Disciples Women

IDWM purpose and function

What is IDWM's purpose

• Provide opportunities for spiritual growth, enrichment, education and creative ministries to enable women to develop a sense of personal responsibility for the whole mission of the church of Jesus Christ. - 1973;
• Provide a channel through which women in the congregational Disciples Women's groups and the regional Disciples Women's groups in the United States and Canada, may be joined in fellowship and find means for effective participation in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). 1994. (Wording updated 2006)

Who are the voting members of the IDWM cabinet?

• Regional Staff persons with responsibilities for women’s ministries portfolio;
• Regional Presidents;
• Representatives of constituency groups (National Convocation CWF, NAPAD, Hispanic Bilingual Fellowship CWF);
• IDWM Executive Committee;
• IDWM Nominating Committee Chair;
• Office of Disciples Women Staff;
• United Church of Christ representative.

Others who are invited

• Leadership Apprentice Program Ministry Team;
• Christian Board of Publication representative;
• Church Finance Council representative.

Why are we here?

Cabinet members come together biennially to:

• Select themes and areas for general programs and group study;
• Further prepare themes and areas of study to be developed by the Program Organizational Resources Task Group (PORTG) for the New Day Study program;
• Participate in working groups as designed by the IDWM Executive Committee (i.e. General Assembly activities, educational groups, social action/justice issue groups); 
• Select a Socal Action Emphasis;
• Receive information for the next year’s study material;
• Receive reports from ODW Staff;
• Receive reports from the IDWM Quadrennial Assembly Committee;;
• Fellowship, worship and share ideas.

Did you know ...?

• In 1953, the ICWF (U.S. and Canada) was founded and in 1982 the ICWF Cabinet was formed.  In 2006 the ICWF became known as the IDWM;
• The IDWM Cabinet sponsors the Quadrennial Assembly for Women;
• The Quadrennial Assembly for Women supports the IDWM budget;
• The work of IDWM is financed through the budgets of the ODW and the IDWM;
• The IDWM is a channel for relating women of the U.S. & Canada to the World Christian Women’s Fellowship;
• The Office of Disciples Women is a ministry of Disciples Home Missions;
• The ODW prepares and distributes Called, Gifted & Sent.