Triennial Meetings of the Women of the Episcopal Church. Records

EA-00-R0161

The Archives of the Episcopal Church

Fonds

Triennial Meetings of the Women of the Episcopal Church. Records

• 1943-1977 (Creation)

3 cu.ft. (3 boxes)

In 1871, the General Convention authorized The Woman's Auxiliary to the Board of Missions to coordinate the work formerly conducted by a large number of isolated women's missionary societies. The Triennial Meetings began in 1874 when the women resolved to meet as a self-governing body concurrently with General Convention, from which women were excluded. During the Triennium of 1956-1958, women's work in the Church was reorganized and the Auxiliary transitioned into a division of the National Council renamed the General Division of Women's Work. Rejecting auxiliary status, diocesan organizations began to rename themselves the Episcopal Church Women (ECW). The ambiguous status of the women of the church accounts for a number of Triennial meetings being primarily organized by various ad hoc committees until the 1985 gathering, which formally established the ECW and declared themselves the successor body of the Woman’s Auxiliary (later recognized by Executive Council vote). It assumed responsibility for coordinating women's activities in the Church and for organizing the Triennial gatherings.

These records span the years 1943 to 1976 but are very limited from 1943 to 1961. From 1964 to 1976 the records include minutes, committee reports, correspondence, delegate lists, financial reports, election records, and related mailings and printed materials. The records of the President of the 1976 Triennial Meeting, Pamela Chinnis, who later became the first female President of the House of Deputies, are feature prominently. Of note are addresses given by notable women leaders, including Verna Dozier, Marion Kelleran, Letty Russell, and Carmen Hunter.

Women’s Triennial Meetings, 1943–1961 [National Council]
Women’s Triennial Meetings, 1964–1977 [Executive Council]

Access to Episcopal Church records is governed by the Archives Public Access Policy. Research requests must be submitted in writing.

The Archives is able to respond to limited requests for reproductions subject to copyright restrictions, internal policy, and the condition of the source documents.

• English

• Woman's Auxiliary and the General Division of Women's Work. Records
• Emery, Mary Abbott and Julia Chester. Papers
• Triennial Meetings of the Women of the Episcopal Church. Records

• Women’s ministries
• Women in the Episcopal Church
• Women
• Woman's Auxiliary

• Chinnis, Pamela P. (Pamela Pauly) (Subject)
• Dozier, Verna J. (Subject)
• Kelleran, Marion (Subject)
• Russell, Letty (Subject)
• Hunter, Carmen (Subject)

• Photographs
• Audio recordings