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March
2013
Greetings
from the Episcopal Church Women!
As
time did not allow me to give a full report at
Annual Council, I thought I would send you and
update of my 1st year.
Many
Paths, One Journey is
the theme for my 3 year term as ECW President.
2012 was a busy year for the Episcopal Church
Women with many paths leading to changes with more
to come. I took office in January following Annual
Council. In March we sponsored a "Lenten Quiet
Day," led by Bishop Susan Goff and held at Roslyn
with more than fifty attendees (men and women).
Our
ECW task force on the role of women in today's
Church and into the future continues to meet
regularly. At Triennial in Indianapolis our ECW
was recognized for initiating a process to
reassess and redefine the role of women in the
church.
Our
Spring Open Board meeting was hosted by the women
of Pohick Episcopal Church, Lorton and the Rev.
Donald D. Bender, PhD. Emma Wright, a Diocesan
Youth leader spoke on the Bishop's NetsforLife
Campaign. The ECW formed a partnership with the
Diocesan Youth to raise awareness and assist them
in reaching their goal of 20,000 nets to send to
Africa. That project completed, we are now working
with Buck Blanchard to expand our involvement in
Africa working with women in the Congo. With
Bishop Shannon's guidance, we will be forming a
partnership with South Korea in the next
year.
Four
Board members, Rose Mary Zellner, Cindy Helton,
Dale Brittle and I attended Triennial and General
Convention in Indianapolis in July. We spent 8
days of prayer, worship, meetings, and workshops.
The presence of the Holy Spirit was evident
throughout, as we gleaned new information and
ideas.
At our
Annual Meeting Ruth Gibson, a past Diocesan ECW
president, was recognized as a "Distinguished
Women of the Year", an honor recognized at
Triennial. Ruth's love and service to her family
and church are a true reflection of God's
love.
The
2012 Communion Alms Fund totaled $2949 and was
divided between the Bishops Netsforlife
Inspiration Fund 2012, and the Canterbury Campus
Ministries fund, which we will continue to uplift
during the next year.
The
Viva Voce funds totaling $2662 were given to 5
recipients within the Diocese, Trinity School of
Early Learning (Region III), Bethany House of
Northern Virginia (Region VI), Anna Julia Cooper
Episcopal School (Region IX), WOVEN (Region XII),
and Gertrude Mitchell House (Region
XV).
UTO
Ingathering totaled $84,474 and will be used for
2013 grants. 54 Grants were funded in 2012. The
Diocese of VA was awarded 2 grants, a school bus
for the Anna Julia Episcopal Church and solar
electricity panels to be installed at St Andrea's
Church in Mwiticaria Tanzania.
ECW
Gifts and Scholarships awarded 5 educational
scholarships this year totaling $4500.
In
2008, the ECW Altar Guild received donations from
every region in the Diocese to provide a sacristy
in a box to the four continuing congregations.
Altar Guild Chair Sharon Nachman had a surplus of
funds so checks representing the balance of that
fund were distributed to the Dayspring
congregations -- Church of the Epiphany - Herndon,
The Falls Church - Falls Church, St. Margaret's -
Woodbridge, and St. Stephen's -
Heathsville.
As an
ECW tradition, the Altar Guild gave funds to
contribute to the purchase of vestments for Bishop
Coajutor, The Rt. Rev. Susan Goff, the first
female Bishop of the Diocese of
VA.
We
have planned a Lenten Quiet Day retreat on March 21
at Roslyn. Bishop Goff will lead.
The
Rev. Torrence Harman and the women of St. Mary's
White Chapel have graciously agreed to host our
2013 Spring ECW Meeting on May 23rd.
The
Rev. Daniel Robayo and the women of Emmanuel
Church, Harrisonburg have graciously agreed to
host our Fall ECW Meeting on October 17th. Check
out our ECW Website for upcoming
details.
Henry
Burt has served our Diocese for a number of years.
Full of energy and a great sense of humor, he has
done an awesome job seeing us through many
changes...new bishops, legal issues and getting to
know and put up with a new ECW president. The ECW
has been blessed to have his suppport and we will
greatly miss him. We wish him the best in his new
endeavors.
The
ECW has been extremely blessed by the support of
all of
our Bishops and the Diocesan
staff and clergy
thoughout the diocese. I wish to give you huge
thank you from all of the women of the
church.
My
first year as ECW President has been a joyous
continuum of my journey with Christ. I am
constantly reminded of the renewal of our
baptismal vows. I would like to share a poem of
mine in closing. (You really didn't think I would
pass up the opportunity, did you?) CLICK
HERE
Blessings
and Love in Christ,
Pat
Hardy | 
