Women - Leadership in Church Administration

Dear all,

I would like to cite the example of the parish here in Austin - which
others may use as an example -

Here we have both men and women participating actively in the general
body meetings. The parish managing committee members are chosen by
both men and women. In the General Body held this month, there were
two women elected for the next year's parish managing committee. Both
these women enjoy voting rights in the committee.

I understand that these proceedings are with the full blessings of
the Diocesian Metropolitan Barnabas Thirumeni. Thanks to Barnabas
Thirumeni for the support and congratulations to all the members in
the Austin parish for showing the way for the rest of the church in
this issue. For I am sure, the time is not far when the church will
follow suit and there will be women elected to the church managing
committee.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/6840

Thank you for asking for clarifications about my posting on women in
the parish managing
committee in Austin. Here are some details as per my information. I
write these here, in the hope that this would encourage other
praishes to take similar steps as the Austin church, inorder to
effect the changes necessary in our church today, responding to the
call of the times.

I am writing all this in my individual capacity, I am neither a
managing committee member nor a spokesman for my parish, though I
know that the source of my information is reliable. Please reach out to the
officials for confirmation and proof, if required -

Two years ago, in the general body meeting held in Austin St.
Gregorios Church, there was a proposal to include women in the
managing committee of the parish. As expected, there was some
opposition, but the general body decided to put it before the
Metropolitan. Two women were chosen and it was decided that, if the
Metropolitan had no objection, they would be part of the parish
managing committee. The minutes were sent to the metropolitan. In
the Kalpana that came back approving the names chosen by the general
body, Thirumeni had added "associate member" against the women
members. Thus that year, the women worked as part of the managing
committee as associate members. They did not have voting power that
year.

The next year, again one woman was elected by the general body and
the minutes were sent to the Metropolitan. This time, in the Kalpana
of approval of the minutes, against the lady's name was
marked "associate member with voting power". So that year, the lady
representative worked in the managing committee with voting powers.

This year, again two women representatives were chosen by the
general body. The minutes have been sent to the Metropolitan for
approval. The Kalpana is now awaited.

So, as I see it, while the Metropolitan cannot initiate the process by himself
due to the existing constraints, he can respond (and our beloved Thirumeni
responds positively, as is seen above) on a case by case basis, if the
initiative comes from the individual parishes.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/6897