The Diocesan Dialogue
Current Issue May 2007

Anglican Women Pledge Communion with One Another

By Kathy Horvat

I had the good fortune, once again, to be part of the delegation of Anglican Women gathered for the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women meetings in New York, Feb. 24 - March 6.

A group of women, originally organized by Phoebe Griswold wife of the previous Presiding Bishop, Frank Griswold) host this annual gathering of women from all over the world. This year there were over 80 of us, including about 25 from the Episcopal Church and the remainder from provinces across the world. For me, the experience again proved to be transforming.

The theme of the UNCSW meeting was "The Elimination of Discrimination and Violence Against the Girl Child." For that reason about a dozen girls also from around the world attended the meetings.

The time was full of workshops and panel discussions on the theme, which were presented by members of many non-governmental organizations from around the world. Many of the best of them were led by a variety of faith-based groups, including the Episcopalians.

In addition, we spent time together at morning and evening worship services, evening gettogethers and on the weekends. For me, one of the highlights, which characterized the spirit of the group was the spontaneous singing of songs like "Walking in the Light of God," where we wound up in a circle dance around the chapel.

It was thrilling to be together with so many outstanding women from around the globe. Bonds of sisterhood have led us to make the following statement:

In the name of God, Saviour, Redeemer, and Giver of Life.

We, the women of the Anglican Communion gathered in New York as the Anglican Consultative Council delegation to the 51st Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, and as members of the International Anglicans Womens Network representing the diversity of women drawn from across the world wide Anglican Communion, wish to reiterate our previously stated unequivocal commitment to remaining always in "communion" with and for one another.

We remain resolute in our solidarity with one another in our commitment, above all else, to pursue and fulfill God’s mission in all we say and do.

Given the global tensions so evident in our Church today, we do not accept that there is any one issue of difference or contention which can, or indeed would ever cause us to break our unity as represented by our common baptism. Neither would we ever consider severing the deep abiding bonds of affection which characterize our relationships as Anglican women.

We have been challenged in our time together be the desperately urgent issues of life and death faced by countless numbers of women and children in our communities. As a diverse delegation, we prayerfully reflected on these needs.

We thus reaffirm the conclusion of the statement presented by our delegation to this year’s session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women:

This sisterhood of suffering is at the heart of our theology and our commitment to transforming the whole world through peace with justice. Rebuilding and reconciling the world is central to our faith.
Amen

Kathy Horvat is a member of the Cathedral Chur ch of St. Mark

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