Sometimes the creation of a movement is
a simple as someone saying, ‘This worked for me, why don’t you try it too and
if you’d like, we’ll work together’.
Kim Polhemus is passionate about gender
equality. As a member of Anglican Women’s Empowerment, she knows she can make a
difference in the lives of women globally. This background was the impetus
behind Kim starting a Women’s Global Mission group with her friend Kris Cassar
at their parish, St. John’s Episcopal, New Milford, CT.
With the success of this group, the idea
for replicating the group into a network was born. Women’s Global Mission
Network engages the women of the Diocese of CT and creates a platform to partner
her faith and her passion for gender justice. She found other women had the
same intentional themes in their lives. It is brilliant to connect the dots,
create a network, paving the way to enhancing the lives of marginalized women and
girls around the world.
A launch event was held in January, 60 women from the Diocese of CT attended. The women received a package of material designed
to create and maintain their own parish group. The materials provide ways to
gather the women, educate the parish, including action steps and a plan to create
a mission focus (for example; girls’ education, elimination of violence against
women and girls or the trafficking of women and girls). The format is flexible
and allows each group to start at its own comfort level. The material also shares
resources that will allow the women within each parish group to come to the
same level of understanding about the issues faced by our global sisters.
The Network currently has 10 parishes
with active Women’s Global Mission groups. A monthly e-news and Face Book page
keep everyone current on what is happening with other groups. The entire network
of women will gather 3 times a year to connect, collaborate and support each
other.
With the addition of each new parish
group, the network is reborn, along with the excitement of new possibilities. If
you would like to receive information on starting your own Women’s Global
Mission group please contact Kim Polhemus at womensglobalmission@gmail.com
In Kim’s words,” We knew the hope of creating a Network would be realized at our first meeting with the Diocesan Canon for Mission Development by their response and generous offers of help. I’ll never forget walking away from that first meeting. Kris and I were so excited we linked arms, looked at each other and said at the same time, ‘This is going to be BIG!!’
And that prediction is turning out to be accurate. New parish groups have joined the network each month since the launch event was held last winter. The Network currently has 10 parishes with active Women’s Global Mission groups and continues to grow.
Rosemary Williams launched Currency of the Heart to inspire readers to “pay it forward” from the heart’s most precious currency. We’d love to hear from you! To share your story or to request permission to republish this blog post, please email rosemarycwilliams@gmail.com.
© 2013 Rosemary Williams
© 2013 Rosemary Williams
