Women's Ministries in the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska

Diocese of Nebraska attendees at The Triennial Meeting of the Episcopal Church Women, July 2018
Lynn Fitzgibbon, Susy Miller, Pat Wellnitz, Heather Bauer, Beth Agar, Christine Plantz, Sandra Squires

 

About Us

The purpose of Women’s Ministries is to help women of the Diocese of Nebraska carry on Christ’s work of healing, teaching, and growing spiritually. Women’s Ministries is the umbrella under which ministries traditionally administered by women can come together to plan, communicate, and help each other fulfill the mission Christ has given us.

Women’s Ministries provides one retreat per year during the spring. The retreat has been held at St. Benedict Retreat Center in Schuyler and also at Camp Comeca, near Cozad. We have two meetings per year, one at the spring retreat and one at The Annual Council of the Diocese of Nebraska.

The members of the Board of Women’s Ministries and a brief description of their roles are:

  • Co-conveners: They call for the meetings of the Board, prepare budgets, oversee activities and provide leadership.

  • The secretary takes minutes at meetings and provides a written record of the Board’s meetings.

  • The chaplain provides opening and closing prayers at meetings and provides assistance with worship at retreats and Annual Council.

  • The communications coordinator oversees the Facebook page and other social media sites, communicates with the Diocesan Director of Communications and makes the Board aware of ways in which technology can meet spiritual needs of women in the diocese.

  • The retreat coordinator organizes the retreat held in the spring.

  • The altar guild member provides information on altar care and assists with altar care at retreats and other church events as needed.

  • The Bishop’s Trunk member coordinates a collection of vestments and other liturgical items at St. Stephens in Grand Island. These are available to any clergy or parish in the diocese who needs them.

  • The Church Periodical Club contact represents CPC and its ministry by providing training for parish representatives and sharing information about CPC with the diocese. Church Periodical Club provides books, magazines, e-books and educational media free to people around the world.

  • The Order of the Daughters of the King member reports on the activities of DOK and coordinates retreats and opportunities for spiritual growth. The Mission of The Order is the extension of Christ’s Kingdom through Prayer, Service and Evangelism.

  • The United Thank Offering representative shares information about the work of the United Thank Offering in the diocese. This person also recruits and trains parish UTO representatives. UTO is entrusted to receive the offerings, and to distribute 100% of what is collected to support innovative mission and ministry throughout The Episcopal Church and Provinces of the Anglican Communion.

The Triennial Meeting of Episcopal Church Women

In conjunction with The General Convention of the Episcopal Church held every three years, Episcopal Church Women from around the world meet to share ideas, attend informative workshops, worship, sing, laugh, listen to wonderful speakers, and become filled with hope and ideas for their own parishes and dioceses. Women’s Ministries sends 4 delegates from the Diocese of Nebraska.

Distinguished Woman Award

At each Triennial Meeting, each diocese honors one woman for the Distinguished Woman Award.  The diocese is encouraged to select one woman whose Christian principles are lived out in both her secular and sacred communities. A woman may be chosen posthumously. Women from the Diocese of Nebraska who have received the award include Shirley White, Naomi Getty, Marilyn Brandt, Patricia Sheldon, Patricia Wellnitz and Sandra Squires. 

 

 

Distinguished Woman Award 2018
Sandra Squires from the Diocese of Nebraska
Bishop J. Scott Barker
Elizabeth Campbell from the Diocese of South Dakota