Women of St. Stephen's

Women often ask, “How do I join the Women of St. Stephen’s?” The answer is that as a member of St. Stephen's, you are one of us and you have available to you a number of opportunities for ministry. During the year from October to May, the Women of St. Stephen's (our parish chapter of the Episcopal Church Women) sponsor The Woman’s Forum. These meetings are on the first Tuesday of the month and you and your friends are cordially invited to attend (including men). In addition to the fun, fellowship and education of the Forum, there are numerous volunteer possibilities through the Women of St. Stephen's.

United Thank Offering

The United Thank Offering distributes grants to local, diocesan, national and international recipients using the collective offerings of individuals throughout the Episcopal Church. The small blue offering boxes enable a spiritual discipline of giving thanks to God through the tangible symbol of coins or bills placed in the box. You can pick up a box near Information Central in the parish house and place it wherever you will remember to give thanks for your blessings, such as a desk, dining table, bedside or windowsill. Twice a year--once in spring, once in fall--there is an ingathering of these offerings during worship services. The Women of St. Stephen's send these collective offerings to the diocesan Episcopal Church Women, and from there, our diocesan offering is combined with those of other dioceses. Read more about UTO here.

Dates for UTO ingatherings in 2011-12 are Sunday, November 11, 2012, and Sunday, April 14, 2013.

Grants

The Women of St. Stephen's award grants with the proceeds from May Fair House sales and trips and tours. The grant application deadline for 2013 is April 19, 2013. The grant application may be downloaded here, printed and completed by hand. Another version of the form is available here, which can be completed on a computer.

A list of grants awarded by the Women of St. Stephen's in 2012, totalling over $30,000, is available here.

The Woman's Forum

Programs take place on the first Tuesday of the month (October-May – with a break in January). No registration is required. A schedule of programs for 2012-13 is here.

Trips and Tours

The Women of St. Stephen's sponsor trips and tours to provide opportunities for fellowship as well as to raise additional funds for their outreach grants.

May Fair House--282-3004

The Women of St. Stephen's run the May Fair House, a gift shop, whose proceeds fund outreach grants made by the organization. Shop hours are 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday-Thursday, and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, October through May. Read more about May Fair House here.

Additional information

The Women of St. Stephen's produce a brochure each year listing volunteer opportunities and the contact people for each; speakers for the monthly Woman’s Forum; and other information. Copies are mailed to all women who are members of St. Stephen's. Additional copies are available at Information Central and outside the May Fair House.

Women of St. Stephen's Board

Officers

President: Beverly Bates, 285-2102 (email)

1st Vice President: Jan Orgain, 784-3165

Recording Secretary: Eleanor Washburn, 750-2418

Corresponding Secretary: Kay Clary, 285-8453

Treasurer: Barbara Cone, 282-8882

Assistant Treasurer: Leslie Brockman, 288-8805

Past President: Rosemary Wood, 741-6088

Committee Chairmen

Altar Guild: Fern Newsom, 288-9461; Anne Burnett, 358-8144

Book of Remembrance: Kay Clary, 285-8453

Christian Social Outreach: Rosemary Wood, 741-6088; Tibby Gardner, 740-6123

Circle 1: Fern Newsom, 288-9461; Marti Thomas, 784-3450

Coffee Guild: Susan H. Armstrong, 285-1797; Sally Ayers, 353-8644

Gracious Gourmets: Dabney McCoy, 355-6387

Grants Committee: Justin Frackelton, 741-7848

Hospitality: Gail Waechter, 282-5373

May Fair House: Justin Frackelton, 741-7848; Bonny Hamrick, 285-7080

Trips/Tours: Marti Thomas, 784-3450

United Thank Offering: Jane Rowe, 217-5236

Volunteer Opportunities

When you look at the list of committee chairs above, you will have some idea of the kinds of volunteer opportunities that are available through the Women of St. Stephen's. For descriptions of these opportunities, follow this link.