What's Brand New and honors women of the church?

The answer:
The new perpetual calendar
published by the Episcopal Women's History Project!

The Episcopal Women's History Project has published its new perpetual calendar honoring women of the church's past who have made significant contributions to their local churches. The first such calendar honored women well-known for their achievements in the church's history; this current one honors women who are known only to their particular churches and communities in which they labored long and hard and largely unsung beyond their geographical parameters. Yet of the efforts and courage of such little-known saints is the church in its present strength ad service constructed. The text and photos of the twelve women in the new calendar were brought to the attention of the Episcopal Women's History Project by means of an essay contest in which women throughout the church were encouraged to discover, research and write about significant women in the lives of their parish churches.

Among the women currently honored in the calendar:

• Irene Parker (1915-1998)
  "her actions were truly visionary in the years when women were beginning to struggle for a larger role in their parish community…"
  
  
• Lois Clark (1910-1985)
  "a spiritual woman, living the Gospel, witnessing to the love of God, and quietly loving everyone…"
  
  
• The Rev. Mother Ruth, CHS (1897-1986)
  "she had a voracious intellect, an intense prayer life, and a strong desire to make life better for the poor and neglected…"
  

These are just three of the twelve and the calendar lists many more facts about the lives of each of them. They are shining examples of what women have contributed to the church, without praise, without recognition, the important lesson here for all of us being that they did it for the love of Christ and the church.

The calendar provides adequate space on each of its twelve pages to list important information such as a line of prayer, a birthday, a saint's day, or other personal note.

The calendars make delightful and meaningful gifts for mothers, daughters, good friends, parish churches and yes-even for husbands, priests and other men of the church! The purchase price of each calendar constitutes a tax-exempt gift to the Episcopal Women's History Project.

You may purchase your perpetual calendar by writing a check for $12 ($10 for the calendar, $2 for mailing) to the Episcopal Women's History Project, and mailing it to:

Rev. Bindy Snyder
539 Cherry
Memphis TN 38117-3624