Copyright © 2005 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee

Diocesan women gather at St. James, Knoxville

More than 100 people representing 18 parishes attended the diocesan Episcopal Church Women Fall Gathering hosted by St. James, Knoxville, on Sept. 17. The conference began with Holy Eucharist celebrated by Bishop Charles vonRosenberg. The Rev. Joe Ballard and the Rev. Pat Grace, rector and curate of St. James, respectively, offered a “tandem” sermon. Its centerpiece was a treasured quilt pieced during the Great Depression by the parish women, who were pivotal in maintaining the church during those chaotic times. In the sermon, Ballard and Grace lifted up the immeasurable value of each woman in church ministries, then and now.

Organist and choirmaster Nancy Wells led the parish choir in spectacular music that Janice Black, president of the ECW at St. Andrew, Harriman, said made her think she had “gone to heaven!”

The keynote speaker, Katerina Whitley, an author and dramatist, performed two pieces based on her many inspiring writings about women of the Bible. Attendees then adjourned to the parish hall for a delicious lunch prepared by the parish women, and diocesan ECW President Cathy Varner chaired the annual business meeting.

Among agenda items were the approval of the budget for the coming year and the introduction of the Mollie Hazen Tucker Scholarship recipent, Lauren Joyce, of All Saints, Morristown. Nominees for diocesan board positions were presented by Jane Magrath, nominations chair. Officers elected for two-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2006, are: Arline Caliger, president, from St. Francis of Assisi, Ooltewah; Susie Cassell, secretary, from St. Christopher, Kingsport; Cathy Varner, missions, from All Saints, Morristown; and Marsha Weber, nominations, from St. Thaddaeus, Chattanooga. Women accepting appointments as committee chairwomen are: Nancy Tanner, parliamentarian, from St. John Cathedral, Knoxville; Nancy Bosson, finance committee, from Ascension, Knoxville; Gloria Randolph, scholarship, from St. Andrew, Maryville; Katie Piper, communications, from St. Timothy, Signal Mountain; Kathryn Mitchell, archivist, from Trinity, Gatlinburg; and Carldine Rox, scrapbook, from St. Paul, Chattanooga. President Arline Caliger also will chair the conference committee.

After the adjournment of the annual meeting, Bishop vonRosenberg and Whitley led a discussion of the work of the ECW now and in the future. In distributing a questionnaire to determine types of ECW parish activities, President Cathy Varner noted that only nine of the nearly 50 parishes maintain active ECW groups. The diocesan ECW board will examine the survey results to gauge ways they can assist the parish ECW groups in their ministries.

ECW on the Web: etdiocese.net/ecw