Gorvalla has "reaffirmed that women's issues are essentially the same the world over. I am looking forward to developing this relationship with our sisters in South Africa."
The board also received word that a grant from Windham Trust will provide funding to extend the Women of Vision program into Province IX. The program has already enabled training in communication skills and personal leadership development to more than 2,000 women in the other eight provinces of the national church. In response to a presentation by Marge Christie, president of the Episcopal Women's Caucus, the board voted to establish a Legislative Action task force to educate women on the legislative process and procedures of General Convention. The task force will also explore the development of possible resolutions to be presented at the Phoenix General Convention.