Given the number of diocesan and national Church meetings and conferences that I attend, it is rare to experience a new dynamic within such groups. I’ve recently had such a new and invigorating experience as a result of my membership on the Committee for Full Participation of Women In the Church: the unusual experience is being one of only two men who serve on this committee; the unusual dynamic is being a minority, by virtue of gender, among a group of talented, articulate and committed women.
The experience has been humbling, illuminating and educational. While the intent was not to have a “token bishop”, I am beginning to appreciate how minority groups and women must feel when they are clearly outnumbered in such committees and conferences throughout the Church.
The Committee on the Full participation of Women in the Church was appointed by the Presiding Bishop in 1986 in response to Resolution D 027(S) of the 68th General Convention. The primary charge to this committee was to “study women’s participation in congregational, diocesan, provincial and national Church bodies.”
As a way of beginning to carry out this charge, the committee procured a grant from the Lilly Memorial Trust and contracted with Dr. Adair Lumis of Hartford Seminary to survey twelve representative dioceses to ascertain: 1) the extent and kinds of women’s participation in the ministry and the decision-making of the Episcopal Church; and 2) the conditions which appear to facilitate or block their full participation.
The Diocese of South Dakota was one of the twelve dioceses selected to participate in this survey. Given our participation, I appointed a diocesan task force to aid in the work of distributing and analyzing the survey results. In appointing the committee, I attempted to have a good geographic and cultural mix.
The following persons presently serve on the diocesan task force: Cora Fielder, Aberdeen; Betty Furois, Rapid City; the Rev. Karen Hall, Sioux Falls; Inez Harris (chair), Sioux Falls; Cecilia I. Kitto, Santee; Sherry Maule, Winner; Joan Newcomb, Aberdeen; the Rev. Ruth Potter, Chamberlain; Mary Jo Turgeon, Mission; Marie Rogers, Rapid City; Cindy Snow, Pierre; Delores Two Bulls, Rapid City; Dr. Cecelia Wilch, Vermilion; Gladys Gifford, Pierre; Virginia
Slechta, Sioux Falls (staff).
These women are to be applauded for the outstanding job that they have done in organizing the survey and beginning to analyze the results.
Earlier this year some 500 surveys were sent to various persons throughout the Diocese in order to identify and describe the role of women in the Diocese of South Dakota. We experienced a 44% return, which means that well over 200 persons responded.
At a recent meeting of the diocesan Women’s Task Force, members of the committee examined the collated responses to the survey in an attempt to begin to carry out the charge to analyze and study women’s participation in congregational, diocesan, provincial and national Church bodies.
In this and upcoming issues of the ChurchNews, members of the Task Force will be sharing their relations on the survey (see page 5). In a preliminary review of the responses, I was pleased to see affirmation for women in the total ministry of the Church both at the ordained and lay level here in the Diocese of South Dakota. The responses to the survey indicate not only support for women in the total ministry of the Church but a clear sense that the roles and functions of women’s participation in the life and leadership of the Church are changing in some positive and exciting ways.
While we need to continue to work at any and all forms of discrimination related to sexism, the survey clearly revealed that many of the stereotypes and older prejudices are fading. This was not only affirmed, but the task force group felt that the results of the survey would provide an excellent educational opportunity for both the laity and the clergy within the Diocese as to what women are presently doing within the various parish, diocesan, provincial and national Church structures.
Another result of a recent meeting of the taskforce was that the committee will continue to function in its role of affirmation and education and also will be proposing, through a resolution at our next Diocesan Convention, that an ongoing commission on women’s ministry within the Diocese be formed to empower women’s full participation.
In the days and months ahead, it is my hope that we will all be renewed and find fresh meaning in terms such as the “ministry of the laity,” “total ministry,” “the priesthood and pastorate of all believers,” as a result of the work of this important task force.
It is clear that when any group within the Church is empowered for ministry in new ways, the entire Church is empowered and receives the benefits of new forms of ministry. Please assist the work of this important diocesan task force through your support, study and prayers.