National ECW Board Meeting—September
- Province VIII Ministry Reports
- Feb 6
- 3 min read
2025 - SEPTEMBER NECW BOARD MEETING
Rochester, NY was the location of our fourth, in-person Board meeting, the third and final of 2025. Arriving a few days into the meeting, I joined day 3 of the meeting in progress to contribute to the remaining Board work. It was a time of worship, learning, and faithful action—strengthening our shared mission of faith, justice, and leadership within the Episcopal Church.
RECAP OF BOARD HIGHLIGHTS
SEPTEMBER 26-30, 2025
CONDENSED FROM THE SUMMARY OF NECW PRESIDENT LISA BORTNER
The National ECW Board gathered in Rochester, NY, for a dynamic time of worship, fellowship, and action. We were warmly welcomed by Province II President The Rt. Rev. Dr. DeDe Duncan-Probe (via video) and Bishop Kara Wagner Shepherd of the Diocese of Rochester. The Board also met with The Rev. Julia Buenting of Christ Church and representatives of A Meal and More, a nonprofit ministry addressing food insecurity.
MISSION IN ACTION
A highlight of our visit was a $1,000 donation presented to A Meal and More in support of their ministry providing home-cooked meals in a safe, dignified, family-style setting. We were also joined by Debbie Richberg, ECW President of the Diocese of Long Island.
Sunday worship at Christ Church, Rochester—a Gothic Revival landmark adorned with Tiffany windows—was an inspiring experience. Following services, the Board toured A Meal and More’s facilities and later visited the Susan B. Anthony Museum and gravesite, honoring her leadership in women’s suffrage.
LOOKING AHEAD:
2027 TRIENNIAL IN PHOENIX - WOMEN AT THE WELL: FAITH IN ACTION
Planning is underway for the 2027 Triennial Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona (July 3–8) under the theme: “Women at the Well: Faith in Action.” This event promises to be a vibrant celebration of ministry, learning, and sisterhood—save the date!
FALL COMMUNIQUÉ
Our Fall Communiqué will be released in October. To support creation care, we encourage reading it online; printed copies will be available upon request via our website.
CREATION CARE & ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Led by Chair Sue Mueller, the ECW continues to integrate faith and environmental stewardship.
Season of Creation 2025
The Season of Creation daily prayer and reflection series (Aug. 31–Oct. 5, 2025) connects ECW members and the wider Church through prayer, advocacy, and spiritual formation around environmental justice. The series aligns with major feasts including St. Michael & All Angels and St. Francis of Assisi, grounding our ecological witness in daily devotion.
ECW Creation Care Book Club (Proposed)
A new national book club is being developed to engage women in reading, reflection, and conversation at the intersection of faith, ecology, and justice.
Goals:
• Deepen spiritual formation through shared learning
• Equip participants for faith-based environmental action
• Center women, BIPOC, and Indigenous voices
• Build community through quarterly Zoom gatherings
Proposed Schedule:
Third Sundays, quarterly, 6:30–7:45 p.m. ET
Titles Under Consideration:
• Braiding Sweetgrass – Robin Wall Kimmerer
• All We Can Save – Ayana Elizabeth Johnson & Katharine Wilkinson
• Fresh Banana Leaves – Jessica Hernandez
• This Sacred Life – Norman Wirzba
• Climate Church, Climate World – Jim Antal
ON-GOING OFFERINGS & EVENTS
Morning Prayer: Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m. (CT) via Facebook
Virtual Workshop: Balancing Act – Master the Art of ECW Budgeting
◦ October 18 at 11:00 a.m. (CT)
◦ Presenter: Jane Schenck, CPA, ECW Diocese of Chicago President
BOARD ACTIONS & MOTIONS PASSED
During the Rochester meeting, the Board approved several key motions:
Grants & Giving
• Province II Grant: $1,000 donation to A Meal and More
• Triennial Unified Gift: Native Hope
• Triennial Community Connection: Native American Connections
• Universal Grant ($1000 each) to:
◦ Joyful Noise at Holy Companion – Littleton, CO
◦ Two Denarii Health Ministry – Trenton, NJ
◦ Joel Nafuma Refugee Center – Rome, Italy
Administrative & Program Decisions
• Adopted updates to Policies & Procedures and new special rules of order for meetings
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Approved the 2026 Budget, including a $5,000 line item for merchandise
Authorized a Diocesan Start-up Grant Program for new or reactivated Diocesan ECWs and formed an ad hoc committee to develop guidelines
Committees in Session
The following committees met during the Rochester gathering:
• Social Justice
• Triennial
• Finance
• Bylaws & Policies and Procedures
• Merchandise Committee (will develop items for purchase and distribute bookmarks and
• stickers free via the ECW website.
Respectfully Submitted by:
Ginny Guzman-Walsh, Province VIII Representative
October 2025 .
NECW BOARD MEETING
MINUTES SEPTEMBER 26-30, 2025 / ROCHESTER, NEW YORK
9/29 HIGHLIGHTS PERTINENT TO PROVINCE VIII REPRESENTATIVE
Member-at-Large for Social Justice, Annie Kate Jacobs, presented the Social Justice Committee report, which is filed. She noted that Province VIII Representative Ginny Guzman-Walsh had worked on a grants brochure. The committee recommended that Native Hope be designated as the recipient of the Triennial Unified Grant and that Native American Connections be designated as the recipient of the Triennial Community Connections Grant with each of the organizations receiving $5000. A motion was passed to approve the committee's recommendation. The Social Justice Committee also recommended that the NECW fund in the amount of $1,000 each, Universal Grants to: Joyful Noise, 2 Denarii, and Joel Nafuma Refugee Center. A motion was passed to approve the committee's recommendation.
Province VIII Representative Guzman-Walsh moved, and Province VII Representative Butcher seconded a motion to create an ad-hoc committee to create guidelines for the diocesan start-up fund for grants for new and reactivated diocesan ECWs. The motion passed. President Bortner appointed Beblon Parks to chair the ad hoc committee with additional committee members of Cindy Mohr and Shirley Wildman.
Province VIII Representative Guzman-Walsh gave her report, including thanking the NECW for sponsoring her trip to the Diocese of Taiwan. Her report is filed.
Province VIII Representative Guzman-Walsh moved, and Province III Representative Parks seconded the motion that the merchandise committee continue the work begun regarding listing, sourcing, pricing, and ordering of specialty items to make available for diocesan ECWs to order. The motion passed.
Province VIII Representative Guzman-Walsh moved, and Province VI Representative Wildman seconded the motion that promotional merchandise be sourced and purchased to be made available to diocesan ECWs to order from our website. The motion passed.
President Bortner and Province VIII Representative Guzman-Walsh presented a slide show of their trip to Taiwain.
Province IV Representative Leslee Roberts moved, and Province VIII Representative Guzman-Walsh seconded a motion that as a group, the NECW would like a per diem amount, as opposed to individual amounts; that the per diem be based on total mount for three meals, as set by the government for the area we are in. The motion passed.
Respectfully submitted,
Patricia Brake Rutenberg, Secretary
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