JPDWR

"Our mission, as women in community, is to explore our authentic selves, and to promote gender equity in our lives, our congregations, and in society."

The Joseph Priestley District Women and Religion group was strong and active until 2011. They didn't hold any official retreats after that.

These pages represent some of their archived materials. If you happen to have or know of any others, please consider contributing them to the UUW&R Archive Project. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

JPDWR Archive page

As she promised at GA2023, Heather Gehron-Rice has sent us a whole packet of Joseph Priestley District newsletters. What I didn't realize when we first spoke about this was that the newsletters are a complete collection of Reaching Sideways:

UU foremother Rosemary Matson wrote in her Memoirs of UUW&R, "Sara Best, a lay woman in the Joseph Priestley District Women and Religion Committee, with the help of her friends, created a journal REACHING SIDEWAYS - A Continental Exchange of Views and Ideas chronicling the successes and failures of those trying to implement the Women and Religion Resolution. It was a voice when there were very few other voices in the denomination speaking for women and it proved to be the writing of our Women and Religion story as it was being lived. Sara Best produced her first issue in October 1981 and sent out her last issue on June 15, 1991. REACHING SIDEWAYS is sorely missed."

Well, it's BACK! We've scanned and restored a few issues so far. More to come when I have time. The originals will end up in Meadville-Lombard Theological School's HEResies Special Collection in Chicago! -- Gretchen

Reaching Sideways 1981-1991

Joseph Priestley District
Women & Religion

JPD W & R REGRET TO ANNOUNCE
WE HAVE HAD TO CANCEL
DUE TO INSUFFICIENT REGISTRATION

Revisiting Cakes for the Queen of Heaven

Friday Dinner through Sunday Lunch:
Total Cost: $204
$50 Discount for commuters
Women 16 and older welcome
10% discount for those under 25

Join a group of interesting women to learn or refresh your
acquaintance with Cakes for the Queen of Heaven,
the curriculum which has changed so many women's lives!

If you are not familiar with Cakes,
read more at www.cakesforthequeenofheaven.org

We will be meeting at the Bishop Claggett Center
in Buckeystown, MD,
a comfortable retreat center near Frederick, MD.
Great food, good beds, wonderful country site.

For directions and to see more go to
www.claggettcenter.org

The Theme Within: Remarks

Despite (or because of?) a much smaller than anticipated enrollment, JPD W & R facilitators Randa, Laura, Alix and Margaret, two presenters and 14 other women took part in one of the most fulfilling, engaging, bonding retreats in current memory.

From Helen Popenoe, Germantown, MD

My expectation was to find enough healing to be able to face [a] problem when I returned home. I ended up coming home with much more positive energy and healing than I could’ve dreamed would be possible. The after-glowing I feel is blessing me with new lightheartedness and peace in a continuing undercurrent for my daily life, now.

The emotional climate, easy schedule and the content were exactly what I needed. A highpoint was Heather’s “just-right” service she gave us Sunday morning (especially the story about the shards of glass.) I’ve heard that story before and never quite got it until Heather put it into words.

Central East Region: Joseph Priestley District W&R

Reaching Sideways

A Taste of Cakes: RETREAT CANCELLED

October 2010 Retreat a Rousing Success!

The Theme Within: Remarks

Places to Go Dates to Keep