Episcopal Press and News
Triennial Officers Elected for 1982 Meeting
Episcopal News Service. October 23, 1980 [80369]
GREENWICH, Conn. -- Betty Thomas Baker of the Diocese of Kansas was elected Presiding Officer of the 1982 Triennial Meeting of the Women of the Episcopal Church by the Triennial Planning Committee at Seabury House near here in mid-October. Martha Abbot Comstock of the Diocese of New Hampshire was elected Assistant Presiding Officer. Both officers will assume their new duties immediately.
The 1982 meeting will be in New Orleans in early September while the General Convention is in session.
Mrs. Baker said that she envisions "a Triennial Meeting at which Christians worship and celebrate together with an appreciation of beauty in color, sound and thought; are encouraged, strengthened, inspired by the Holy Spirit -- made NEW -- if you will -- so that they may go out equipped to be Christ in the world: to teach and preach the Good News, comfort the sick and feed the hungry.
"I see an increased sharing of ideas with General Convention, with opportunities to focus on the issues that face all of us as members of Christ's body.
"In short, I see a meeting that will encourage growth in the great diversity of our Church, one where we share resources, and ourselves and enable each other in love.
"I see one that also nourishes our bodies simply in a lifestyle appropriate to our times; that allows time for adequate rest and reflection, sending us all forth with a new sense of the excitement and exhilaration of God's mission. 'Whom shall I send?' asks the Lord. 'Send me!"'
Mrs. Baker is active on all levels of Church work. Her Episcopal Churchwomen's Triennial experience includes being a delegate and member of the Resolutions Committee in 1970, a visitor in 1973 and 1976, and an alternate in 1979.
She is a member of the board of trustees, is corresponding secretary for the diocesan Search Committee, a member of the Planning Commission and Commission on Alcoholism in the Diocese of Kansas. She is first vice-president of the Church Periodical Club and a member of the National Books Fund Committee.
She was elected by the women of Province VII to serve on the Triennial Planning Committee for 1982, and is chairman of the Action Subcommittee.
She is a member of St. Michael and All Angels Church, Mission, Kan. She recently led a workshop on "Christianity in the Marketplace" at the 1980 National Conference on Evangelism and Shared Ministry in St. Louis. She previously has served on the Standing Committee and was president of the Episcopal Churchwomen of Kansas.
Betty and her husband, William W. Baker, live at Lake Quivira, Kan. He is a Province VII representative to the national Executive Council and is the former president and editor of the Kansas City Star and Times. He is a member of the faculty of the Department of Journalism at the University of Kansas.
Martha Abbot Comstock, newly-elected Assistant Presiding Officer, and her husband, Tad Comstock, live in Northwood, N.H.
Long active in Church work on all levels, Mrs. Comstock's Triennial experience includes serving as delegate in 1973, 1976 and 1979. She was vice-chairman of the Triennial Planning Committee for 1979, small group facilitator trainer, and Triennial press officer. She is presently a member of the 1982 Triennial Planning Committee. She has served as chairman of the Women's Commission of the Diocese of New Hampshire, and is now a member of the Commission on Ministry and the Commission on Human Resources. She is also a member of the Provincial Council of Province I.
Mrs. Comstock said, "My vision for New Orleans is a continued strengthening in the program offered our delegates. I see a Christ-centered program that feeds our spiritual needs; an exciting 'take me home and use me' educational program to fill our learning needs; and an open forum atmosphere that allows us all to share our views, issues, and visions, and hopefully to take stands on these as has been the history of women at the forefront of the Church."
