Report from the Episcopal Church Women, March 2019

Greetings to all Province 2 ECW Board Members, Diocesan Presidents, Bishops and friends!
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Having recently returned from the second gathering of the National Episcopal Church Women Board, I have some exciting things to share with you! We met at the Emerald Beach Resort in Charlotte Amalie on the island of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands – the Diocese of the Virgin Islands is in Province 2. We experienced warm and sunny days for the most part with an occasional downpour during the afternoon. Our hostess at the hotel was a young woman named Ishani Chinnery, who was a delight – warm, welcoming and accommodating! There is still much physical damage evident in structures around the island resulting from 2017 hurricanes Irma and Maria, and there are people still in temporary housing. We viewed churches where the sanctuaries were visible from the street due to destroyed facades.
 
On Saturday morning, we visited All Saints Cathedral, where we heard some of its history and visited with their Interim Priest, the Rev. Hayden G. Crawford. We also helped the ladies of All Saints ECW set up for a luncheon the next day honoring Mrs. Ura Gosha, immediate past President of the Diocese of the Virgin Islands ECW. One of Ura's major accomplishments as President was to encourage the practice of thankful giving through the United Thank Offering, increasing the amount from $0 for the 2012-2015 triennium to almost $36,000, presented at the 2018 Triennial UTO Ingathering.
Many gathered to honor her and our own NECW Board 2nd Vice-President, the Rev. Gigi Connor, who was the homilist for the service at the Cathedral the next day. On Sunday, February 10th, we worshiped at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, the home church of the current Diocesan ECW President, Edith Haynes-Lake. We were feted with refreshments and a tour of the island, followed by an afternoon at the president's home with ECW members from St. Luke's, as well as other parishes. - complete with an island music band!
 
The Board was introduced to it's newest members: The Rev. Gigi Connor, 2nd Vice-President for Communications, and Jeanne Plecenik, Treasurer. It was good to get to know them. We have also hired a web master, John Wilkerson, who is keeping things organized and up-to-date on the web site. We have created a new monthly newsletter entitled “Branches.” It appears on our web site, ecwnational.org, and you can opt to receive it by email. Information about the Board, and all our activities and ministries can be found there as well. Our Facebook page is receiving many hits and our Social Justice Chair, Ema Rosero-Nordalm, is in the process of setting up a Social Justice Facebook page, which will eventually be published in both English
and Spanish. Our Board President, Karen Patterson, has been appointed by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry as a delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women meeting, which will convene in New York City in March.
 
We approved the 2019 NECW budget in the amount of $185,250.
 
The Board looked over a prototype for the 2021 Triennial Meeting logo, presented by Cindy Mohr, Province 3 Representative, and offered opinions and suggestions.  Our next NECW Board meeting will take place at Nazareth Retreat Center in Boise, Idaho, hosted by
Province 8 from May 17-20, 2019.
 
As the season of Lent approaches, I wish you all a time of quiet, prayer, reflection, and growth in preparation for Holy Week and a glorious celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ on April 21st!
 
Peace and blessings - 
The Rev. Jennifer Kenna, Province II Representative to ECW
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