PROVINCE VII COUNCIL REPORT, March 2007

Province VII ‘s Episcopal Church Women is going through some changes. Many of them came about at the Provincial Leadership Meeting February 17 and18 in Houston.  The changes are happening as a result of the goals set for this triennium of developing a mission statement, offering more spiritual growth, and improving communication. 

At the recent meeting, members accepted the following mission statement to direct their work:  “We are women of faith, valuing our gifts, empowered as servant leaders by our Baptismal vows to equip and support women’s ministries.”   ECW members envision living into this mission by “feeding”  leaders and future leaders. Having a concrete direction and understanding of the role of the Province helps as the ECW develops plans for  future work.
ECW has begun planning for a Provincial Spiritual Growth Gathering, open to all women of Province VII, to be held in March, 2008. This will be followed by a substantially revamped Provincial meeting in the Fall of 2008. The group will follow the example of the Triennial Meeting and gather at the same time and place as the Provincial Synod. This will enable  delegates, Synod visitors, and other interested women to attend workshops, engage in fellowship, and network.
ECW is working to improve communication through increasing email, having a Web site, creating a Fact Sheet, and using all contacts as an opportunity to share ideas. 

As a fundraiser, the Province VII ECW Board published The Way of the Cross: Stories of Crosses Loved and Lived.  It was written by women from across the Episcopal Church and featured the wonderful and unique crosses that are passed from ECW president to ECW president within many of the dioceses in the Episcopal Church USA. 

Another change for the ECW has been the the departure of the Diocese of Ft. Worth from Province VII.  Hopefully, one day the women of that diocese will rejoin the Provincial ECW.  In the meantime, members in the dioceses of Arkansas, Dallas, Kansas, Northwest Texas, Oklahoma, the Rio Grande, Texas, West Missouri, West Texas, Western Kansas, and Western Louisiana will continue  the mission to “equip and support women’s ministries.” 

Provincial ECW Spiritual Growth Gathering
March 7-9, 2008
University of Oklahoma Conference Center and Sooner Hotel, Norman, OK
Watch for Details!

The women of Province VII most recently met at the Triennial Meeting in Columbus.  11 of our 12 dioceses were represented as the women from Dallas were unable to be with us. Over 60 women gathered for breakfast during which they enjoyed a presentation by Katherine Lillibridge, the wife Gary Lillibridge who is the Bishop of West Texas. 

The next gathering will be a meeting of the Provincial Leadership which includes the Diocesean Presidents, National Board Representatives, and the Provincial Officers on February 17-18, 2007.  The Provincial Meeting will be in Albuquerque in conjunction with the Provincial Synod in 2008.
   
For more information, contact ECW President Janet Farmer at JRFgomer@aol.com.
 
Current activities in the dioceses for 2006-2007:
Arkansas – Fall Gathering and Annual Meeting October 13-14
                   Women’s Institute June 1-3, 2007
Dallas – no current diocesan ECW activity
Kansas – Annual Meeting October 6-7 with Bishop Barbara Harris
Oklahoma – Annual Meeting and Bishop’s Day April 27-28, 2007
Northwest Texas – Annual Meeting September 29-October 1 with Barbara Crafton
Rio Grande – no current diocesan plans
Texas – Annual Meeting October 20-21
West Missouri – Annual Meeting September 22-23
West Texas – Fall Gathering October 20-22
                       Spring Gathering March 23-25, 2007
Western Kansas – no current diocesan plans
Western Louisiana – no current diocesan plans