The love of Jesus calls us, in swiftly changing days,
To be God’s co-creators in new and wondrous ways,
That God with men and women may so transform the earth,
That love and peace and justice may give God’s kingdom birth.
The last verse of the Anglican Church Women hymn, The Love of Jesus Calls Us, provides an excellent framework for what the Anglican Church Women Diocesan Board is evolving into. The Board chose as its theme for 2022/23 Embracing Change in New and Wondrous Ways, taking the phrase New and Wondrous Ways directly from that last verse of The Love of Jesus Calls Us. The Anglican Church Women Diocesan Board is imagining itself in a new and wondrous way and here are the broad strokes of what its successor organization will look like:
- A gender inclusive/gender expansive entity that requires a name change! What is proposed is APP – Anglicans Powering Potential.
- A change of purpose to be distinctive and, ideally, “irresistible. Using the strength of its endowment funds and its fundraising ability, along with a social justice background and partnership-building capacity, to act more as a financial resource for innovative / creative ministry in the diocese and beyond, so evolving to a mini foundation-type entity.
- Collaborative with church and community entities in order to power its newly identified purpose of “enhancing capacity for creative ministry”.
- We are imagining a likely social transformational focus to the innovative, creative ministry, in line with the 4th Mark of Mission: To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind, and to pursue peace and reconciliation.
The current plan is to launch officially Anglicans Powering Potential (APP) at Synod 2023 in May. We are inviting men and women to become involved with APP. Anyone interested, or wishing for more information, man or woman, please e-mail [email protected] with APP in the subject line. 
It is a time of both anxiety and excitement. The current status of the Anglican Church Women Diocesan Board is not sustainable. Bravo to the Board members for recognizing this and opening themselves to consider a different future for the Board. This took courage. The Board members took to heart the message that came to Joshua (1:9) from God: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Board members also drew strength from the words of Corrie ten Boom: Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.
We have started planning for a celebration of thanksgiving for the over 50-year ministry of the Anglican Church Women Diocesan Board for the fall of 2023. However, the selected date may need to be changed – stay tuned for further details.
While the Anglican Church Women Diocesan Board, as we currently know it, will come to a close with its evolution into a successor organization entitled, Anglicans Powering Potential (APP), we ask for your prayers and support as we seek to serve God by embracing change in new and wondrous ways, under the new name of Anglicans Powering Potential.
