On Tuesday 11 February 2020, Australian Church Women will celebrate 55 years since our constitution was ratified and our national body was born.
So much has taken place over these 55 years since the founding of our organisation, and when I browse through our National Archives I am continually surprised by the accomplishments of our members, past and present.
I see so many capable, yet humble women acknowledged in our records. Women who didn’t seek honours or look for the limelight, yet flourished in their service to others in the name of Jesus.
Quite a contrast to many of the women featured today on television and social media. They are often highlighted because they are self-seeking or intent on bullying and humiliating others, as they scramble to position themselves in the best light. And that best light is usually for another self-glorifying ‘selfie’. They've obviously never heard my grandmother's personal motto:
It's nice to be important but more important to be nice.
Fortunately, we still have many Christian women in the world, young and not so young, who don’t follow a self-centred path but instead are dedicated to following Jesus and serving others. And Australian Church Women has been blessed to have so many godly women in its ranks, serving others and the Kingdom of God throughout the past 55 years.
Mysteries are being solved
Thanks are extended to those members who have responded to one of my requests for information, posted on this blog on 7 November 2019. They have advised me that the Christian names of Mrs A Dougan is Elsie, Mrs CF Gribble is Isobel and Mrs HJ Lilley is Lorna. This cooperation and helpfulness is what endears Australian Church Women to me.
During a new search through the ACW National Minutes, I happened to see another reference to Mrs Edna Beales, Australia’s representative at the 1962 Asian Church Women’s Conference (refer post on 27 December 2019). In the minutes of 1 June 1966 Mrs Olga Badger, the 1966 delegate to the ACWC, reported: ‘that Mrs. E.G. Beales, who had attended a previous Conference of Asian Church Women, had given her some token gifts – Australian polished stones – for passing on to those who would provide hospitality, etc.’
Another interesting little snippet that demonstrates the strong bond that has been in place between the Asian Church Women’s Conference and Australian Church Women for almost six decades.
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