President's Report
by Elizabeth Morris Downie
Our EFM group was struggling mightily with the question of hope last week. If you are aware of what is happening around you and all over the world, one member asked, how can you possibly hope? There is so much that is monstrously evil, partnered with great power. Where is hope, where is God, in all this?
Not all of us felt the struggle as acutely as she,
perhaps because most are not as knowledgeable about the political and economic scene as she. And perhaps our innate tendencies and prior experiences predispose us to greater hopefulness. Some people just plain find it easier to hope than others when the skies are dark.
Years ago, at a time in my life when despair
was oppressing my soul and there didn't seem to be a light at the end of a very long, very dark tunnel, a hymn literally taught me hope. Robert Bridges text, "All my hope on God is founded," set to Herbert Howells magnificent tune Michael (H-1982, No. 665). sung over and over again for several months, carried the certain knowledge of God's strength and trustworthiness into the core of my being, so that despair was driven out and I could truly believe that
"Christ doth call one and all: ye who follow shall
not fall." Perhaps we can only experience radical hope after despair has bitten into us.
So as special diocesan conventions are held,
and unkind behavior, false words, and rumors assault this church of ours, hold fast to hope! God is doing a
wonderful new thing, and while it may take a long time to sort it all out and come to clarity, the goodness of this new thing is already very apparent. "Evermore from his [sic] store new-born worlds rise and adore" (vs. 3).
The Episcopal Church has said with new depth
and intentionality that all are welcome at God's table, all may exercise their gifts for ministry as they are called to do, all are blessed in loving.
However, we cannot float on clouds and play
our harps just yet. There is a great deal of work still to be done both in education and advocacy before our vision is realized. One way each EWC member can help is to recruit at least one new EWC member, male or female. I was taken aback at General Convention by the number of feminist men I talked with who did not realize that membership in the Caucus is open to them also!
A contribution of any amount is sufficient for
full membership in the Caucus, and will bring Ruach to the new member's mailbox.Every issue of Ruach contains our Mission Statement, and information about membership. Our extraordinary business manager, Bill Fleener, is happy to mail copies of our current brochure to anyone requesting them.
A strong membership base and a healthy bank
balance will support the work we are called to do. Please make building the EWC base your project in the months ahead.
a statement from the episcopal womens' caucus
The Board of the Episcopal Women's Caucus (EWC -www.episcopalwomenscaucus.org) has read the anticipated report from the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA - www.anglicanmissioninamerica.org) on the Ordination of Women and responds with sadness and chagrin to the AMiA's October 31, 2003 Announcement on Women's Ordination. [see News Briefs]
How unfortunate, indeed, for Archbishops Kolini of Rwanda and Chung of SE Asia, sponsors of the AMiA, to "provide guidance to ordain properly qualified and called women as deacons but not as priests or bishops." In a missionary evangelical movement like AMiA, it seems to us an insult to the Body of Christ to claim to be open to the Spirit in the fullness of its vocational life, and yet deny that same fullness in the spiritual and vocational life of women.
However, what seems truly bizarre to us is their decision that "the two women who had already been ordained priests and had affiliated with the AMiA, will be permitted to continue their ministry as priests, serving on staff where called. However, women who seek affiliation with the AMiA, from this point on, who are already ordained as priests, will be asked to serve as deacons."
One small step for mankind, two giant steps backward for women.
It is the prayer of Jesus that, "We all may be one." It is the firm belief of the Episcopal Women's Caucus that as long as the cause of unity is carried on the backs of women, or any others not in power, the mission of Christ in the world will not be fulfilled.