Presbyterian Women of South Louisiana
Report 2011: Presbyterian Women of the Presbytery of South Louisiana
Presbyterian Women (PW) in the Presbytery of South Louisiana (PSL) has been very busy during 2011. We began the
year with a Spring Rally at John Calvin Presbyterian Church in Metairie on Saturday, March 26. Forty women attended
and enjoyed their gracious hospitality and delicious luncheon. At our business meeting, we aligned our seven PW
clusters with the four PSL Ministerial Clusters. Our keynote speaker was Dr. Brenda Phillips from Oklahoma and inspired
us with information about the “Solar Under the Sun” project (also connected with “Living Water for the World”). Dr.
Brenda Phillips is a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Stillwater and a commissioned elder to Cimarron
Presbytery of Oklahoma. She is leading an effort to send a team to Kenya to install a solar-powered water treatment
plant at a local orphanage. Professionally, she works as a professor in the Fire and Emergency Management Program at
Oklahoma State University. She has volunteered for several efforts in Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina and is currently
writing a book on how the faith-based community rebuilt low-income housing through volunteer efforts. Rev. Harry
Brown led us in worship and communion. We collected an offering of $795 to support Dr. Phillips’ mission trip to Kenya.
Sunday morning, Dr. Phillips visited West Baton Rouge Presbyterian Church for a presentation prior to her return home
that afternoon. As a result of Dr. Phillips message, Laura St. Claire from St. Charles Presbyterian Church applied to
attend the September session for Solar Under the Sun. PSL will support her attendance with a stipend.
In July, five women from Louisiana attended the Mo Ranch Bible Conference to meet the author of this year’s Horizons
Bible Study, Confessing the Beatitudes by Dr. Margaret Aymer. There were scholarships available from PSL. Jan
Boydstun, Corise Gambrell and Julie Launey from University Presbyterian Church and Nancy Shaw and Edith Slaton from
First Presbyterian Church in Hammond attended the outstanding meeting. The presentations were very interesting and
motivational. We are looking forward to this year’s study. An excellent DVD is available that presents Margaret Aymer
teaching each lesson and includes printable handouts and an interview with David Gambrell (Corise’s son!)
In August, we held three Fall Rallies. Our hosting churches, First Presbyterian Church in Hammond, Baker Presbyterian
Church, and First Presbyterian Church in Welsh did an outstanding job welcoming the 97 women who attended the Fall
Rallies. Delicious refreshments and lunches were provided by each church. The PW officers of the PSL gave reports on
the activities for their cluster or mission areas: Edith Slaton, Moderator; Nancy Shaw, Secretary; Barbara Behrmann,
Treasurer; Jan Boydstun, Peace and Justice; Glenda Carlile, Mission; Paula Griswold, Ecumenical Relations; Lynne Castle,
Lois Ferguson, and Fannie Easterly, Cluster Leadesr. Edith Slaton gave an overview of this year’s Bible study. The
pastors, Rev. Mary Jane Cornell, Rev. Charlene Heaton, and Rev. Betty McGehee inspired us with their messages about
the Beatitudes. Through offerings received at the Fall Rallies, PW of PSL contributed $1,435 to PDA.
The 2011 PSL PW Fall Retreat at Feliciana was held in October. The theme of the retreat was God’s Gift Within: The
Story of the Joshua Quilt. Our keynote speaker and facilitator was Gail Gibson who had been inspired to create a quilt in
response to Horizon’s 2009-2010 study of Joshua. Participants were inspired to seek, celebrate, and use God’s unique
gift for each of them.
Our PW supported many projects in the Presbytery, Synod, and Churchwide, contributing over $4500. Some of the
activities reported were Birthday Offering, Thank Offering, Fellowship of the Least Coin, Tornado Fund, Gifts of the
Heart, Shawl Ministry, Solar Under the Sun, Mission Pledge, Horizon’s Bible Study, and Hunger Fund.
PSL PW is active at the Synod and General Assembly levels. Several women from Louisiana attended the Synod Council
meetings in Irving, Texas in March and July. Jan Boydstun is currently serving at Synod representative for Peace and
Justice. Rachel Koger is on the Synod Leadership Committee and Sue Candler is on the Synod Nominating Committee.
Kathy Randall is chairing the 2012 Churchwide Gathering being held July 22-28, at Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando, FL.
(Mark your calendar!!!)
Respectfully submitted, Edith A. Slaton, Moderator PW PSL