ECW Fall Gathering & Annual Meeting

Every woman of the Episcopal Church in East Tennessee and her guests are encouraged to attend this annual event, where we will worship with Bishop Brian; spend time with our preacher, the Rev. Sara-Scott Wingo and our speakers, Elizabeth and Morgan Colonna; renew old friendships, make some new ones!

Registration opens at 9:30 a.m. with Eucharist at 10. We should conclude by 2 p.m.

Special guests Elizabeth and Morgan Colonna, parishioners of Good Samaritan in Knoxville, recently returned from a pilgrimage to Kondoa in Tanzania with a group of priests and lay people from the diocese. They will tell their inspiring, heartfelt and engaging stories during our brunch catered by Goodness to Go.

Our Music Leader will be Jim Garvey, director of music ministries at Church of the Ascension, Knoxville

There will be clothing and jewelry items for sale as well as Thistle Farms body care products.

Register by September 22!  Click here to download the registration form: bit.ly/2019ECWFallGathering

NOMINATIONS FOR DIOCESAN ECW BOARD:

Here is the slate of officers who are up for election to serve on the diocesan ECW board at the annual meeting. There are two positions still seeking nominees. Are you called to serve?

President: Mary Lee-Baer (St. Pauls, Athens)
Treasurer: Seeking nominees
Secretary: Seeking nominees (Pat Rutenberg, Ascension, if no other nominees)
Missions:  Marsey Williams (Ascension, Knoxville)
Nominations:  Kae Wrinkle (St. Andrews, Maryville)

SPEAKER AND PRIEST BIOGRAPHIES

ABOUT ELIZABETH COLONNA (at left in photo above):

I was born in Philadelphia and raised in Newport News, VA. I am a “cradle Episcopalian”, and I married a cradle Episcopalian whose work took us, as newly weds, to Knoxville in 1977. My thoughts were TN?!?! I have lived in TN longer than anywhere else and love it! We moved with baby Morgan to Johnson City, where we became very active at St. Johns. My son, Bramwell was born there. St. Johns was the village that helped me raise my children when my husband died. I remarried and moved to Greeneville and loved going to St. James. In mid 2016, I moved my Mom to a house around the corner from Morgan and family in Knoxville; sadly, my marriage ended and I moved to Knoxville in 2017. My Mom and Morgan were active at Church of Good Samaritan.

My mom told me that “ Morgan jumped out of her skin” when she heard Babba Askofu talk about Kondoa. God opened doors for Morgan to go in 2017. Upon her return, Morgan shared with me that they needed a sewing teacher for 6 months. My reaction – 6 months? No way, maybe a few weeks. After being there for 4 days in 2018, I found myself telling Mamma Lilian, the bishops wife, that I would be back for 6 months when I retire!

Morgan and I went together in 2019 and I cannot wait to go back. These precious people have an infectious love of Christ and the Women’s Empowerment program is close to my heart.

ABOUT MORGAN COLONNA (at right in photo above):

I am a wife and mother of 2 boys, Luke, 6, and Samuel, 4. We moved to Knoxville in 2014 and started attending Good Sam in October 2015. Only 1 year later, our church hosted Bishop Given Gaula, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Kondoa, and his wife, the Rev. Lilian Gaula. It was during that visit that I heard Bishop and Mama speak of the work they are doing in Kondoa. I felt something light on fire in me as they spoke of their three main objectives: women’s empowerment, education, and feeding the hungry.  They spoke of the work the church is doing to address these issues and the positive effects they have had on the community.  Knowing that most westerners go to Africa to see the wildlife, Baba Askofu wrapped up his presentation with a simple invitation: “Please, I invite you to come see our people, and then you can see our animals.”  And so I did. 

I currently stay at home with my boys, and I am an Arbonne consultant; my background is in development work for non-profits and massage therapy, and I enjoy crafting most anything, painting, doing yoga and dancing.  At the heart of all of these experiences and interests are people.  I love people.  People of all kinds and from all places.  I love to learn from them, live with them, and walk together through life with them.  And I love sharing these experiences with others in hopes that we can learn from each other as well. 

THE REV. SARA-SCOTT WINGO will be preaching

Born and baptized in Nashville Tennessee, the Rev. Sara-Scott Wingo is pleased to return to her home state.   She earned a BA at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee and an MDiv at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin Texas.  Before ordination, she and her husband the Rev. Patrick Wingo served as college chaplains at Auburn University.  Over twenty five years of ordained ministry has given her the opportunity to work in rural, urban, and suburban settings mostly in Alabama.  After tending St. Mark’s, a historic African American congregation in Birmingham, Alabama; Emmanuel Church in Richmond, Virginia called her as rector.  Her most recent tenure was as an Interim Assistant at Ascension, Knoxville.  She counts nurturing three daughters into adulthood as her most joyful ministry. Having hiked in four continents, eight countries, and fourteen states she calls herself a hiking enthusiast.  Currently she is pursuing her interest in writing.