Marta Rodríguez elected Moderator of Presbyterian Women

By Yvonne Hileman

The newly elected moderatorial team of Presbyterian Women (left to right) Alice Wyatt, Marta Rodríguez and Chris Wolf will provide leadership for the organization during the 2009-2012 triennium. Photo by Danny Bolin.

Marta Rodríguez, Synod of Puerto Rico, was elected moderator of Presbyterian Women’s Churchwide Coordinating Team, in a waving sea of blue consent slips. The roomful of 400-plus voting representatives to PW’s Business Meeting, CCT and others erupted in tears, cheers and a standing ovation, as Catrelia Hunter passed the gavel to Marta, the first Hispanic Latin American to be elected to the post.

In fact, the entire slate presented by the Search Committee of the CCT passed. Carolyn Jordan, moderator of the Search Committee, choked up as she introduced her committee, calling it a privilege to work with such a fine group of women. She capped that by declaring, “I am thrilled to present the most diverse slate ever,” then introduced the nominees.

The new CCT includes Marta Rodríguez (Puerto Rico), moderator; Alice Wyatt (South Carolina), vice moderator for mission relationships; Chris Wolf (Michigan), vice moderator for justice and peace; Joanne Schnaudt (New Jersey), secretary; Joan Berglund (Nebraska), historian; Joyce Smith (Ohio), financial secretary; Ruth Mason Lowe (Georgia), African American member at large; Janice Takeda (California), Asian American member at large; Nydia Murphy (New York), Hispanic Latin American member at large; Jenny Lee (New Jersey), Korean American member at large; Leila Abdul Karim (Arizona), Middle Eastern American member at large; Janis Quinn (New York), Native American member at large; and Esperanza Guajardo (Texas), Search Committee moderator.

Marta, a member of Hato Rey Presbyterian Church in San Juan, appeared emotional but poised, as her pastor, José M. Capella-Pratts, accompanied by his wife, Vilmarie Cintron-Olivieri, offered words of congratulation and praise from the podium. “We are proud of you,” he said, as Presbyterian women from the Synod of Puerto Rico flooded the stage and surrounded her. Cameras flashed to record the historic moment. He later told Daily Horizons, “It is a wonderful joy to see Marta elected moderator of Presbyterian Women. I remember the first time Marta received training to be a deacon. I was privileged to be the one to train her. Sometimes there are leaders in a congregation who are not easy to work with. She has been wonderful. It is my privilege to work with her and I look forward to supporting her work as moderator of Presbyterian Women.”

This Business Meeting may have been the most exciting in recent memory, considering the election of the first Hispanic moderator to the CCT, the approval of the certificate of incorporation and the adoption of new corporate bylaws. From the beginning, on Sunday afternoon, the atmosphere in the Business Meeting was faithful, businesslike and quietly charged. There was an air of expectancy, as if the voting representatives knew they were making history. 

Other highlights of the Business Meeting:

• Charity Wainaina, moderator of a group of Kenyan American women organized just a year ago with the help of the New Immigrant Congregational Support Office of the PC(USA), introduced nearly 30 women from Kenya, who performed “The Love of God Is a Wonder” for the voting reps on Monday afternoon before the introduction of new business. Charity addressed the voting members, telling them, “Without you, we’d never be here. We had been hiding because we had nowhere else to go, but we found you. You are our mothers and our sisters, our aunties and nieces and daughters. The love of God has made us one.”
  
• Jemimah Ngatia, newly approved leader representing new immigrant women on the CCT, also spoke. She said Charity called her from Atlanta to say, “I want you to organize us.” She praised PW program coordinator Ann Ferguson for her role in helping the group organize, as well.
• A new 31-month budget was approved on Monday afternoon. It is a 31-month budget as a result of incorporation. Under articles of incorporation, Presbyterian Women, Inc. is adopting a fiscal year budget rather than a calendar year budget. However, the current calendar budget will be in effect through the end of 2009. The new budget begins January 1, 2010, and ends July 31, 2012. At the 2012 Business Meeting, a 36-month budget will be approved, to begin on August 1, 2012.

After closing the Business Meeting, Marta adjourned with this “Four-fold Franciscan Blessing.”

May God bless you with a restless discomfort about easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships, so that you may seek truth boldly and love deep within your heart.

May God bless you with holy anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may tirelessly work for justice, freedom, and peace among all people.

May God bless you with the gift of tears to shed with those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, or the loss of all that they cherish, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.

May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you really CAN make a difference in this world, so that you are able, with God's grace, to do what others claim cannot be done.

And the blessing of God the Supreme Majesty and our Creator, Jesus Christ the Incarnate Word who is our brother and Savior, and the Holy Spirit, our Advocate and Guide, be with you and remain with you, this day and forever more. Amen.