EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN IN ARKANSAS
President’s Annual Report
November 5, 2011
It’s hard to believe a year has flown by since I was elected as your President. On Saturday, November 6, 2010 the women of St. Luke’s North Little Rock hosted a well-attended Fall Gathering. This is always a time for conversation, collaboration and inspiration. The business meeting included an impromptu sharing of activities and ideas from various ECW groups. This was followed by a presentation by The Rev. Kate Alexander of Christ Church Little Rock. Kate’s topic was Saving Beauty: A Conversation Between Nature and Our Souls. The meeting concluded with a Eucharist celebrated by Bishop Benfield who installed the following officers for a three-year term:
President: Susan Carter
Vice President: Wanda Dunwoody
Northeast Convocation Chair: Patricia Duke
Southwest Convocation Chair: Peggy Wachtel
The new Board gathered for a meeting and mini-retreat at Camp Mitchell January 14 and 15. This was a time to get acquainted and focus our energies on the coming year. We met March 26, 2011 at Christ Church in Little Rock to complete plans for the 2011 Women’s Institute.
The first weekend in June saw another successful Women’s Institute at Camp Mitchell. Again this year there were first time attendees who came as a result of an incredible spiritual experience at Time for Joy. It is always as good to see these new faces as it is to see those that are familiar. Our Quiet Day speaker this year was The Rev. Kerith Harding who spoke on Meditations on the Sayings of Jesus. The Keynote speaker, Alison Donohue, led two sessions on Generosity. A very special treat this year was the display of the UTO quilt, which is made up of squares from many diocese and UTO groups. The weekend concluded with the dedication of a stone bench and tree to honor out-going President Sylvia Ross. These are located just outside the Chapel of the Transfiguration overlooking Ada Valley.
The Arkansas ECW is a strong group working hard for the spiritual growth of individual parishes and for the Diocese of Arkansas. No matter how we are organized in individual churches, we are all Episcopal Church Women. There are numerous opportunities to get involved in the programs of local parishes and the diocese. ECW programs include the following:
United Thank Offering (UTO) offers grants for ministries throughout the world and with local projects.
Church Periodical Club (CPC) funds books for seminarians and provides parishes with special resources needed for worship.
Miles of Pennies provides children with educational literature. In pennies $844.80 equals one mile.
Women of Vision is a leadership training program for Episcopal women. It can be presented in a weekend retreat or in workshop sessions. One of the workshops at 2011 WI was the section on Spiritual Gifts.
Daughters of the King is a life-long program of prayer, service, and evangelism, dedicated to the spread of Christ’s Kingdom and the strengthening of the spiritual life of the parish.
The women of Arkansas are working hard toward the mission of the Church in local parishes, the diocese, the province and the world. It is extremely rewarding work and I invite all to share your gifts to restore all people to unity with God and each other through Christ.
God’s blessings to all of you,
Susan Carter, ECW President