Who is ACWC?

What is the mission of the ACWC?

The ACWC's primary responsibilities include:

• Advocating for full inclusiveness and equality in the church and in society.
• Providing a prophetic witness to and for the church on existing and emerging issues of women's concern.
• Monitoring the implementation of policies and programs of the PC(USA) related to women's concerns.
• Resourcing and advising the General Assembly (GA) and the General Assembly Council (GAC) on issues of concern to women.
• Assisting the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) in maintaining an up-to-date and accurate compilation of GA policy on women's concerns.
• Voicing concerns of women to the stated clerk, the moderator of GA and the executive director of GAC, offering information as they fulfill their responsibilities to communicate and interpret policies on women's concerns.

Meet the committee members

There are 12 members that are nominated by the General Assembly Nominating Committee and are elected by the General Assembly.

ACWC's membership includes:

• two clergywomen
• one female lay employee of the church
• vice-moderator for Justice and Peace of Presbyterian Women's Churchwide Coordinating Team
• one member of the General Assembly Council Executive Committee
• seven members-at-large, chosen to balance the committee geographically, racially and ethnically, and with persons of diverse ages and varied expertise.

In addition, at least four of the members shall be racial ethnic women, and at least two, not more than three, will be men.

Members may serve up to two four-year terms.

Meet the members of ACWC.

Meet our partners

ACWC invites liaisons from other entities of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to sit with the committee at its regularly scheduled meetings.

We do this recognizing the complex ways in which gender inequality manifests itself differently because of class, race, ethnicity, education, age, status in employment, disability, sexual orientation, marital status and culture.

Meet our partners.

Learn more about ACWC

The Advocacy Committee for Women's Concerns is called into being and understands its work in the context of a human situation where women experience injustice because they are women. Grounded in communal faith in "God [who] liberated the people of Israel from oppression ... [and] covenanted with Israel ... that they might do justice" (Book of Order, G-3.010b.) and motivated by painful recognition of sexism within and without the church explicitly articulated in the Articles of Agreement its commitment to work against gender-based discrimination. The Advocacy Committee for Women's Concerns (ACWC) is a contemporary fulfillment of this historic commitment.

Presbyterians interested in serving on ACWC should submit an endorsement form for nomination to the General Assembly Nominating Committee (GANC). Learn more about the skills and expertise needed and the time requirements for members of ACWC.
Submit your application online.

For more information, contact the Office of GANC by calling (888) 728-7228, x5406, or by emailing Valerie Small.

Created by the 205th General Assembly (1993), the ACWC has direct access to the General Assembly Council (GAC) and the General Assembly (GA). ACWC has three co-chairs who serve as corresponding members to the General Assembly and the General Assembly Council.

The ACWC is funded and supported through the Office of the Executive Director of the GAC. Staff support is provided by the Racial Ethnic and Women's Ministries program area , PC(USA).