National Event Was Challenging Yet Rewarding For Local CWU President

By Darlene Jackson

I was privileged to be one of five Connecticut members of the state board of Church Women United (CWU) to attend the 2008 Ecumenical Women’s Gathering of the CWU in Independence, Mo.

“Claim a New Vision Together — Envision, Equip, Empower, Engage” was the theme of the gathering, which was held June 19–22. The host church was the international headquarters of the Community of Christ. It was exciting and exhausting to be among the more than thousand representatives from around the world, representing more than 20 protestant denominations, who participated in a jam-packed week of workshops, celebrations, forums, and small groups.

We enjoyed marvelous speakers, fine music, and great food provided by the hosts.

Thursday through Sunday morning we celebrated with praise music, choir music (in which I was privileged to participate), theatrics, dance, dialogues, and rousing energizing exercises introduced by our member from the Philippines.

One of the most rewarding experiences was the small group that each delegate was assigned and that met each day of the conference. It was a small group that in a very personal and intimate way sought to help each of us tackle the four E’s of the conference theme. We shared, we sang, we sometimes wept, and we truly engaged the spirit of our God.

Each delegate selected a choice of eight possible workshops out of 56 topics issued before the conference. Then, according to demand and numbers, we were assigned to at least a selection of workshops from our list of choices.

Topics I chose were “Join the Ribbon of Tangible Hope — From Raw Material to the Streets,” “Be Still and Know…Deep Peace,” “Do You Know My Story? Biblical Women Survivors of Violence,” “From the Treetop to the Table Top,” “Hearing, Seeing and Experiencing the Voice of God,” “Caring for God’s Creation: Our Environmental Mission,” “Something to Crow About: CWU 101,” and “Diversity of Faith Groups: How to Find and Understand the Diversity of Your Community.” I was assigned to the workshop on The Ribbon of Tangible Hope and the Biblical Women Survivors of Violence.

The Ribbon of Tangible Hope was my “special” workshop because our Newtown CWU unit recently completed its “ribbon,” which I had taken to the conference to display. It was also a very moving workshop conducted by Martha Dewarf, who brought hundreds of the “ribbons” from all over the country to display.

Particularly moving was Poetess Justine Merritt, who read her 1975 poem “Hiroshima,” which sparked the remarkable ribbon event that embraced 17 miles of metropolitan Washington, D.C., with 27,000 handcrafted symbols from many nations on the 40th anniversary the atomic bombs dropped in Japan. Her poetry can be read in her current book, Journey, which begins with a poem called, “Job,” which was essentially a suicide note and plea to God.

Particularly moving was Ms Merritt, who had obviously suffered, perhaps a stroke. She appeared in walker with a seat attached. She looked feeble, but she stood and read her poetry with a firm and aching heart. She was remarkable and very moving.

Others at the workshop spoke of their experience with the “ribbons” that are now symbols of the yearning for peace all over the world.

My roommate was Elizabeth Ricci, the president of CWU/Greater Danbury Unit and the State Board Denominational Chairperson.

Others attending were the state CWU co-presidents and vice president. Housing was in and around Kansas City. We were shuttled in by school bus to the convention headquarters in Independence each morning between 7 and 8 am and returned after the evening celebrations at about 10 or 11 pm.

The people we met were wonderful, the food was delicious and served by members of the host church (whose average age was 82), but the hours and toting of all our materials was always a challenge that was tiring, but certainly rewarding.

(Darlene Jackson of Newtown is the president of the Newtown unit of Church Women United. She also serves on CWU’s state board as Western Region Chairperson and UCC denominational chair.)