Every July the Women’s Ministry Committee makes a presentation to the General Assembly. For the first few years of our existence our emphasis in this report was how best to employ and support our Women’s Ministry Facilitators (Anna Moss & Sylvia Siu). But last year we distributed a paper throughout the state, “Co-Heirs and Co-Workers: The Engagement of Women in Decision Making Forums of the PCNSW” and this year we are planning to discuss the feedback we received from that report with the Assembly. Especially…

• How can we establish and maintain a framework where women are involved in disciplinary and complaints procedures in our Assembly?
• How can we encourage our Presbyteries to engage women of suitable character, commitment and training when they are dealing with parish visitations, ministry candidates as well as their own complaints and disciplinary processes?
• How can we encourage our Sessions to consider how best to identify, train and set apart women of suitable character, commitment and training to help them with the pastoral care and decision-making processes that operate within their Church?

The WMC sees these as important issues that will be debated for a number of years. Hence it is planning a top down as well as abottom-up strategy. Top down meaning we hope to raise these topics in debate and look to bring motions that will encourage the Assembly, Presbytery and Sessions to think through these matters more carefully. And bottom up hoping that as more and more Churches engage with these issues, good and healthy models of complementarian ministry will be established and these can be shared throughout the denomination.

Please pray for the WMC.

• For wisdom in bringing proposals.
• For perseverance as it seeks to slowly bring about changes.
• And for a growth in fruitful ministry within our Church as more men and women work together to facilitate healthy Church practises. 

Stephen Taylor
Convenor – Women’s Ministry Committee