More Than a Committee: Advocacy in Action

When most people think of the PCNSW Women’s Ministry Committee (WMC), they think of the ways we encourage, resource and support women in our churches. And while that’s certainly part of our work, it’s not the whole picture.

Because we are an (GANSW) Assembly Committee, another crucial part of what we do is engage with the Assembly and other denominational committees. All of this work is to ensure the flourishing of all categories of women in the PCNSW - including congregation members, women employed in ministry and ministry wives.

Earlier this month, our Women's Minsitry Facilitators (Sylvia Siu and Anna Moss), and Convener (Rev Stephen Taylor), had the privilege of presenting a report on the work of the WMC to the General Assembly. Alongside our update, we brought forward the following deliverances, all of which were passed—most with strong support from the Assembly floor.

We especially want to draw your attention to Deliverance 5.

That the Assembly:

1. Encourage ministers and elders to advertise The Living Room and More than A Cake Stall to the women in their churches.
2. Request that the WMC continue its work and collaboration to support Deaconesses in their study; commissioning and providing support, including bringing recommendations to the Assembly where appropriate, to change processes where such change would improve the pathway for study and commissioning into pastoral roles.
3. Approve the WMC to proceed with fundraising for the work of the Committee, including through our website.
4. Thank the ministry wives who responded to the WMC survey for their time and thoughtfulness.
5. Request the Business Committee (in conjunction with the AAC) to consider an application by the Women’s Ministry Committee to finance, from the Assembly Fund, a two-day-a-week Ministry Wives Support Worker for the calendar years 2027 and 2028, costing approximately $70,000 a year, with the Business Committee to bring its recommendation back to next Assembly for final determination.
6. Request the WMC to continue to work with the Ministry and Mission Committee to promote and facilitate ministry wives support.
7. Support the WMC as they seek to identify and find “presbytery ministry wives champions”, who will use their existing ministry wives networks to support and resource ministry wives.
8. Support the WMC to develop and facilitate mentoring relationships between older/more experienced ministry wives and younger ministry wives.

Deliverance 5 concerns funding for a part-time support role for ministry wives. The Deliverance passed with approximately 85% of the vote—a clear sign that there is growing recognition across the church of the importance of care and connection for our ministry wives.

We’re particularly encouraged by this progress. If approved at the next Assembly, this role would be a first for the PCNSW: a paid chaplaincy-style position dedicated to supporting the wives of our ministers. This is a long-overdue step forward and brings us in line with the amazing work happening in PCV. It is also the the result of over a decade surveying the needs of Ministry Wives by the WMC and it's previous iterations (Women's Ministry Task Force, among others).

We’re excited by what it could mean for the wellbeing, longevity, and gospel fruitfulness of ministry families across our state and appreciate your continued prayers as we move towards the funding, formation and recruitment of this role.