Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women celebrates 30 years

PC(USA) oldest and largest mission partner to meet in Louisville

by Gail Strange | Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE — Presbyterian Women from across the country will gather in Louisville August 2-5 to celebrate the 2018 Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women (PW). Susan Jackson Dowd, executive director of Presbyterian Women, Inc., said she is pleased PW, Inc., is bringing the triennial PW Churchwide Gathering back to Louisville for its 30-year anniversary celebration.

“This year’s conference will feature dynamic speakers from throughout the church,” said Jackson Dowd. “Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri, will again be among her PW sisters at the Churchwide Gathering, this time as co-moderator of the 223d General Assembly (2018).”

Jackson Dowd added that “the organization, the oldest and largest mission partner of the PC(USA), is 230 years old, but 2018 marks 30 years since church and women’s organization reunion. Participants will enjoy worship, education and mission opportunities, and other activities related to the PW purpose. Of the more than 1,500 registered participants, 35 are global partners and ecumenical guests.”

Other speakers include Ruth Santana-Grace, executive presbyter, Presbytery of Philadelphia; Katherine Blankenship, housing case manager, Homeward Bound Western North Carolina; Marisol Jiménez, Tepeyac consulting founder; Jieun Han, associate for leadership development and recruitment for leaders of color, Racial Equity & Women’s Intercultural Ministries; Ruth-Aimée Belonni-Rosario Govens, chief enrollment management officer, Columbia Theological Seminary. PC(USA) Stated Clerk J. Herbert Nelson and Presbyterian Mission Agency Executive Director Diane Givens Moffett will also participate in the Gathering.

Gathering participants and Louisville community leaders will take part in a march for equity and justice for the people of Louisville’s economically deprived and neglected area known as West Louisville.

“We recognize the racial segregation of the past has left lasting scars in communities all over the nation,” said Wanda Beauman, national vice moderator for Justice and Peace (J&P) Concerns on the Board of Directors. The national Justice & Peace committee is organizing the march. “Discriminatory lending practices, economic disadvantage and social disparities contribute to isolation of communities and injustice against the persons living in those communities”

“Justice and peace issues touch every area of the work that we do as Presbyterian Women, and as we return to Louisville for our 30 Year Celebration, we continue to be energized and committed to raising awareness, providing education, and implementing solutions so that there is equity for all of God’s People. Transforming racism into reconciliation requires recognition, repentance and reparation,” she added.

Beauman said Presbyterian Women hopes the march raises awareness of this issue confronting West Louisville in hopes that it will lead to the transformation of the area.

The Stepping Out for Justice and Peace march themed “Ninth Street Divide” will take place on Friday, August 3. Participants will march from the Galt House Hotel to Ninth Street to the Muhammad Ali Center.

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For more information about the PW Gathering visit presbyterian women.org/gathering.