Women’s Leadership Development and Young Women’s Ministries

Women’s Leadership Development and Young Women’s Ministries is a national ministry of the Presbyterian Mission Agency operating within Racial Equity & Women’s Intercultural Ministries. The office provides opportunities for all women in the church as well as young women (ages 18-35) who are considering leadership roles in the church. The office sponsor leadership development trainings, organize national and regional events that offer young women leadership training and opportunities for networking with peers and mentors, as well as advocating on behalf of women’s justice issues, we partner with other PCUSA entities and related organizations to increase women’s voices and representation in the church. We help women develop their gifts and skills for ministry with scholarship assistance through the Katie Geneva Cannon Scholarship fund and other funding assistance.

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Celebrate the Gifts of Women Sunday

God Disrupts Us with Love | Matthew 25:35-36 | by Jennifer L. Lord | March 7, 2021

In 2021, on Celebrate the Gifts of Women Sunday, we are invited to honor women who work for transformative change and seek to end poverty and injustice. Though Celebrate the Gifts of Women Sunday is March 7, 2021, your congregation or women’s groups may use this resource on any day you choose.

Our ancestors in the faith include many bold women who disrupted systemic poverty. Mary, the Mother of our God, sang out and proclaimed God who overturns the bonds of poverty, as did Hannah before her. The lesser known five daughters of Zelophehad—Malah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah—negotiated with Moses for release from the destiny of poverty. Tabitha (Dorcas) witnessed to and worked for others’ freedom from poverty. Each of these women in her own way recognized and challenged the status quo of wealth and power.* These stories document that women disrupting systemic poverty is not a new thing. As we celebrate women who disrupt systemic poverty, we reflect on our own work, too. Every day we stand before the throne of God, the one who disrupts the tangles of the world with the kindom.

The Celebrate the Gifts of Women resource, written by Jennifer Lord, includes a worship service with:

• a gathering prayer, call to confession, confession of sin, an assurance of pardon, suggested hymns and songs and scripture readings,
• sermon starter, and
• a litany for women who disrupt systemic poverty.

2021 Celebrate the Gifts of Women Resource

2021 Celebrate the Gifts of Women – Spanish Resource

2021 Celebrate the Gifts Bulletin Cover

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In the area of Young Women’s Ministries, the office focuses on Presbyterian College-aged women and young women of color (ages 18-35) whose leadership reflects the diversity of today’s church. The ministry offers opportunities for: leadership development, social advocacy and education, networking and mentoring, and PMA scholarships for PC(USA) members seeking their first undergraduate degree.