Opportunities & Resources
The 2024 PW Churchwide Gathering includes a wide variety of ways to engage the theme “Do everything in love” and ways to live out the PW Purpose in a caring, compassionate community. Whether you come to join with more than 1,000 PW siblings for worship, to learn ways to expand your PW group’s programming, to meet Presbyterian Women participants from across the PC(USA) or for a bit of everything, opportunities abound!
Opportunities
Silent Auction
The 2024 Churchwide Gathering will include a silent auction, full of exquisite handmade creations, vacation packages, jewelry, and other enticing items. And better yet, all proceeds will benefit Presbyterian Women’s Annual Mission Fund, the Mission Pledge!
Past auction items have included: handmade quilt; “self care” basket; “grandkids” basket; game night basket; PW booklist basket; and many other lovely hand-crafted items, vacation options and creative and fun gift baskets.
You can contribute in two ways—donating items before the Gathering and/or bidding on items at the Gathering!
Donated items should be new (nothing used, please) with a minimum value of $50. Smaller items can be grouped into a basket. To donate an item to the auction, please contact Mary Jorgenson (mcjorgies@gmail.com). Items may be shipped in advance (Mary can provide you with advance shipping information).
At the Gathering, the silent auction will open Thursday, August 7 and will close at 3:30 pm on Saturday, August 10. Each item will have a bid sheet that lists the minimum bid amount. Bidding continues in minimum increments (as set for each item). The person with the highest bid at the close of the auction will receive the item. Pay for items with cash, check or credit card. It will be the winner’s responsibility to transport the item home.
Download a fillable PDF of the 2024 CWG Silent Auction Donation Form to submit.
Gift Card Offering
For the 2024 PW Churchwide Gathering, attendees are invited to participate in a gift card offering. Gathering attendees may drop off gift cards for Lowe’s, Amazon, Target or Walmart at Gathering registration, which then will be given to Bethel Hills and Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services. Bethel Hills is a residential community in Missouri that provides supportive housing, social and educational opportunities for adults with and without developmental disabilities. Operating in Texas, Missouri and Louisiana, Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services offers programming that helps vulnerable children, strengthens families and builds communities.
Synod and Celebration Lunches
Gathering attendees will have the option to attend a synod or celebration lunch on Saturday, August 10, 12–1:30 PM.
The synods holding lunches are
Synod of the Covenant
Synod of Lakes and Prairies
Synod of Lincoln Trails
Synod of Living Waters
Synod of Mid-America
Synods of the Northeast and Alaska–Northwest
Synod of the Pacific
Synod of Rocky Mountains
Synod of South Atlantic
Synod of Southern California and Hawaii
Synod of the Southwest
Synod of the Sun
Synod of the Trinity
The National Association of Presbyterian Clergywomen (NAPC) luncheon celebrates the 50th anniversary of the ordination of Katie Geneva Cannon—the first African American woman ordained in the United Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A. (UPCUSA). The luncheon will feature Rev. Dr. Melanie Jones Quarles, Assistant Professor of Ethics, Theology and Culture and the Director of the Katie Geneva Cannon Center for Womanist Leadership at Union Presbyterian Seminary, as the keynote speaker and an opportunity to receive a stole.
Tickets are available for purchase as part of Gathering registration. All lunches are open for all Gathering participants!
Pre-events
Business Meeting—Presbyterian Women, Inc. will hold its triennial business meeting August 7 and 8. The meeting is scheduled to finish prior to the start of the Gathering, so voting representatives will be available for all Gathering programming.
Racial Equity Dialogue (RED) Training Workshop—Each synod will choose two individuals to attend this train-the-trainer event on August 7. (Synod leaders will have details in early 2024.)
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Training—Help congregations in your presbytery be ready for natural disasters with this disaster preparedness training. Training will be held in the afternoon of August 7 and morning of August 8. Trainees will need to attend both sessions, which will conclude in time for participation in all Gathering programming. Separate registration required.
Resources
Promote the 2024 PW Churchwide Gathering with a variety of free downloadable resources. You're welcome to customize and adapt for your setting! Be sure to bookmark the Churchwide Gathering Promotional Materials page. The page will be updated with promotional items as they become available, so be sure to check back often!