ACW Spring Conference and AGM

TOP TEN SIGNS OF A GOOD WOMEN’S SPRING CONFERENCE

10     Great hospitality!  Coffee pots were never empty (thanks to the hosting women of St. James parish, Saskatoon), and the supply of muffins and cookies was inexhaustible (thanks to women from the Saskatoon Deanery) at the Spring Women’s Conference Meeting for Anglican women of the Diocese of Saskatoon, Saturday, April 2, 2011.   To carry on the hospitality, Mary McKay proudly led women to experience the rich heritage of St. James parish by taking them on a tour of the building. 

9       Women greeting and meeting other women!  Carol Prymyk brought greetings from women of the Diocese of Saskatchewan; and Ruth Hiebert, brought greetings from the Catholic Women’s League. … Strangers who met strangers at table groupings, are strangers no longer. 

8       Caring and laughter!  It was a time where a friend could tell a friend that she had lettuce in her teeth – and did. … Women smiled as Elta Fae Marlor and Marion Pope portrayed Mary and Martha discussing attending a second Women’s Retreat in a dramatization entitled “Mary and Martha Seek Faith Lifts”.  (Pst!  Don’t YOU miss the second Women’s Retreat, Sept. 16 – 18, 2011 at the Queen’s House of Retreats, Saskatoon.  Theme:  “Fill My Soul, O God:  Spiritual Nurture Through our Senses!”) 

7       Sharing and learning!  Splashs of colours  abounded from over thirty afghans carefully knit/crocheted and assembled by people all across the Diocese for those in need.  … Excellent displays described Camp Okema, PWRDF, our ACW, our relationship with women from Guyana and Cuba, as well as our Diocesan ACW Book of Remembrance, and 10000 Villages provided a great market table.

6       Learning new ways of reaching out!  Patronness Joan Irving profiled the different ways we could help build simple new homes for those in have-not areas of the world, some of whom presently live in cardboard shelters.

5       Full list of officers received!  A full slate of women – including several new faces – agreed to stand for nomination to the 2011 Board of Diocesan Anglican Church Women!

4       Joy received through song!  "Kneeling at His Feet:  Praising our King" – a musical experience with Alison Uitti -- taught us that, for the singer and the listener, singing in praise of God makes music more than just a song.  We can now understand more clearly what St. Augustine was supposedly to have said, that “those who sing, pray twice". 

3       Seeds were planted, plants nourished!  The Conference theme was “It’s Your Turn to Bloom”.  Theme speaker, Rev. Dianne Mesh of St. James parish, helped women to understand that through Christ’s nurture, they can chose to bloom where they are planted, and that each one is responsible for her own ‘blooming’. …  Flowers decorated the hall through seed packets, name tags, flower pens, posters, and powerpoint presentations. 

2       Expectations heightened!  Finding ‘new’ ways of worshipping and be-ing Christ’s church feels more possible and realistic with the acceptance of a new set of Guidelines for Diocesan Anglican Church Women in our Diocese. 

1       Christ was #1!  Christ was the head of the Conference; His Spirit touched the hearts of many. 

2011 Board Members, back row l to r, Rosemarie Katzell (Public Relations), Rev. Paula Foster (Devotions), Merce Montgomery (Archives), Bishop David Irving (Patron); middle row, Eva Shabits (Book of Remembrance), Betty Anne Horbay (Life Members Secretary), Sharon Buchinski (Eastern Deanery rep.), Joan Irving (Patronness); front row, Bev Otsuka (Secretary), Bonnie Milman (Treasurer), Nancy Yee (Vice President), Gloria Rogue (Mission & Social Action), Marion Pope (Co-President)|, Elaine Hrycenko (Co-President).  Missing:  Jacqueline Plante (Programs) and Elaine Ogilvy (Saskatoon Deanery Rep.).