Episcopal Church Women: The First Hundred Years part 9

Episcopal Church Women: The First Hundred Years part 9

This story is excerpted from Episcopal Church Women of Minnesota: The First Hundred Years, published in 1982 and reprinted in 2020. 

The next two decades were turbulent ones for the country at large (1952–1962; 1962–1972). [The] Supreme Court outlawed segregation in the public schools (1954) and [Congress] passed the Civil Rights Act (1964). During the 1950s, however, the Episcopal Church was [affected little by the turbulence], and the Auxiliary prospered financially, although there seems to have been some decline in study.

The Auxiliary and its associates apparently had many involvements outside their direct commitments. For example, in 1955, women of the Diocese collected gold, silver, platinum, and money for an Alms Basin for Ingatherings of UTO. Made by Gorham, it is twenty-two inches in diameter and three inches deep. That same year, the Girls’ Friendly Society, which was then at its height in Minnesota (just before a decline), entertained the National Assembly at Carleton; the Diocese of Minnesota entertained the Anglican Congress, the Auxiliary contributing $5000 to its support, sponsoring a luncheon for 14,000 at the Nicollet Hotel, and working unceasingly in arranging housing and transportation for visitors; Bishop Keeler and the Diocese celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of his elevation to Bishop (the Auxiliary assisting); and the Diocese dedicated a new Diocesan Center (Lane House), which the Auxiliary helped to furnish.

The Auxiliary was also concerned with its own self and its own welfare. First, it, too, celebrated an anniversary—its seventy-fifth, and, as a memento of the occasion, Bishop and Mrs. Kellogg presented a silver tea service, used now on “great” occasions. Second, the Auxiliary dropped the word “Auxiliary,” as the national organization had already done, and, on May 26, 1959, it became EPISCOPAL CHURCHWOMEN OF MINNESOTA. Wrote Bishop McNairy, “. . . the women of the Diocese are not and never have been an ‘adjunct’ to the Church, but rather an integral and tangible part of our whole effort in Christ’s name.” For the first time since 1882, women of the Church were not, technically or otherwise, members of a dependent organization, but a division of the Church.

This whole decade was an expansive one and most of the now-140 Auxiliaries (some of them so small as to be little more than reminders of one-time missions) paid their full Apportionments (totals: 1952— $13,800; 1961— $26,388.) Early in the decade, this was divided between expenditures stipulated by the national organization and Diocesan needs; by the end, 97% stayed within the Diocese.

How did Apportionment affect Episcopal Churchwomen (ECW)? It was a bonanza, if there ever was one, and there is no doubt that it made increases in Supply and Christian Social Relations (CSR) possible.

The Supply Department, for instance, now had an assured $4000 a year (this figure does not include many gifts in both money and kind) and it sent several hundred layettes during the ten years, plus medical and other supplies to such places as Alaska, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Liberia, Japan, missions in the Dakotas—but mostly to our own Sioux and Dakotah parishes. Supply now bought everything wholesale (a great financial advantage) and when it sent materials to groups to sew, it was often sent pre-cut, particularly if it were to be made in Chinese style.

CSR during this period was a conglomerate which needed considerable funding, and it too was pleased with Apportionment. It was now able to do such disparate things as (1) continue the Parshall Fund, which had been pledged in perpetuity to the Indian field by the Auxiliary of the Diocese of Duluth in memory of the Reverend Mr. Parshall, (2) help [. . . American] Indians [living in urban areas]; (3) build or repair Church installations at Onigum, Rice Lake, Ponsford, Squaw Lake, Naytahwaush—not to mention the chapel and kitchen at St. Timothy’s at the University of Minnesota and also at Cass Lake; (4) to meet with legislators to discuss migrant or refugee problems and (5) to develop packets of information for members on questions of social import.

UTO, of course, has never been dependent on Budget; however, it should be noted that the generosity apparent in paid-Apportionment also appeared in Blue-Box giving. In fact, Triennial contributions from the women of Minnesota were: in 1955—$58,133.68; in 1958— $66,729.67; in 1962—$72,100.15.

Other departments which were not as large or did not require as much financing also functioned well. Christian Education, for one, brought national directives to deaneries, distributed information about Church work, readied material for conferences (Carleton Conference was still favored and useful), and workshops. It also prepared an excellent handbook (a project which continued for many years) which was bound with the yearbook. Personnel, another, spent a good deal of time trying to interest young women in professional Church work and usually had at least one person registered either at Windham House or St. Margaret’s. Last, affiliated ecumenical organizations such as School of Missions and Church Women United interpreted their work to ECW.

Departments came and went in this decade. The Speakers’ Bureau disappeared; but new to the scene were Devotions, the President’s Advisory Council, Lane House Guild, the Diocesan Altar Guild, which replaced similar organizations, and Indian Crafts. The latter undertook to sell the work of Indians at their shop or at Church gatherings. They were successful in their efforts, and by 1961 had sold $34,902.81 worth, proceeds going to the artisans, except for a small bonus which was returned to the missions. Listed in the yearbooks, also, are numerous cooperating agencies: St. Luke’s Service League, St. Barnabas Hospital Auxiliary, Women’s Association of the Episcopal Foundation, and Breck School Auxiliary.

In the course of these affluent years, the Treasurer of the ECW accumulated considerable surplus. Because of that and because small parishes were having trouble paying their share, it was decided to lower Apportionment to 2.5% (eventually—1.25%). At the same time, ECW decided to use some of its surplus as follows: Church Home Building—$10,000; several Diocesan schools—in toto—$2,000; Cass Lake kitchen—$500; Scholarships for Seminarians— $1,000.