As the annual Fellowship Day service approaches, we are reminded of Rev. Winifred Kiek and her many contributions to highlighting the value and work of Christian women and the tireless support they give to their churches and communities. The most well-known legacy of Rev. Winifred Kiek is the scholarship that bears her name. Now known as the Winifred Kiek Memorial Scholarship (WKMS), it is still recognised by the members of Australian Church Women (ACW) as having played a significant part in the herstory of ACW.
Even though a new relationship has been established between Churches Together SA (South Australian Council of Churches) and the Winifred Kiek Memorial Scholarship, Australian Church Women still supports and promotes this scholarship. The main avenue of support and promotion continues to be through the ACW Fellowship Day services, and the offerings received are forwarded to the WKMS Trustees in South Australia.
Trawling, once again, through the archived papers of Australian Church Women, I came across a short devotional written by Rev. Winifred Kiek in 1972, in her later years. This is possibly one of the last devotionals that she wrote, as she died on 23 May 1975, aged 90. It was prepared for the biennial Circle of Prayer devotional booklet that is published by the International Committee for the Fellowship of the Least Coin (ICFLC), and ACW submitted it on her behalf.
Here is Rev. Winifred Kiek’s devotional:
God's Helpful Servant
READING:
Luke 2, v.45–52
2 Timothy 2, v.15
When we hear the commandments “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength and thy neighbour as thyself,” we often think most about loving our neighbour and do not pay much heed to the first part, which is equally important. To love one another adequately, we must be adequate servants of God, as Paul tells Timothy. Our heart and soul must feel and our mind and strength must understand and be equipped. God has given to each of us some ability to use for Him. It is our duty to develop all our powers for His service.
Some, such as those who study in Australia by means of the Winifred Kiek Scholarship, He has chosen to be leaders. They need our loyalty and moral support, for leaders need faithful followers to build up a band of God-fearing people. Followers too, need to be fitted and furnished to carry on His work in the world. Let us then seek every opportunity to qualify ourselves mentally for the place which God calls us to fill. Heart, soul, mind and strength must all be devoted to Him.
PRAYER: Lord, help me to be the best that I can be. Take my skills and abilities, my intellect and strength and fit them to fulfil Thy purposes. Help me to devote to Thee my mind and all my powers. Give, I pray Thee, to scholarship holders and students, patience and perseverance, and help all people to grow in heart and soul and mind and strength.
Winifred Kiek, South Australia.
A reminder that the Winifred Kiek Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually and it provides opportunity for the successful applicant to:
further her theological training or
attend a conference or study program that supports her work in her church or community or
use the funds to develop and support a designated educational or charitable project for women.
The applications for the 2024 scholarship closed on 31 May 2023, and it will be awarded to a Christian woman who is a resident of Australia. Applications for 2025 will be available several weeks before the closing date of 31 May 2024.
Click here for further information on the Winifred Kiek Memorial Scholarship, its history and the past recipients.
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