What is God doing through you?

Elizabeth Dole once said, "It's not what I do that matters, but what a sovereign God chooses to do through me." What are you allowing God to do through you? Advent is just around the corner, and this time of year reminds me of the Annunciation of Mary -- the angel of the Lord came to Mary and said that she was to bear the Saviour, to be the theotokos, or God-bearer. And she said YES!

As Advent approaches, it's a great time to remember other women who have said YES! to God's call. Why not curl up with a good book about a famous missionary like Elisabeth Eliot or a brave Christian like Corrie Ten Boom? Reading someone else's story can often help you reflect on yours. Are you saying YES! to God?

National ECW Board Meets

The first meeting of the National ECW Board is taking place from Friday, November 7th through Friday, November 14th at the College of Preachers adjacent to the Washington National Cathedral. Our own Kay Meyer is in attendance, and I'm sure she will have a lot to share when she returns. To contact Kay directly to find out more about your National Board and their plans for the coming triennium, drop her an e-mail at kayhmeyer@aol.com. I know she'd love to hear from you!

New ECW Presidents in North Carolina & Tennessee

New ECW Presidents have been installed in the Dioceses of Tennessee & North Carolina. Suzie Woolwine passed the gavel to Ann Ross in Tennessee -- she can be reached at rollow31@msn.com (931-647-0610) -- and Lisa Towle has been installed in North Carolina, following in the footsteps of Sylvia Nash. Lisa can be contacted at lisa@liskar.com (919-481-3943).

Congratulations to Suzie & Sylvia on a job well done. Ann & Lisa, welcome aboard!

If Jesus Came to my House

"If Jesus came to my house and knocked upon the door
I'm sure I'd be more happy than I've ever been before

"I'd run downstairs to meet Him, the door I'd open wide,
and I would say to Jesus, 'Oh, won't you come inside?'"

Taken from a wonderful children's book, If Jesus Came to my House
by Joan Gale Thomas (Lothrop Publishing, 1951)

"Anticipation is making me wait" Carly Simon

It's hard to believe that it's November 4th! This Fall has been busier than ever, and I feel like so much of it has been spent thinking about the State of the Church. I returned from Minneapolis ready to plunge headlong into mission and ministry.

Getting my children back in school, and moving my daughter back to college in Virginia occupied a good bit of my time. Standing Committee meetings, parish gatherings, and a special diocesan convention have also kept me busy. I, along with many others, watched and waited as the Primates and the Archbishop gathered at Lambeth Palace. More watching and waiting as all eyes were fixed on New Hampshire.

Watching and waiting, watching and waiting . . . it can be quite distracting to us, can't it? I was at a picnic after church yesterday, and a friend who I hadn't seen in a few months asked me the question I've heard so often lately, "What is going to happen?" And I gave her the answer I always give -- "only God knows what the final outcome will be, for He is in control."

And regardless of your convictions on the controversial issues of the last convention, the watching and waiting takes its toll. For many, it has made things feel rather tentative. The inability to think long-range, to make commitments too far in the future. In the Diocese of South Carolina, this has had an effect on the ECW nominating process. Only a few names have been put forward as nominations for next year's nine open board positions. Only a few names -- when the committee needs dozens to properly do their job. This is not to suggest that anticipation has given way to apathy. I see more folks than ever in church on Sunday -- still, the nomination forms for two-year terms on the ECW board are not rolling in . . .

I believe that many women in South Carolina (and all over Province IV) have been watching and waiting. But I also believe that the Lord is calling us to act -- to keep moving forward, to continue making disciples, to love our neighbors, to clothe the naked, to feed the hungry, to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. And this requires action -- the time for watching and waiting is passed.

So this is my question to you -- has the current situation in the Episcopal Church had an effect on your ministry? Have the Episcopal Church Women in your diocese been "watching and waiting"? Have you experienced growth because of the focus on our denomination? Has your ECW moved in a new direction?

I'd love to hear from you -- let me know what's happening in your corner of Province IV. Drop me an e-mail at lydiaevans@comcast.net or give me a call at 843-813-1861. Let's talk about where we are, and where we are going together.

Diocese of Atlanta holds Annual Meeting October 25th

It was my great pleasure to be with the women of the Church in the Diocese of Atlanta for their Annual Meeting on October 25th. The ladies of Christ Church in Macon were gracious hosts, and Kathy Gibson and her board put together a wonderful event. Congratulations on a job well done! Kathy passed the gavel to Althea Benton on Saturday afternoon, and I know she's looking forward to the view from the Past President's Chair.

It was my great privilege to speak to the ladies in the Diocese of Atlanta on Alice & Gertrude and their place in the great cloud of witnesses -- the communion of saints. Two living saints in Atlanta are Ginger Mulherin and Joan McCumber, who (along with Kathy Gibson) have been instrumental in launching a Sunday School for Hispanic children at Iglesia Santa Maria. Through this important project they are planting the Word of the Lord in the hearts of His beautiful, beautiful children. Thanks be to God!

Here are the upcoming ECW Annual Meetings in Province IV for 2003-2004:

Mississippi ECW - Trinity, Pass Christian - November 7-8, 2003
North Carolina ECW - St. Timothy's, Winston-Salem - November 7-8, 2003
Central Florida ECW - St. Luke's Cathedral, Orlando - November 15, 2003
Upper South Carolina ECW - Church of the Advent, Spartanburg - January 24, 2004
South Carolina ECW - St. Philip's, Charleston - Saturday, April 24, 2004
Georgia ECW - Christ Church, St. Simon's Island - April 30 to May 1, 2004
Louisiana ECW - Baton Rouge - Saturday, May 1, 2004
East Carolina ECW - St. Mary's, Kinston - May 4, 2004

What is "the Communion of Saints"?

First of all, Communion of Saints, in New Testament Greek, is koinonia hagios, literally, fellowship of the holy ones. To put it another way, the communion of saints is the faithful believers, past, present and future. And we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone on before us. We can be faithful because they have laid the foundation stones for us. We are encouraged by their faith and perseverance. As we prepare to mark All Saints' Day on Sunday, November 2nd, let's take a closer look at Hebrews 11 and 12.

In Hebrews 11:1 - 12:3, there is a roll call of those who have gone on ahead of us, referred to as "a great cloud of witnesses." This large network of faithful believers who have contributed in some way to bringing us to faith are also known as "the communion of saints."

In the 11th Chapter of Hebrews, sometimes called faith's hall of fame, the following are listed: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses' parents, Moses, those who passed through the Red Sea on dry land, those who marched around the walls of Jericho, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. Not listed by name, but by deeds (v. 32-35) are Joshua, Deborah, Nehemiah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Elijah, Hezekiah, and Elisha. These heroes lived and died without seeing the fruit of their faith on earth and yet continued to believe.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus . . ." Hebrews 12:1-2

So, the communion of saints includes those who have gone on before us -- the faithful departed -- and we stand on their shoulders. But there's one thing missing -- you! Hebrews 12:2 goes on to say that "Jesus is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith." We are made perfect in Him, and the communion of saints is incomplete without all of us. We, with the saints, will be made perfect.

The Communion of Saints -- the faithful believers, past, present and future.