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Commission for Women

The Commission for Women provides opportunities and resources for developing awareness and raising consciousness concerning human liberation related to the role of women in church and society. It provides information for appointments to committees, commissions, agencies, and staff positions to insure partnership of men and women in the professional and decision-making leadership of the denomination. The commission assists the church toward insuring inclusive attitudes, images, and language in all materials published, designed, or provided for use in the denomination. It develops, advocates for, and implements strategies for systematic change to enable the full and complete participation of women in church and society. The commission also collaborates with other RCA bodies working on issues affecting women and develops and maintains relationships with similar groups in other denominations, exchanging ideas and material regarding issues affecting women (BCO Chapter 3, Part I, Article 5, Section 10).

Background

The commission began with a Task Force on Women created by a vote of the 1975 General Synod (MGS 1975, pp. 106-107). The task force explored the extent in which women are involved in program and policymaking decisions, presenting its final report to the 1979 General Synod. In 1978, the General Synod president urged the creation of a permanent Committee on Women, which General Synod approved. An Ad Hoc Committee on Women was appointed to serve until 1980. The permanent Commission for Women (Commission on Women at the time of its inception) was established in 1980 through the rewrite of the General Synod bylaws and special rules of order (MGS 1979, pp. 179-195).

Membership

The eight members of the commission, women and men, must share a strong desire to work for the full and complete participation of women in realizing the vision of a church and society inclusive of all gifts of all people.

Please consider whether service on the Commission for Women is something to which God is calling you. If it is, provide the Commission on Nominations with information about yourself by completing a profile form.

Complete a profile form