Episcopal Press and News
Triennial Votes On Restructure, UTO Grants
Episcopal News Service. September 19, 1985 [85183]
ANAHEIM, Calif. (DPS, Sept. 19) -- More than 400 delegates representing 117 dioceses came together in the 38th Triennial Meeting of the Women of the Episcopal Church, which ran concurrently with the General Convention here. Their theme was "One Body, One Spirit".
During their meeting, delegates displayed that unity when they voted overwhelmingly to restructure their national organization and to create a new national executive board. The action opens the membership to include two representatives from every national Episcopal women's group as voting members of Triennial and re-establishes the organizational structure, which Triennial had voted to abandon in 1967.
Later on in the week, Triennial members elected a new executive board for the Episcopal Church Women: Marcy Walsh, South Carolina, president; Evelyn Keddie, San Joaquin, first vice president; Jeanette Self, Alabama, second vice president; Susan Young, Indianapolis, secretary; and Barbara Stebbins, New Hampshire, treasurer.
In other business, Triennial accepted the recommendations of the United Thank Offering Committee and voted on the distribution of $2.8 million to fund 133 projects around the world. There are two types of UTO grants: capital and program. The largest capital grant was $75,821 to construct a new church in Ascuncion, Paraguay. The largest program grant was $130,000 to provide interpretive support to UTO diocesan chairmen, parish custodians and UTO fund applicants.
The Triennial theme was explored from different approaches by speakers Emma Lou Benignus, teacher and author; Cynthia Wedel, former president of the World Council of Churches; and theologian Virginia Ramey Mollenkott.
Among other activities were informal noontime talks at a gathering place called "Womanspace," study, workshops, panel discussions and worship. The latter included services held by various ethnic groups and a Eucharist celebrated by Executive Council member the Rev. Sandra Wilson of Connecticut -- the first woman to be celebrant at Triennial.