“The Love of Christ Constraineth Us”
Canada’s Centennial Year, 1967 – the 80th anniversary of the Women’s Auxiliary in Diocese of Huron held their two-day annual meeting at St. Paul’s Cathedral on Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 April 1967. The “Life Members” (30 in number) held their meeting at 10:30 Tuesday, and following lunch the Life Members joined the Women’s Auxiliary for their meeting.
W.A. President Mrs. K.E. (Elspeth) Taylor welcomed The Rt. Rev’d G.N. Luxton, Bishop of Huron who welcomed delegates and visitors “being this year of the Centennial”. Bishop Luxton was assisted by Very Rev’d K.B. Keefe, Dean of Huron, plus 8 other priests (over 425 communicants).
In the past there had been meetings/discussions at many levels re changes within the governing body of the Women’s Auxiliary to Anglican Church Women.
Mrs. Glenn Gilbert, President of the Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Michigan U.S.A. brought greetings. During her greetings, Mrs. Gilbert said in part, “hang on to your full title of the Anglican Church Women in correspondence and conversation and don’t let yourselves or others reduce it to mere initials A.C.W. – initials are so meaningless.”
What next – where do we go now?
Fast forward – 2021:
With the outbreak of COVID the world had changed and with it our lives. Which seems forever. But there is hope in the horizon.
The Anglican Church Women have recently held ZOOM meetings, the first one on March 18, with the leadership of Rev. Patsy Allison (our Chaplain).
There have been changes in the Executive: Barbara Jackson, President, Pam Walters, Vice President, Bonnie Rees, Treasurer & Brenda Seaton, Recording Secretary.
Plans are in the making for an one- day Retreat for “Prayer & Reflection” in September 2021 for Council members, and the planning of the Anglican Women’s Annual Meeting & Conference in April 2022.
With the outbreak of COVID will things be the same as in the past year?
I doubt it, but with the dedication of the ladies and hard work in their churches in the Diocese of Huron, supporting their own church and charities in their area, we will survive as the A.C.W. Council look to explore new ideas and ways to encourage and support the deaneries.
L. Ellen (Ellie) Eldridge, A.C.W. Office Secretary
(Photo: ACW Huron representatives with Primate Fred Hiltz at the diocesan Synod, 2018)
Parts of the above info from archives - 29 pg W.A. 1967 Report- errors & omissions are mine. The history of the Women’s Auxiliary and the Anglican Church Women was written by Mary Lupton (A.C.W. 1990) “Our History – 1886 – 2002” (ine copy in A.C.W. office.)