Introducing Our New Online Home
LAUNCH DATE
Dear Ladies,
Welcome to our brand-new website which is launching today. I hope you will take a few moments to scroll through the updated website to become familiar with its contents. Although you can still access it through the Diocese of Virginia’s website, you can now access it directly by clicking on this link: ecwvirginia.org. While perusing this site, go ahead and sign-up to receive emails from us for upcoming events.
One of the new additions will be a quarterly newsletter, “From the Desk of the President.” I am committed to publishing one quarterly, beginning with this first issue. Please feel free to email me with ideas you have for Diocesan ECW events, events your local ECW would like to share with others in the Diocese, and issues you think would be relevant for us to attack as an organization. I will try to include such information in each newsletter.
This brings me to a key point. Your church does not need to have a formally organized ECW to be a part of the Episcopal Church Women family. You just need to be a woman attending an Episcopal Church. So, if your church has a “Daughters of the King” chapter, any other women’s group, or just yourself, we would like to hear from you, and we hope that you will consider joining us for the Diocesan ECW events.
I would also like to take a moment to clarify the status of the United Thank Offering (UTO). While in the past the Office of the National ECW handled the operation of the UTO, that is no longer the case. Please click on unitedthankoffering.com to learn more. This does not mean your church has to change how it traditionally collects donations to UTO, but it does mean a change as to where the donations are sent. Checks should be mailed directly to:
The United Thank Offering | DFMS – Protestant Episcopal Church
PO Box 958983
St. Louis, MO 63195-8983
Here are highlights of the events that have occurred this calendar year and the dates of upcoming events:
Bishop Goff led us in a Lenten Retreat on March 19, 2025, at Grace and Holy Trinity Church, Richmond, Virginia. Her theme was, “The Desert Shall Rejoice: Hope in a Troubling Time.” It was based on Isaiah 35:1 — The desert shall rejoice and blossom. She reflected on the wilderness that we enter in Lent and the wildernesses into which we are thrown by illness, death, or loss of any kind. This was followed by a Eucharist which celebrated the feast of St. Joseph (whose feast day just happened to be March 19th). We ended up with a luncheon of lentil soup, salad, and dessert. FYI, lentils are the traditional food for St. Joseph’s feast day. It was inspirational and a great community event.
On May Day, the 1st of May, we held our annual Spring Meeting. This year’s event was held at Varina Episcopal Church in Henrico, Virginia. The speaker/celebrant was the Vicar of Varina, Rev. Whitney Edwards. Her theme was, “Knowing God as Wise Women.” It was an informal workshop on how to connect with God to be true to yourself. As one woman said, “It was over the top.” She followed her talk with a moving Eucharist, and here another woman said, “It brought tears to my eyes.” The breakfast and lunch provided by Varina’s ECW were certainly well received. The breakfast was a feast made by the ECW, and the delicious, boxed lunch was by a much loved and 90-year-old Richmond tradition, Sally Bell’s Kitchen.
On Juneteenth (June 19th) a celebration organized by three Richmond churches (St. John’s, St. Peter’s, and St. Philip’s) was held. We marched with Bishop Stevenson from St. John’s in Churchill to the Peter Paul Development Center, singing all the way. There we were treated to a talk by B. K. Fulton, a nationally recognized author, film maker, and philanthropist; and a performance by Ezibu Munro. After all of this, a community picnic was held on the lawn of St. Peter’s and in its parish hall. It was a great day of fellowship.
Upcoming Events
Saturday, September 27: Afternoon Tea at Epiphany Episcopal Church in Henrico. The proceeds will benefit the Gifts and Scholarship fund of the ECW.
Saturday, October 11: Our annual Fall Meeting will take place at Pohick Church, Lorton, with Bishop Stevenson.
Feedback on this newly designed website is very welcome. All feedback should come to me. Not only for the website, but we want feedback on how we can better aid you and your community.
To the Glory of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Catherine Perrin
President 2025 through 2027
Episcopal Church Women
Diocese of Virginia
