Breakfast doesn’t satisfy women’s hunger for justice

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“I thank you for your service,” Rhashell D. Hunter, acting co-executive director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA), told a predominantly female audience at the Women’s Orientation Breakfast Saturday.

Hunter expressed gratitude for all Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) members who provide energy, wisdom, insight and responsible leadership.

The breakfast featured speakers from the Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns and the Office of Gender and Racial Justice in the Women’s Ministries’ Office.

Their topics were items of business before the 223rd General Assembly and recent studies and statements regarding the status of women and sexual injustice in the age of #MeToo and #ChurchToo.

Surveys of Presbyterian members and officers indicate that discrimination is still widespread in the PC(USA). Eighty-four percent of women ordained to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament told interviewers they have encountered such bias. Just 13% of male church members reported experiencing such discrimination.

The breakfast crowd also heard from stated clerk of the Assembly, the outgoing co-moderators, the nominee to be director of the PMA and from all six announced candidates for moderator, co-moderator or vice-moderator of GA223.

The women in the audience were encouraged to attend the Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women scheduled for August 2-5 in Louisville.