Communique Winter 2012

Winter 2012 Vol. 19, No. 10

Communiqué

Page 2 Communiqué Winter 2012

www.ecwnational.org

Communiqué

Vol. 19, No. 10Winter 2012

Website:www.ecwnational.org

National ECW Vice President for Information and Communication:Christine Budzowski

Maggie Williams, editorPrinted by Copy Cats Printing

Hattiesburg, MS

Submissions to Communiqué are fromunique and diverse people throughoutthe world. Opinions expressed in thesesubmissions are those of the author andnot necessarily held by members of theECW board.

To receive the Communiqué, to reporta change of address or to submit an arti-cle or photograph for inclusion in thenext edition, contact:

Christine Budzowski578 Washington Blvd. #861Marina del Rey, CA 90202

310-821-0111vpinformationcommunication

@ecwnational.org

Subscription to Communiqué is on avoluntary basis. Suggested rate is $12.Additional contributions are alwayswelcome. Send check payable to the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society to:

Kathy MankECW Treasurer9559 Kelly Drive

Loveland, OH 45140513-560-2126

[email protected]

Deadline for the next edition of Communiqué

is Jan. 15, 2013.

From the president’s desk

As I sit here writing to you, the rainyseason in central Oregon has begun. Therains came late this year, but we all knewthey would come and we expect them tostay, off and on, until the Fourth of July. Our winters are not so much a time of

dormancy but a reminder of re-newal. Becausewe have so manyfir trees, moss andferns, winter hereis various shadesof green that let us know growthcontinues, albeitmore slowly andwithout the brightcolors of spring. As you read

this, Advent ishere. It’s the be-ginning of our church’s liturgical year – atime to slow down and prepare for thecoming of the Christ Child. Soon enough,it will be the New Year and 2013, and sogoes the cycle of seasons we live in. Weare always encountering beginnings wehave seen and experienced before. In C.S.Lewis’ book, The Screwtape Letters, wefind instructional correspondence betweena senior demon, Screwtape, and hisnephew and apprentice, Wormwood.Screwtape often shows his exasperationwith “the Enemy,” who he sees as God,and God’s ability to make what Screwtapesees as mundane new and exciting. Con-cerning the seasons, Screwtape writes:The Enemy “has balanced the love ofchange in them by a love of permanence.… He gives them the seasons, each seasondifferent yet every year the same, so thatspring is always felt as a novelty yet al-ways as the recurrence of an immemorialtheme. He gives them in His Church aspiritual ear; they change from a fast to afeast, but it is the same feast as before.”In a few months, I will hunger for a

change from our rainy season, and it willbe with the knowledge warm weather willreturn and the sun following rain bringsbeautiful rainbows. It is the same withECW. We go through the seasons of fall

programs and Christmas bazaars. In thesummer, we go on mission trips to digwells or erect school houses. We can knitHaitian comfort dolls as the rains fall andthink about the community garden we willplant in the spring. We love the ministrieswe do, and we look forward to the possi-bilities that lie ahead.There is exciting and new change as

we begin a new triennium for ECW. Muchof what we have seen before we see again.As is our practice, the national board iscomprised of women from each of ournine provinces. These are women whoserve or have served ECW in their localchurches and dioceses, and who bring awealth of knowledge and experience tothe table.

I am honored to be a part of thisgroup: four women from the last trien-nium’s board and 11 women who are newto the experience. We will work for renewal in ECW. We

renew our commitment to raise awarenessabout women throughout this country andthe world who struggle to obtain satisfac-tion in life that many of us are able to takefor granted. We renew through variousmeans of communication our commitmentto share the good news of Episcopalwomen doing ministry, studying theScripture and providing a welcomingplace to all church women. We renew ourcommitment to take action on resolutionspassed at a Triennial Meeting, this time torevise the ECW bylaws concerning ournominating process and to bind ourselvesmore closely with the Episcopal Church,and to establish an ad hoc committee “tostudy, research and review the presentfunction and structure of the EpiscopalChurch Women National Board and themission and purpose of the EpiscopalChurch Women.” Together with your help, and with the

blessings of Almighty God, we will bal-ance our love of permanence with our loveof change and see what each of the sea-sons brings to ECW over the next threeyears.

Your sister in Christ,Nancy R. Crawford

New Triennium bringstime of renewal, review

The Rev. Nancy R.Crawford

ECW NationalPresident

Winter 2012 Communiqué Page 3

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Meet the 2012-2015 ECW leadership

Diverse group poisedto meet new challenges

The Rev. Nancy R. CrawfordNational ECW Board President

I am a lifelong Episcopalian and a dea-con of the church. I was ordained at Trin-ity Cathedral, Portland, Ore., in 2006.During my years, I have served in manyministries of the church, loving to workwith our chil-dren and withour women.Outside ofchurch, I havefun every sum-mer exploringOregon with mygranddaughter,Sydney, andnow as she getsolder, adventur-ing into Califor-nia. Caves, waterfalls, lava fields and giantredwoods can look new again when expe-rienced through the eyes of a 12 year old.Now, as the newly elected national

ECW president, I find my ministry as dea-con intertwined with the women of ourfaith. Along with other members of theECW board, I will be encouraging us allmore than ever to minister in our churches,our communities and the world, as well asfinding time for personal renewal in ourwalk with God. These next three years willbe an exciting time. I am encouraged bythe trust that has been given to me as pres-ident in this endeavor.Please keep ECW and us all in your

prayers as the journey to do God’s work inthe world continues.

***Shirley GreimanVice President Program

I come from the Diocese of Connecti-cut and belong to Old St Andrew’s Churchin Bloomfield, Conn. I was born andraised on a farm in a small town in Iowa

and was broughtup in the Ger-man Reformfaith. I was amember in bothgirls and boys4H since my fa-ther raised pure-bred Aberdeenangus cattle,and, therefore, Ishowed cattle atthe Iowa StateFair, county fairs and other cattle shows. Iwas a real tomboy, since there were nogirls who lived near me to play. And if Iwanted to be involved, I had to keep upwith the boys – all of them my cousins.My family was hardworking, devoted,

loving and religious people. Their life re-volved around the church, as both of theirgrandparents on the matriarchal sideformed small churches where they settledin different areas of Iowa.During my college days, there was not

a German Reform church so I attendeddifferent churches and was exposed toother beliefs and their way of worship. Inaddition to my family, this was an advan-tage in my growing into who I have be-come today.My work experience consists of work-

ing in the media and direct mail depart-ment for three top advertising agencies inChicago. I also opened, decorated and rannine restaurants with my former husbandin Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Is-land and Florida. I worked for Lord &Taylor in West Hartford, Conn., and trav-eled doing antique shows throughout theUnited States in the midwest, southwestand along the west coast. I also owned andran my own antique/decorator store anddid estate sales.In my church, I have been president of

the ECW for 14 years, served two-and-half terms on the vestry, been hospitality

chairman, a member of the enhancementcommittee, worked on the World Day ofPrayer, served as a lay delegate to thediocesan convention and been fundraisingchair for the Democratic Republic of TheCongo. I also started a grass roots programfor Vinh Long, Vietnam through a Viet-namese temple, raising money for rice andfood for orphans. And I raised money tobuild 20 homes for individuals handi-capped by Agent Orange contamination.On the diocesan ECW level, I was pub-

licity chair and am now second vice presi-dent and editor of the diocesan ECWCommuniqué.I have been involved in Anglican

Women’s Empowerment, which has fur-thered my interest in women’s issues glob-ally, as well as in the United States.My vision for Episcopal Church

Women is to further women’s work in thechurch by making things more accessibleand attainable for younger women andyouth groups so they may become in-volved in missions for their church, state,community and global community. It is acalling from God I feel I have to follow tocontinue the task he has set forth for me todo on the ECW National Board.

***Christine Budzowski Vice President Information and

Communication

Born in Sydney, Australia, I was bap-tized in the Church of England and con-firmed in the Episcopal Church aftermoving to Los Angeles in 1962. In myearly 20s, I served as ECW president at St.Mary’s Church in Provo, Utah, where Ilived for eight years and where my twodaughters, Marina and Katherine, wereborn. I returned in the late ’70s and havemade my home in the Diocese of Los An-geles ever since. Now grandmother toWills and Sofia, who live in Northern Cal-ifornia, I am actively involved in my

Crawford

Greiman

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parish commu-nity garden project at theChurch of theHoly Nativity in Westchester,and have re-cently movedonto a lovelyboat in Marinadel Rey with thelove-of-my-lifeand our threecats. I haveserved in various communication roles inthe Diocese of Los Angeles, and in leader-ship roles with ECW and the Order of theDaughters of the King. My business, Trin-ity Web Consulting, serves non-profit or-ganizations and small businesses with website development, database implementa-tion, training and marketing. I love theEpiscopal Church and believe our greateststrength lies in the ECW organizationswithin parishes and dioceses, working to-gether in mission and ministry and inspir-ing the next generations of Episcopalwomen who will follow the examples setby our mothers before us. Communicatingour history as well as our current storythrough all the forms of media available tous keeps us connected and working to-gether in that common mission. I look for-ward to communicating and serving forthe next three years on the path to Trien-nial Meeting 2015 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

***Kathy MankTreasurer

Greetings. For the last 22 years,Cincinnati, Ohio, has been my residenceand St. Barnabas Episcopal Church myspiritual home. When our family joined St.Barnabas, the parish was 10 years old in agrowing area of the city with many youngfamilies attending services and leading ac-tivities. Our priest was not only an ex-offi-cio member of ECW, but of the Mothers ofYoung Children group that eventually ranthe fundraising projects of ECW, includingthe annual lasagna dinner, rummage saleand flower sale. The MYC also led LentenBible and book studies. The diocesanECW president called me one day out ofthe blue and asked me to serve on theboard. An older woman in our parish had

suggested me as a possibility for the Bookof Remembrance chair. I was 31 and themother of a 4-year-old.During the next 14 years, I served the

diocesan ECW, our local parish ECW andattended province meetings. I found themission and ministry of ECW to be lifechanging for me and those we served.ECW spearheaded needed projects in con-gregations and throughout the world. Epis-copal Church Women were organized,shared common goals and saw endlesspossibilities with Jesus Christ as the inspi-ration andleader. When the

ECW NationalBoard visitedour provinceand southernOhio, I attendedtheir meet-and-greet session tosee the focusand plans forTriennial Meet-ing. Again to-tally by surprise, I was approached by aboard member to serve on the ECW Na-tional Board as secretary. My ECW jour-ney took another path that has led me totreasurer, which fits my natural gifts andaccounting abilities. In my experience younger women

make intentional decisions to associatewith the church and ECW. It truly helpswhen they are personally asked to serve. What are my dreams for the national

ECW in the next Triennium? Here is a list:• Develop a prayer/liturgy network,

sharing of prayers directed toward women.• Develop a speakers bureau, sharing

speakers and topics of interest to ECW.• Update and revise sections of the

Women of Vision program to incorporatecurrent learning.• Gain appreciation for the benefactors

of ECW, research the history and workwith the Episcopal Women’s History Proj-ect.• 16 Days of Activism, partner with

other Episcopal women’s organizations.• National online Bible study.• National online book club – one book

per year.• Work on structural changes to help

ECW evolve.

• A Triennial Meeting that touches theheart and quickens the soul.If there is enough interest, these

dreams can be fulfilled, but three yearsmay not be enough time.Pray with me and the rest of the board

for a spirit-filled and progressive Trien-nium. Do not hesitate to contact me withany question or thought.

***Lisa TowleSecretary

Lisa Towle hails from the Diocese ofNorth Carolina. She and her husband,Karl, live in Cary, N.C., and are membersof the Church of the Good Shepherd innearby Raleigh, the state capital as well asthe location ofthe diocese’sprimary office.In addition toserving as president of thediocesan ECW,Lisa is a mem-ber of the dio-cese’s BotswanaCompanion Diocese Committee, the MillenniumDevelopment Goals Committee and theChartered Committee for Global Mission.A journalist and editor, Lisa has alsoworked in public relations. She and herhusband co-own Liskar Communications,which provides writing and editing serv-ices as well as website content, databaseand email consulting.Lisa is a native North Carolinian who

lived globally thanks to her father’s careerwith the U.S. Army. She and Karl havebeen blessed with three terrific daughtersand a son-in-law. When she’s not doingchurch-related work or tending to Liskarbusiness, Lisa enjoys family time, geneal-ogy, gardens, reading, the beach, Master-piece Mystery, the arts, coffee andchocolate. And while she holds her own atWords with Friends, she’s less than artfulwhen it comes to the Draw Something so-cial media game.During the course of 2012-2015 trien-

nium she hopes to help make the NationalECW more known to dioceses around thecountry and begin a serious conversation

Budzowski

Mank

Towle

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about the National ECW’s future – itsform and function.

***Deb GardinerMember-At-Large, Social Justice

The Women’s Training Center in thesmall village of Goli, Uganda, was estab-lished by the Diocese of West Texas inpartnership withthe Diocese ofNebbi, Ugandato educatewomen whohave not beenable to obtaintheir education.For a long time,women were notconsidered vitaland yet they arethe greatestchange agentsbecause the family revolves around them.While in Uganda, as a missionary of theDiocese of West Texas, my home diocesein Province VII, I served as the transitionalprinciple of The Women’s Training Center.I saw the women struggling and watchedhow empowered they became when givenan education. In Uganda they say, “edu-cate a women and you educate a village.” As a counselor I have worked with

marginalized people. Many turn to chemi-cals and other addictions as a means ofcoping with their pain and suffering. Ihave lived and traveled around the worldand have seen women with similar storiesof suffering, pain and sorrow living anddying with issues of poverty, hunger, andillnesses such as HIV/AIDS, polio, cancer,malaria, alcoholism and substance abusewith scarce resources available to meetthese daily challenges. Since my return from Uganda, I have

processed the impact the experience hadon me and I have been exploring ways Ican make an impact in the world. I believein equality and human rights for all peo-ples. My passion is social justice. Some ofmy goals are as follows: promote genderequality and empower women; eliminateand prevent all forms of violence againstwomen and girls to include human traf-ficking; reduce child mortality; improvematernal health; combat HIV/AIDS,malaria and other diseases; and advance

women worldwide. I want to be an advo-cate and agent of change in their lives. Iam striving to be the change I want to seein the world.

***Linda GuestProvince I representative

Province I is comprised of seven dioce-ses including Connecticut, Maine, Massa-chusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island,Vermont andWestern Massa-chusetts. Four of the seven dioceses haveactive boardswith presidents,including ValziePeterkin, Con-necticut; Eliza-beth Murray,Massachusetts;Margaret Noel,Rhode Island;and Susan Howland, Western Massachu-setts. The president of Province I is Mar-jorie Reeves-Briden of Rhode Island, andthe Province I annual meeting is heldevery fall in a different location around theprovince. I am very excited and honored to be the

national representative to ECW forProvince I. My hope for the next threeyears is to learn and share the talents Godhas given us all and to bring the widerchurch to the women in all of our dioce-ses. Please pray for me and the rest of theboard as we enter this new journey in ourlives.

***Ginger LiefProvince II representative

Province II consists of a diverse andwidespread group of dioceses located ontwo continents. In North America, theprovince includes six dioceses in the stateof New York: Albany, Central New York,Long Island, New York, Rochester andWestern New York; the two dioceses of theState of New Jersey: New Jersey andNewark; two dioceses in the Caribbean:Haiti and the Virgin Islands. Across the At-lantic Ocean, Province II also includes theConvocation of Episcopal Churches in Eu-rope with principal congregations in Bel-

gium, France,Germany, Italyand Switzerland. Province II

is closely linkedto the beginningsof the nationalorganization ofchurch women’swork. In 1871,the first home ofthe Women’sAuxiliary, whichlater becameEpiscopal Church Women, was at the for-mer Bible House, in New York City, in aroom across from the Domestic and For-eign Committees offices. In 1889, duringthe sixth Triennial Meeting, the firstUnited Offering, later the United ThankOffering, was collected at the formerChurch of the Holy Communion in NewYork City. Today, the original woodenaltar at which this first United Offeringwas presented may be found in the Dio-cese of Western New York at the Church ofthe Holy Communion, Lake View, N.Y,located about 20 miles south of Buffalo,N.Y. I am proud of the long engagement the

women of Province II have had in support-ing the spirit of mission and organizationalwork of the church. As the Province II representative to the

ECW National Board, it is my hopethrough prayer, fellowship and hard work,the board will create a program that ad-dresses compelling concerns of churchwomen today. Moreover it is my hope thatthis program will enhance the abilities,skills and understanding of those who at-tend the 2015 Triennial Meeting to fulfillindividual and collective calls for missionand ministry on the parish, community,diocesan and national levels.

***Dottie ArthurProvince III

Greetings from Province III. ProvinceIII covers five states plus Washington,D.C. with a total of 13 dioceses. This pastspring, we met at the synod in Martins-burg, W.Va. with the bishops and delegatesto General Convention and TriennialMeeting 2012. It was a wonderful opportu-nity to spend time together, plan for the

Gardiner

Guest

Lief

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conventions and celebrate Eucharist as aprovince.In July, as we headed for Indianapolis,

many of us were greeted atour airport gateby other dele-gates heading to TriennialMeeting. Werecognized oneanother as wewore our ECWgold crosses. Ido have to saywe were a noisyand an excitedgroup of women on the plane. It was won-derful to see and meet our sisters beforeand during our time together. During theTriennial Meeting, we were reminded ofour history as a group. We had conversa-tion with one another as we shared ourfaith stories. We shared meals and fellow-ship together and thought about our future.Each morning, we met with all delegatesfrom both General Convention and Trien-nial Meeting for a Eucharist Celebration.It still amazes me 3,000 to 4,000 peoplecan be served the body and the blood in 15to 20 minutes. A big highlight of Triennial Meeting

was when 10 sisters from our provincewere honored as ECW DistinguishedWomen. Most of these women were pre-sented by their bishops and sponsors. Iknow that I will never forget the experi-ence I had and the new friendships I madeat this convention. As a Province III representative to the

ECW National Board, I look forward toworking with the board members as wecontinue to plan for the 21st century. Myhope is for us to grow as a group and makeall ECW meetings inviting, exciting, chal-lenging and productive. I look forward tospending time with you as I visit the manydioceses in the next three years.

***Kathy GosselinProvince IV

Province IV is known as the SewaneeProvince, not only for the river and thesong, but the seminary as well: The Schoolof Theology of the University of the South

located in the midst of our province. Weconsist of all and parts of nine states lo-cated in the beautiful southeast section ofour God-blessed country. We are thelargest province with 20 dioceses. Pleasecome visit usand try out oursouthern hospi-tality.The women

in Province IVare bonded inlove and servicethrough JesusChrist our Lord.The hours ourwomen spend inoutreach andhelping othersamazes me. I am quite honored to repre-sent these women on the ECW NationalBoard. We are all on a journey and manyof our paths have intertwined along theway. I truly hope each of us can make thatjourney easier for those who are followingalong our Episcopal Church Women’spath. I look forward to helping smooth thatpath with better communication, personalvisits where we can exchange thoughtsand ideas and hopes and dreams and al-ways being ready to grow spiritually.Blessings and prayers for all.

***Connie OttProvince V

Province V consists of 15 dioceses andis often referred to as the Diocese of theMidwest. It is comprised of the states ofOhio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wiscon-sin and a small piece on the eastern side ofMissouri including St.Louis. The dioceses are diverse. Manyare small andscattered over alarge area geo-graphicallywithout anymajor metro -politan area.Others havemajor popula-tion centers and a heavy urban culture.

They are also diverse in the presence of or-ganized women’s groups, though we didhave representation from 13 of the 15 dio-ceses at Triennial Meeting 2012. Communication is my top priority for

the next three years and I look forward tothat challenge as I learn about all the dio-ceses and meet the women from them.

***Province VIMari-Lou Triebenbach

Province VI is known as the Provinceof Prairies, Lakes and Mountains. We are alarge province with two of the four nation-ally aided dioceses. The eight dioceses in-clude Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota,Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, SouthDakota and Wyoming. The Province ECWmeets once a year, with attendance usuallybeing five to tenpeople. We are a large provinceand transporta-tion to meetingsis expensive, socommunicationis done by emailand phone calls.We are a very diverse provincewith the TwinCities of Min-neapolis and St.Paul in the east and Denver in the west. I am very pleased to represent this

province on the ECW National Board andhope to at the very least be able to keepProvince VI informed on actions of theboard and get new ideas of how localECW organizations can feel connected tothe greater church. I look forward to thisnew challenge.

***Lonnie IsaacProvince VIISituated in the middle of the country,

Province VII is distinguished by the legacyof the pioneers who came to Kansas,Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri andNew Mexico. They knew the importanceof building community and reaching out tohelp others. As Episcopal Church Womenin Province VII, we are a community ofwomen who seek to serve God and toreach out and respond to needs, just as the

Arthur

Gosselin

Ott

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strong womenwho moved west did. Ourchallenge todayis to participatein a rapidlychanging world. My hope for

the next threeyears is that wewill use the 21stcentury toolsavailable to us to share ideas,experience, successes and failures. By in-creasing our communication and aware-ness, we will be attuned to changingrealities and inspire one another to findnew ways to serve.

***Louise AloyProvince VIII

Province VIII is known as the Provinceof the Pacific and incorporates 18 diocesesin Alaska, Hawaii, California, Oregon,Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Idahoand Taiwan. I am especially proud ofProvince VIII because no matter howspread apart we are geographically, weshare common values and goals.We embody the meaning of empower-

ment. We encourage all women to be dis-ciples of Christ and to spread the GoodNews. No matter how far apart we are,outreach ministries are of utmost impor-tance to us. Whether in our local congre-gations or our state diocese, we share acommon ground that binds us together assisters in Christ forever more.

We are the shakers and the movers ofProvince VIII. Though we may not seeeach other again for another three years atTriennial Meeting 2015, we are but aphone call or email away. With today’stechnology, we are covering more by thecomputer than we have ever done before

to stay con-nected.It is my hope

for the nextthree years ofservice to listenand learn, towatch and learnand to con-tribute to thesuccess of allthe affiliates ofEpiscopalChurch Women:United Thank Offering, Daughters of theKing and Church Periodical Club, to namea few. I ask for your continued support as the

new Province VIII representative to theNational ECW Board.

***Mayra BrownProvince IX

Since taking office after Triennial Meet-ing 2012, I have made some contacts withthe sisters of the various dioceses thatform Province IX. Several of them, todate, have answered the preliminary ques-tions I sent in a questionnaire. In general Ifound in the dioceses of Puerto Rico,Venezuela and Dominican Republic thereare women who hold organized generalconventions. In Venezuela, the ECW arecurrently working with its statutes (by-laws), while the Dominican Republic andPuerto Rico already have them.For the immediate future the efforts of

Province IX should be directed to:• That all Episcopal Church Women

who make up this province are organizedby late 2013 under the statutes as sug-gested by the ECW.• That in 2013-2014 we continue to

grow and develop programs for the educa-tion and protection of women, especiallythe abused and battered, this being part of

our social ministry.• Programs

to strengthenspirituality, ascurrently donein Puerto Ricoand DominicanRepublic.These may benational re-treats, days ofprayer, schoolsfor lay women,etc. These programs must be executed im-mediately.• Creating jobs through a micro-enter-

prise program to enable economic devel-opment and self-sufficiency to our women.I look forward to representing Province

IX during this triennium.***

Connie SkidmoreParliamentarian

Connie Skidmore is a Registered Par-liamentarian and member of the NationalAssociation ofParliamentari-ans. She hasbeen parlia-mentarian forthe NationalECW Boardsince 1999. She has alsoserved in thiscapacity for the past fourTriennial Meet-ings, as well asthe 2012 meeting in Indianapolis. She is amember of St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church,Incline Village, Nev., where she serves aslay eucharistic minister, lay reader, parlia-mentarian, Education For Ministry mentorand Outreach/Mission Chair.

AloyIsaac Brown

Skidmore

Send your news and views about ECW by Jan. 15, 2013 to:

Christine Budzowski

578 Washington Blvd. #861

Marina del Rey, CA 90202

310-821-0111

[email protected]

www.ecwnational.org


Submitted by Martha “Mama Martha” Hoffman President, Call To Care UgandaSt. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Madison, CT

You met me briefly in a previous Communiqué, and I am nowback from Uganda – inspired, excited and overflowing with goodnews to share. I know there isn’t room in this brief article to evenscratch the surface of all that happened during my recent three-week visit, but I hope I will be able to report a synopsis and high-light a few encounters without making you dizzy.

My dream team consisted of 13 people. Four had been toUganda before and had familiarity. For the nine others – seven ofthem college students – landing in Uganda was a lot like landingon another planet. Everything looked different, felt different,tasted different, smelled different and was so culturally contraryto anything they had ever experienced. We landed in the morningand hit the ground running after 15 hours in the air.

We first journeyed up to Soroti, Serere and Kaberamaido. Wevisited a remote village called Omua where we had recently beenpartners in sponsoring a borehole well. No matter how one triesto prepare for the numbing poverty encountered in remote Africa,that effort is always lacking. This was my forth trip since 2006,and I am always reminded and humbled by how difficult justbeing alive must be for the courageous souls we greet. They ar-rive dressed in their best, albeit in rags, and smiling from ear toear. Some are on crutches or limping, and many 8- or 9-year-oldchildren are carrying siblings they often are the sole caretakersfor. The strength of our Ugandan friends leaves me in awe. Wecelebrate the gift of water together, our mission partnership andthe connectedness we share as brothers and sisters in Christ.

We next moved on to visit the grounds of a children’s centerCall To Care Uganda is in the process of building called KACCOthat Call to Care Uganda is in the process of building. We held aboard meeting literally under the mango tree. What a gift it wasto meet and plan together face to face.

We were able to contact home that day and blogged quickly ata new internet cafe we had funded.This is used as a sustainabilityproject for this future children’s center. We stopped for a briefvisit at a sponsored primary school to dedicate another well anddeliver school and medical supplies, laptop computers and love.

We journeyed 11 hours back to mid-country to visit an

orphanage we sponsor where an integrated school for sighted and blind children has opened. We played and laughed, danced andcelebrated the love we all share for one another. We deliveredmore medical supplies, school supplies, Braille paper, shoes andclothes. Our bus was becoming increasingly lighter with eachstop. We dined with the orphanage’s founder, former Ugandan

Latest tripto Uganda

strengthensmission

“Mama Martha” Hoffman, top photo, stands amid someof the youngsters she works with in Uganda, while inthe second photo, Melissa Hoffman greets a blind student at the Chain Foundation Orphanage, Mukono,Uganda.

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Archbishop Livingstone Nkoyoyo, and his lovely wife, Ruth, at their retirement home.

Next we were invited to a church groundbreaking servicewhere we were ushered up in front of thousands and heard cur-rent Archbishop of Uganda Henry Orombi deliver the sermon. Wemet the prime minister of Uganda on the way out of church afterEucharist – an unexpected honor. We learned later the prime min-ister went on to talk about Call To Care Uganda for 10 minutesand thanked groups like ours for helping reach those the govern-ment has been unsuccessful at reaching themselves. We alsolearned we were on Ugandan television and in the national news-paper. We traveled on to the western region of Uganda, passingover the Equator for a one-of-a-kind photo op along the way.

Our work in the west was at two schools with whom Call ToCare Uganda has formed school sponsorship relationships. Atboth, we celebrated the recent drilling of borehole wells, and de-livered malaria prevention training materials and mosquito nets.A sick bay, library and classroom block were also dedicated inthe names of team members.

One of our team members, the Rev. Marilyn Anderson, rectorat Christ Church in Redding, Conn., baptized 14 children and de-livered a sermon translated into two tribal dialects. Rich Fislerand I were also asked to participate in a baptism as Godparents.The ceremony was joyous and the celebration afterwards in-cluded 3,000 people. These are days none of us will soon forget.

For me, I think some of the most rewarding time spent waswitnessing the college students interacting with the school chil-dren. They prepared a curriculum for one lucky school. Theytaught health, geography, music, literature, Bible stories, mathand science. They also really had a chance to get to know these

children – many total orphans – and begin friendships. Theyjoked, played sports and learned more about each other’s cultures.The kids from the United States thanked me several times a dayfor sharing this opportunity with them. They were shocked thatthey were actually in Africa and being the change they wanted tosee in our world.

My eldest daughter, Melissa, was a member of the team andthe first of my children to go to Uganda with me since I beganthis work six years ago. Experiencing it all with her and seeingthe compassion in her heart towards others was beautiful.

I know I am changing and growing as a leader through thisongoing mission with Uganda’s most vulnerable children. I some-times feel maybe I am becoming a bit hardened although I knowmy heart is ever tender. I think it is really more of a maturity andunderstanding of this country I love. But, on this trip it struck mesignificantly, probably because there were so many experiencingUganda for the first time. I remember all too well how that feltand compare that to how it feels today.

I have witnessed the cumulative effect of loving our neigh-bors, and in a very short time, witnessing the positive impact, thegrowth, the strength of relationships, the accountability and theoverall success. This past summer, we were all witnessingprogress first hand. The mission of God and of Call To CareUganda is alive and well.

I invite you all to find out more about becoming an agent ofchange and join the team. Right now, God is inviting us all to be-come part of a bigger story – a bigger picture – with a vision thatwill engage your hearts to move forward in making a radicalchange in our world.For more information on Call to CareUganda, please see the website: www.calltocareuganda.org.

Emily Power teaches about malaria prevention inUganda as part of Call to Care Uganda’s latest trip tothat country.

Riley McDonald enjoys play time with students at FaithPrimary School in Bushenyi, Uganda, during the mostrecent Call to Care Uganda trip to the country.

Continued from page 8

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Submitted by Jen MarianoFirst vice presidentDaughters of the King

We’ve all heard the story a hundredtimes in Luke 10:38-42.

Martha is busy taking care of herguests while Mary is taking care of herspiritual needs by sitting at Jesus’ feet.

It is a little known fact that while Maryand Martha were doing these things,Mabel was out getting a mammogram, andcaught up with them later, relieved by herresults, ready to listen and focus on theWord.

OK, well maybe it’s more legend thenfact. OK, well, maybe it’s more me mak-ing it up than legend.

But my point is, how different ourlives would be if we had a Biblical womanwho set a precedent for self-care?

As women we are always taking careof others – children, parents, husbands,friends – even our beloved pets. But whendo we take care of ourselves?

Too many times we may put off goingto the gym, taking that walk, enjoying thatyoga class, getting a mammogram, post-poning that doctor appointment. We skipthat dentist appointment even though weknow good oral hygiene is very importantto overall health including the heart, all inorder to take care of something or some-one else.

But we can’t be good for others ifwe’re no good for ourselves.

Making time for our health is not onlycommon sense, it is also a spiritual jour-ney we can take with God. He wants us totake care of the body He gave us. Ourhealth is a vital part of our overall wellbeing. “Do you not know that your bodiesare temples of the Holy Spirit, who is inyou, whom you have received from God?”(I Corinthians 6:19-20)

Take the time to take care of yourbody. Here are a few things you can do:1. Exercise. It is the most important ele-ment of good health. If you are juststarting an exercise program be sure tocheck with your doctor first. Go for aprayer walk or run. Take Christian-based yoga. Listen to Christian music as

you workout.2. Eat a healthy diet,lots of fruits andvegetables, highfiber, low saturatedfat, and watch thoseportions.

3. Rest. I know this is afour-letter word forsome of us but wehave to get a goodnight’s sleep in orderto stay fresh and alert and give ourminds and bodies some down time.

4. Get your mammies grammied. Do notput it off. We all know how much fun itis and just can’t wait for that next appointment, but early detection cansave your life. Get your mammogramand remind your family and friends todo the same.

5. Get your colon scoped. Personally, I amnot looking forward to this but it is acritical screening tool that saves lives.Make your appointment and remindyour family and friends to do the same.

6. Check your blood pressure, cholesteroland blood sugar regularly and manageaccordingly. Be disciplined and stick toyour program.

7. Get your heart checked out. Heart dis-ease is the leading killer of women.Since practically everything we do af-fects our heart it is very important to geta heart health assessment and knowyour risk for heart disease.

8. Make the time. Make the change.9. Don’t make excuses.

When it comes to your health take thebull by the horns. Be your own best advo-cate.

When you have to go to the doctor, askas many questions as necessary until youare fully satisfied with the answers, clearabout options and comfortable with deci-sions moving forward. Be an empoweredpatient.

There are lots of great resources re-garding this on the web. Some of my per-sonal favorites include: livestrong.com;heart.org; myfitnesspal.com; webmd.com;and fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org.

We have all lost loved ones and so

many dear sisters in Christ to cancer andother illnesses.

We can honor them by making what-ever change may be necessary to improveour own health right now. Why not join ateam? Making Strides, American CancerSociety; Team in Training, Leukemia andLymphoma Society; or Memory Walk,Alzheimer’s Association. God can use usin places like these to offer encouragementand words of hope to people who may noteven know God.

The truth is there is only so much wecan do when it comes to our bodies. Evenwith our best efforts it can fail us.

But sisters, what we can do, we oughtto do. Pray, “Lord, show me what I need todo to take better care of myself. Pleasegive me the strength and discipline tomake that happen.”

Make prayer an integral part of yourhealth.

I say these words to myself as much asI say them to you. We all need to be re-minded that while taking care of othersand taking care of our spiritual need areimportant, we cannot neglect our health. Ioften think of Mabel and what a great rolemodel she would’ve been and how somany women could’ve used anotherwoman as an advocate, a point person, fortheir own health.

But we can always support and en-courage each other. I know that I am won-derfully and fearfully made, and Goddelights in His creation. So now I’m goingto show Him how thankful I am for whatHe has created and go for a run.

That’s time well spent with Him any-way.

Serve God by taking care of yourself

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Nov. 25-Dec. 10 –

16 Days of Activism

Against Gender Violence

continues

Jan. 17-19, 2013 – 2013

Diocese of Michigan

Annual Spiritual Journey

Retreat at Colombiere

Center, Clarkson, Mich.

April 4-7 – Province V

Annual Meeting in

Chesterfield, Mo., at the

Doubletree Hotel and

Conference Center.

Theme for the meeting:

“Gather Us In,” For

information, contact

[email protected].

April 18-19 – Diocese of

Kansas Women’s

Summit.

May 30-June 10 –

Episcopal Women’s Holy

Land Pilgrimage.

Aug. 2-4 – Province VII

ECW retreat at Camp

Allen Conference and

Retreat Center in

Navasota, Texas.

Save the Date!

Calendar of EventsInformation for this calendar comes from ECWs throughout thechurch. If your group or diocese has plans for meetings, specialevents, special missions or other happenings, please send allpertinent information for inclusion in the next edition of Commu-

niqué to: [email protected] this form for contributions fromindividuals, parishes or dioceses.

Name of Donor or Organization

Address:

Contribution for: Amount

___ Annual pledge _________

___ Aid to Delegates _________

___ Unified Gift “Nets for Life” _________

___ Triennial Meeting Endowment _________

___ Women to Women _________

___ Communiqué _________

This gift is an ___ Honorarium ___ Memorial

for ________________________________.

An acknowledgement may be sent to:______________________________________________________________________

(Name and address)Make checks payable to Domestic & Foreign Missionary Society (DFMS) andmail to:

Kathy MankNational ECW Treasurer

9559 Kelly DriveLoveland, Ohio, 45140

This form is not used for United Thank Offering or

Church Periodical Club donations.

ECW National BoardContribution Form

2012-2015

Send your news about what women in your province, diocese or parish are doing to

Christine Budzowski578 Washington Blvd. #861Marina del Rey, CA 90202

310-821-0111vpinformationcommunication

@ecwnational.org

Episcopal Church Women www.ecwnational.org

THE TRIENNIAL BOOTH IS OPENA perfect gift for special events and special people

Choose from 2 sizes

Large 1 1/2" x 7/8" Gold ECW logo on silver background

Small 3/4" x 1/2" Gold ECW logo on gold background

Send your orders to:Kathy MankNational ECW Treasurer9559 Kelly DriveLoveland, Ohio, [email protected]

Large Pin at $5.00 each Quantity:____________ Total:________________

Small Pin at $3.50 each Quantity:____________ Total:________________

Please do not send payment until contacted with invoice total which will include shipping.

Ship to:Name: _________________________________Address: _______________________________City/State/Zip:___________________________Tel: ___________________________________Email: _________________________________

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Triennial Meeting 2012

Women from all cornersof the Episcopal Churchgathered from July 5through 12, 2012, in Indianapolis, Ind., forthe 47th annual Episcopal ChurchWomen Triennial Meeting. The meeting,which worked aroundthe theme “Many Paths,One Journey” was heldin conjunction with thechurch’s General Convention. The storiesand pictures on the following pages origi-nally appeared in themeeting’s TriennialToday publication. Theyare repeated here andhelp recount the eventsassociated with the2012 Triennial Meeting.

Editor’s note: The John P. Craine House in Indianapolis was the 2009-2012 National ECWBoard’s choice for the 2012 Triennial Meeting’sCommunity Connection.

Michael Cook, president of Craine House, spokeat the Episcopal Church Women’s Triennial Meetingevent. He thanked the group for their support, andspoke to them about the operations of the facility. Cook explained that Craine House was created to

enable incarcerated women to live out the remainder of their sentences in a relativelynormal environment, which encourages a healthier transitioning back into society.Craine House also provides an opportunity for these transitioning women to live withtheir children while receiving beneficial services to put their lives back on course. Cook said the average female inmate in the United States is 66 percent more likely

to go back to prison, while the probability is less than 20 percent for a woman who hasgone through the Craine House program. Transitioning centers, like the Craine House,not only assist in restoring an individual back into society but also have a residual ef-fect on the children of these women. Cook said while an estimated 70 percent of thechildren of women felons in the US are more likely to commit a felony in their life, thechildren of the Craine House most likely will not. Cook demonstrated the economical appeal of Craine House. “It costs $50,000 per year to house an incarcerated person and $200,000 per year to

house a youth,” he said. “It ONLY costs $13,000 per year to house a woman to includeher children at the Craine House.” Cook said the 8,000-square-foot facility houses approximately 39 families a year,

but it will soon be moving to a 30,000-square-foot renovated nursing home, that willbe able to house up to 100 women and their families per year.

Craine House benefitsfrom ECW ‘Connection’

Submitted by Marilyn Rishkofski

At Triennial Meeting 2012, General Convention bishops,deputies and their guests joined Episcopal Church Women for thefirst ECW National Board 5K at the Canal Walk at White RiverState Park in Indianapolis.First-time events seem to take on a life of their own as the start

date approaches. Organizers can only plan so much but when thebig day arrives there are always surprises. We had hoped for 100 runners and ended up with more than

200.Praise God that we had enough porta-potties, no one fell into

the canal, Episcopal Health Ministries was a sponsor (in case ofemergencies) and it was a cool July 5th morning. So we ran outof bananas? Sorry.The first ECW National Board 5K was a celebration. This was a time for Triennial Meeting and General Convention

delegates and deputies to leave their workbooks on the desk and

run, walk or stroll in thefresh air with old andnew friends.This was a time for us

to partner with otherEpiscopal organizationsand grow stronger in andby these relationships. This was a way of

helping Craine House fi-nancially. This was alsoa way of honoring the wife of a bishop who will always be re-membered for the caring, beautiful life she ran.So thank you, God, for giving ECW the opportunity to dispel

our image of white-gloved women, baking cookies.We are running, walking and strolling along new paths built on

the hard work of those women who preceded us. To the new National ECW Board: don’t forget the bananas.

We ran a new path: Inaugural 5K a success

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Submitted by Bev ReubeckThe Episcopal Community

The Episcopal Community held its firstnational convention in Indianapolis July 2-12. The rule of the community calls us togrow, connect, support and serve. Duringour planning for this gathering, we re-flected on our rule. We felt called to be ofservice and support to our church ratherthan to offer programs and workshops. Ways in which we fulfilled our mission

and rule include: • A Prayer Garden in the Exhibit Hall

during General Convention: a specialplace in the midst of the busy-ness of Gen-eral Convention to stop, rest and pray. • We are appreciative of the invitation

from the Episcopal Church to offer serviceby staffing the General Convention PrayerChapel and hosting the hospitality roomfor the visiting primates and guests. • We supported and served our church

by going to the House of Bishops, theHouse of Deputies and the EpiscopalChurch Women’s Triennial Meeting topray over each chair and table and to leavea bookmark with a prayer for each person,

which showed them we were supportingtheir work with our prayers. EpiscopalCommunity members wrote the prayers onthe bookmarks specifically for each house.Prayers were in English, French and Span-ish. • We connected and grew spiritually by

worshipping at General Convention, hav-ing a delegate at the ECW Triennial Meet-ing and sponsoring the ECW FirstTriennial Meeting 5K Walk/Run and threemembers participating in the event whichbenefitted the Craine House. The Episcopal Community member

gathering on Saturday, July 7, followed bydinner and reaffirmation of vows was an-other chance for us to grow. Members andspouses served as General Convention vol-unteers. Among our combined areas ofservice we gave approximately 900 hoursof service.The following mission statement was

approved during our gathering:“We are a vowed community of

women in the Episcopal Church who,committed to our baptismal covenant,seek and serve Christ in all persons. Wehold to a Rule of Life that calls us togrow in our relationship to God, connectthrough relationships with others, sup-port those to whom we are boundthrough our community and serve othersand the whole of God’s Creation, in orderto be more effective disciples in our per-sonal lives, the Episcopal Church, andthe world.”The name chosen for our newsletter is

Discerning Hearts: The Newsletter of theEpiscopal Community. For more information please contact

Bev Ruebeck @ 317-490-3212 or [email protected].

Gathering unites Episcopal Community

The Prayer Garden in the Exhibit Hall at General Convention/Triennial Meeting in July, left photo, proved to be aplace where those in attendance at the many options available could relax, rest and pray. Right, The EpiscopalCommunity provided bookmarks for many attending General Convention and Triennial Meeting 2012.

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The United Thank Offering grants wereunveiled at the Episcopal Church Women’sTriennial Meeting and General ConventionJuly 10. There were 54 applications submitted

during the year: 37 domestic; six compan-ion; nine international; two regional.The money requested amounted to

more than $4 million. Money awarded tal-lied more than $1.7 million.Formed as a ministry of conscience

thanksgiving and offering, UTO was origi-nally a committee of the ECW. As of therecent ECGC, UTO is an outreach entity

of the national Episcopal Church, spear-heading both domestic and global outreachprograms targeted at alleviating poverty.Through the encouragement and receipt of“thank” offerings, UTO distributes fundsthrough grants to other ministries and mis-sions sponsored by the church, and invitedprovinces of the Anglican Communion inthe developing world. In a pre-conference interview, Sarita J.

Redd, of the Diocese of Oklahoma andUTO board president, said, “The UTO hasa bright future. There are nothing but posi-tive things to look forward to for the or-

ganization in the upcoming years.”Redd, who was also honored at the Tri-

ennial Meeting as the ECW DistinguishedWoman from her diocese, believes UTOmembers need to be able to step forwardand participate in the organization’s “the-ology of thankfulness.”“God’s got a plan for UTO,” Redd said.

“We need to listen and follow the plan.”The loose offering collected at the UTO

ingathering service July 8 amounted to$34,000, which is the largest offering evercollected for UTO at a Triennial Meeting/General Convention.

Submitted by Laura Orcutt Diocese of Utah

“What was it like when people heard a woman’s voice for thefirst time at the altar?” The Rev. Barbara Bender-Breck posed thishypothetical question to a group of women gathered for her work-shop, “Voices of Episcopal Women,” at the Episcopal ChurchWomen’s Triennial Meeting in July.“Some of you may know it was silenced for a long time,” she

said. “As voices are freed to speak, we grow from different per-spectives. ‘We’ – the people of the story – come to hear the salva-tion story each Sunday at church. Our lives are transformed by it.Have you ever thought about recording someone’s oral history?Do you like to be an investigator? The joy of the oral story is togo behind the history.” The point of the workshop was to teach the theories, methods,

and debates of history’s oldest tool: oral history. She emphasizedthe importance oral history in a congregation as well as the im-portance of individual and collective memories, and how they in-fluence history. She also provided pointers to the group oninformation gathering, and had workshop attendees conduct theirown interviews with each other as part of the session. “Find out about the person before you ever interview them,”

Bender-Breck said, encouraging a bit of behind-the-scenes inves-tigation. “Check church records. Also, talk to the person’s friends

and family, so you can have some well-prepared questions. Thequestions shouldn’t be dryly presented such as ‘did you go toSunday School?’ Nor, should they be leading questions, like ‘Iunderstand Rev. Smith was a wonderful preacher. What do youthink?’“Ask about how the church celebrated Christmas or have them

tell you about church picnics. Use a few rules of thumb, such askeeping an open mind to hearing stories, not placing judgment,and get to know the person to build trust so they will trust,” shesaid. “Elicit facts, feelings, descriptions, and ask specific ques-tions. Listen.”She suggested if pre-interview research contradicts informa-

tion the subjects provide, ask them about it. Do not challenge theperson. Bender-Breck also recommended bringing along memorabilia

if available, to stimulate the subject’s memories. “Go in with tools, such as old photos, and a good digital

recorder to record stories,” Bender-Breck said. “Bring along extrabatteries and do your research by knowing as much as you canabout the person before the interview. Give a face-to-face inter-view, and try to avoid the phone. If a person lives far away, draft aletter to the person, and ask specific questions.” In closing, she said, “Be sure to record your name, their name,

the date, and the time. You are being given the privilege to pre-serve a part of history that is critical.”

Workshop encourages ECW oral history

UTO unveils grants during Triennial Meeting

Members of The Episcopal Community gathered ina prayer circle as part of a ceremony celebratingthe reaffirmation of vows led by the Rt. Rev. PhilipMenzie Duncan, II, bishop of the Diocese of theCentral Gulf Coast. The Episcopal Community, agroup of Episcopal women, was meeting for thefirst time as part of the 2012 gathering for GeneralConvention and ECW Triennial Meeting. The groupis dedicated to the rule of grow, connect, supportand serve and practiced their rule throughout theeight-day meeting.

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Scenes from Triennial Meet-ing 2012: Right, PresidingBishop Katharine JeffertsSchori presents a cross to ameeting participant as ElsieChelsea Wentworth, the ECWmascot, looks on. Below, ahappy runner/walker for theinaugural Triennial Meeting5K run/walk. Bottom photos,left and right, the ECW boothin the Exhibit Hall was a popular place to learn moreabout Episcopal ChurchWomen or just as a place fora quick visit.

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Episcopal Church Women578 Washington Blvd. #861 Marina del Rey, CA 90202

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDHATTIESBURG, MS

PERMIT NO. 50

2012-2015 ECW National BoardPresidentNancy Crawford1595 E. 31st Ave.Eugene, OR [email protected]/ProgramShirley Greiman25 Wolcott WoodsSimsbury, CT [email protected]/Information/CommunicationChristine Budzowski578 Washington Blvd. #861 Marina del Rey, CA 90202 310-821-0111vpinformationcommunication@ecwnational.orgSecretaryLisa Towle110 Dutchess Dr.Cary, NC [email protected] Mank9559 Kelly DriveLoveland, OH [email protected], Social JusticeDeborah Gardiner2119 Tallow DrivePortland, TX [email protected]

Province I representative

Linda Guest

29 Hazelwood St.

Cranston, RI 02910

401-741-5642

[email protected]

Province II representative

Ginger Lief

310 Riverside Dr. #822

New York, NY 10025-4123

212-662-3257

[email protected]

Province III representative

Dottie Arthur

2001 Parsonage Road

Parkton, MD 21120

410-357-8857

[email protected]

Province IV representative

Kathy Gosselin

8040 Summerbreeze Ter.

Spring Hill, FL 34606

352-410-9812

[email protected]

Province V representative

Connie Ott

7995 Shagbark Circle

Cross Plains, WI 53528

608-798-3688

[email protected]

Province VI representative

Mari-Lou Triebenbach

16520 30th Ave. N.

Plymouth, MN 55447

763-559-4961

[email protected]

Province VII representative

Lonnie Isaak

806 Ridgeview Drive

Independence, KS 67301

620-332-9376

[email protected]

Province VIII representative

Louise Aloy

1005 Laelae St.

Wailuku, HI 96793

808-264-9830

[email protected]

Province IX representative

Mayra Brown

Calle Santiago No. 114 Gazcue

Apartado 764

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

809-482-2555

province [email protected]

Parliamentarian

Connie Skidmore

P.O. Box 4588

Incline Village, NV 89450

775-232-9250

[email protected]


Representatives to the National Board from the provinces of the Episcopal Church

Documents

Communique Winter 2012