ACW Members Give Thanks for Life-giving Relationships

All Saints’ Cathedral hosted two mid-week services on the same afternoon during the first week of Advent. Many of the participants in the Anglican Church Women (ACW) Reunion Communion service stayed on for the ordination to the priesthood of the Rev. Christa Eisbrenner.

Bishop Stephen London welcomed ACW members to their annual gathering of worship and fellowship at the Cathedral.

“One of the things I love about the ACW is that you are an active sign that we are not just individual and isolated churches across central Alberta, but we are a family of churches that gather to proclaim the Gospel and build each other up to do the work of ministry.

“You embody our Anglican church vision that we are a diocesan-wide group that loves and supports each other to do ministry together.”

While the ACW (once called the WA) pre-exists the Edmonton diocese and every parish had an ACW chapter, its membership has been declining and today only 12 chapters remain. 

Although the ministry of the ACW once included parish meal catering, fundraisers and bake sales, the aging membership is focusing on fostering friendships and caring for others.

“Many of you will know that at our last Synod, in October, the whole diocese reflected on the challenges of being the church today. You (ACW) remind us of the purpose of our church structures: to strengthen and encourage relationships; good, wholesome, life-giving relationships, relationships with God the Almighty through Jesus Christ, relationships with one another,” said Bishop Stephen.

Following the service, which included the Eucharist celebrated by the Ven. Alexandra Meek, Dean of Edmonton, ACW members recognised and gave thanks for the ministry of Willa Gorman who is in her 20th year as editor of the ACW quarterly newsletter In Touch, which she took on as a retirement project in the winter of 2004.