Daughters of the King
dok1885@dok-national.org
101 Weatherstone Drive
Suite 870
Woodstock, GA 30188
Website: http://www.dok-national.org/
Primary: (770) 517-8552
Fax: (770) 517-8066
Who are the Daughters of the King?
We are a group of women and girls living out a Rule of Prayer and a rule of Service to our neighbors. Because we take a solemn vow, we refer to ourselves as an Order, not an organization. We seek to walk with God as our guide and try to draw those with whom we come in contact into the church. We wear crosses as an outward and visible sign that we cannot live a day without Christ in our lives. Each chapter prays for the clergy and seeks the spiritual growth of the parish to which it belongs. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, our vision as Daughters of the King is to know Jesus Christ, to make Him known to others, and become reflections of God’s love throughout the world.
The Order of the Daughters of the King was founded in 1885 by Margaret J. Franklin at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in New York City. In the 1890s it spread to several other English speaking countries, and began to suppport a missionary in China. The Junior Daughters (chapters formed by girls between 7 and 21) began at Emmanuel Parish in Washington, DC in 1896.
In 2000, the Order was able to establish the Margaret J. Franklin Center as its permanent home. The office number is 770-517-8552, and the addresss is 101 Weatherstone Drive, Suite 870, Woodstock, GA, 30188. More information is available at our website, http://www.dok-national.org/,
The Daughters of the King is an Order for women who are communicants of the Episcopal Church, churches in communion with it, or churches in the Historic Episcopate but not in communion with it. Today the Order has over 20,000 members in the US, and international chapters in 15 other countries. They include women in the Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran (ELCA), and Roman Catholic churches. Members contribute to The Master’s Fund, which supports women who are in training for ministry, and the Self-Denial Fund, which supports international and domestic mission projects. Its quarterly magazine is The Royal Cross. A subscription can be requested from the MJF Center for $10/year.
Our focus on prayer is evident in a current article by Brenda Neal, First Vice-president of the Order: “Our Prayers, God’s Presence and Our Praise”
Our Prayers, God’s Presence and Our Praise
I believe we come to an even more true understanding of prayer when we realize that the most important prayer is one of thanksgiving… when our minds and hearts are centered in gratitude. “Whatever we do, in word or deeds, do in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God” (Colossians). Having been forgiven, redeemed, restored and renewed through Christ, we know that our prayers are heard; we are assured that they will be answered (not always as we may desire, but always answered). Prayer is worship, planned or spontaneous.
Prayer is a discipline that demonstrates faithfulness and provides us with strength. It is our connection to God … a connection that is critical to our wellbeing and Christian journey. Prayer is our major channel of discernment - we come to know who we are called to be and what we are called to do; we come to know how to live into our ministries and mission. In Thessalonians, Paul reminds us to pray continuously.
God’s presence is an eternal blessed assurance. God lives in us. His indwelling spirit shapes our lives and lifestyle. He shapes our character and places the fruit of the Holy Spirit in us. We manifest this presence through our service and testimony. Through our prayers we can empty ourselves and surrender ourselves to God; we enter into a sacred awareness of being in God’s presence … a presence that lifts our understanding to the awesome possibilities available to us through the Holy Spirit. Through our prayers, the very center of our being is touched by that Holy Spirit … indeed we are blessed!
Doesn’t this just make you want to shout? Thank you God! Praise Him! The Psalms tell us to praise Him with our lips and lives. Praise Him with expressions of adoration and thanksgiving - singing, dancing, clapping … not just at church, but at home, work, every where, let us praise Him. If we frame our lives in “before and after” pictures, we realize the tremendous differences; we can easily see the differences in ourselves and in whatever situations we have weathered with Christ as our provider, protector, guide, sustainer! The more we praise Him the more we are blessed and can be a blessing to others. We walk in light; we are invigorated. You cannot keep it to yourself - praise is how we say “thank you.” Prayer, Presence, Praise - Powerful!!!!!
Brenda Neal
First Vice-President
The Order of the Daughters of the King
(The Royal Cross, Vol. 75:3, 2008, p. 4)
