EUC governing board. A registration form for the next Assembly was sent to all EWC members. Four years after

the Church said yes to ordination to priesthood and ten years after ordination to the diaconate, a Vocational Task

Force was created to enable women to find dioceses and bishops willing to accept them in the ordination process.

Following its meeting in New York City, a request was made of Bishop John Spong of Newark that he convene a

gathering at the upcoming House of Bishops meeting to address the problem. He did so, and the result was a

committee of bishops committed to opening doors for women currently shut out of the system in their dioceses. For

several years Commissions on Ministry and Standing Committees provided access to ordination to women from

dioceses other than their own. The passage of a so-called "conscience clause" at the 1977 Bishop's meeting in Port

St. Lucie, Florida, was a major reason that such action was necessary.

Deployment of women begins to surface as a major concern, and job opportunities are advertised in Ruach.

The Clergy Deployment Office at the Church Center and its process of registering all ordained people is explained

and endorsed. Eventually the CDO includes lay professionals among its clients and changes its name to the

Church Deployment Office. Women leery of being computerized are urged to overcome their fears and join a

system committed to their inclusion in every search process.

1980 also signals the beginning of an active alliance with the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, with a

member of the EWC Board member joining the RCAR Board to cement that alliance, and with the cause of women

seeking ordination to the priesthood in Britain. Throughout these years the issues of Ruach detail alliances with the

Episcopal Church Women and its Triennial Meeting at the same tine as General Convention and with the Episcopal

Women's History Project. Together we reach out in solidarity to enable and preserve the roles of women in the life

of the Church. Following up on earlier employment concerns, the Caucus joins with the Deployment Office to

begin publication of a job letter which will be sent to all women clergy, listing job openings of particular interest to

women.

The Caucus makes its presence known during the General Convention in a variety of ways. In 1979 luncheon

forums were held addressing justice issues affecting women; in 1982 an arts festival highlighted "an end to

violence/a call for compassion." For 1985 it joined with a dozen other groups to form The Consultation; writing a

common platform and joining together in the exhibition hall has proven to be both politically wise and financially

effective. In addition the EWC has had a team tracking legislation affecting women -- in the secular world as well

as within the church -- and a representative on the editorial board of Issues, a daily news sheet handed out during

the convention.

Growing respect for the Caucus and its members was demonstrated when it received an official letter from the

Nominating Committee for Presiding Bishop asking for its point of view as to the necessary qualifications and

characteristics of the persons to be nominated. A paper was submitted to the Committee which focused on

sensitivity to the roles of women in the life of the Church. Carol Cole Flanagan is elected president and Marilyn

McLane becomes editor of Ruach, both are from the Diocese of Northwest Pennsylvania (formerly Erie). The

slogan on mugs and T-shirts saying "A Woman's Place is in the House ... of Bishops" makes its appearance,

winning instant endorsement and generating much-needed income.

Resources for avoiding sexism when using the hymnal are prepared by Kathryn Piccard in the name of the

Caucus, which takes on the responsibility for distribution. These materials accompany similar information related

to the prayer book. Also advertised for use by persons concerned with the language of worship is Hearing the

Word, prepared by Laura Mol and distribute through St. Stephen and the Incarnation in Washington.

Ann Smith, staff officer for women at the Church Center, calls together the leaders of various women's group

to explore ways to increase the effectiveness of women's ministries, to accept and value differing gifts and to

advance the roles of women in the mission of the church. EWC president and vice president join with

representatives of a dozen different groups to found the Council for Women's Ministries. Ruach continues to

advertise job openings, recommend books advancing a feminist theology and justice for women. Also of note are

the dioceses which have changed their position and are now ordaining women as priests.