Episcopal Church Women will celebrate its 150th anniversary with a party on June 23 during the 51st Triennial held concurrently with General Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. “In looking back to our early years, we see so much wisdom and love championed by the women’s missions,” said Karen Paterson of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, National ECW’s president. “Their early work built strong families and strong churches.”
Following the theme “Empowering Women of Faith/Empoderando a las Mujeres de Fe,” the Triennial will be meet June 22-28.
“We will be celebrating ECW’s 150 years of support for the church in all of its ministries,” Paterson said. “Women have continued to grow in Christ and, in doing so, their hands have helped support and build the church of today.”
Triennial’s keynote speaker is the Rev. Catherine Amy Kropp, vicar of Christ Memorial Church in Kilauea, Hawaii, who will discuss her recent experiences at a youth safe house in north Lebanon.
Sixteen workshops will be offered at the nearby Galt House Hotel, presented by Church Periodical Club, Episcopal Relief & Development, Girls’ Friendly Society, United Thank Offering, and others.
Two designated local charities, House of Hope Kentucky and Orphan Care Alliance, “will be present to speak about what they are doing,” Patterson said.
Four bylaw amendments will be presented for review and action: to abolish the office of second vice president; to amend the treasurer’s term from two consecutive terms to three; to remove one member at large position from the national board; and to establish a way to cancel Triennial meetings in an emergency.
Five officers will be elected: president, first vice president, secretary, treasurer, and member at large for social justice. The ECW will install new officers on June 28.
Triennial chaplain is the Rev. Gayle Fisher-Stewart, most recently associate rector of Calvary Church and interim rector of St. Luke’s, both in Washington, D.C.
The complete Triennial schedule, nominees, locations, and other information are available through National ECW’s website.
The ECW will honor 45 Distinguished Women:
Province I: Linda Guest, Rhode Island
Province II: Donna L. Freidel, New Jersey; Lois Johnson-Rodney, Long Island; Shirley Thompson-Nelson, New York
Province III: Margaret Hammond Gordon, Washington D.C.; Laura Louise Manigault, Southern Virginia; Bernice Moore, Delaware; Beblon G. Parks, Virginia; Shirley B. Smith, Pennsylvania
Province IV: Miranda Albury; Southeast Florida; Fran Bramblette, Alabama; Laurelie (Lollie) Everett, Mississippi; Katherine Ewen Harper, Lexington; Elizabeth Herrick, Central Florida; Lynn Hoke, North Carolina; Gwendolyn Hyman, Atlanta; Annie Jacobs, East Carolina; Roni Kelly, Florida; the Rev. Galen Mirate, Georgia; Kae Wrinkle, East Tennessee
Province V: Angela Breeher, Missouri; Judith (Judy) Fleener, Western Michigan; Jo Gantzer, Chicago; Canon Jo Ann Hardy, Michigan; Bonnie John, Southern Ohio; Lucy Karam, Indianapolis; the Rev. Barbara Maxwell, Ohio; Jane Rainey, Louisiana; Mary Ann Ransom, Western North Carolina
Province VI: LaDonna M. Boyd, Minnesota; Marcia Himes, Wyoming; the Rev. Deacon Rebecca Smith, Nebraska
Province VII: Debbie Butcher, Oklahoma; Charlotte Buterbaugh, Kansas; the Rev. Merry Helen Hedges, Arkansas; Andrea Knight, West Texas
Province VIII: Margaret Bouzek, Nevada; Gerry Chartrand, El Camino Real; Linda Finney, Spokane; Winifrid Follett, Arizona; the Rev. Nancy Gallagher, Western Oregon; Joanne Mahuka, Hawaii; Diane Perman, Olympia; Gail Strabala Voorhes, San Diego
Neva Rae Fox is a communications professional with extensive Episcopal experience, serving the boards of The Living Church Foundation, Bible and Common Prayer Book Society, Episcopal Community Services of New Jersey, and others.
