Women in the Church

Purpose of W.I.C.

The purpose of the Women In the Church is that every woman know Christ personally and be committed to extending His Kingdom in her life, home, church, community and throughout the world.

The framework of the Women In the Church organization provides an opportunity for each woman to discern and exercise her gifts and abilities to the glory of God in the total work and worship of the Church.

The goal is that this purpose will become a reality as women are given opportunities to respond to the Gospel and to pray, study the Scriptures, fellowship and serve the Lord together.

The Women In the Church organization recognize that all ministries and activities of the church are under the authority and guidance of the Session.

‘For Zion’s sake I will not rest, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep silent, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.’ (Isaac 62: 1).

History of W.I.C.

In February 1973, the Steering Committee for a Continuing Presbyterian Church decided they must take steps to form a new denomination.  Local sessions that had expressed interest in the movement were invited to send representatives to a meeting at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, GA.  This was called a ‘Convocation of Sessions’ and it met in May 1973.  At this meeting, an Advisory Convention was called to meet in Asheville, NC, in August 1973.  The members of the Steering Committee decided to sponsor a meeting of interested women in conjunction with the Advisory Convention.  Representative women from many churches attended that meeting.

The women who met that day elected six women to serve as an advisory sub-committee on women’s work.  Under the authority of the

Christian Education Committee, they wrote a suggested constitution, by-laws and operation manual for women in the local churches and a brief suggestion of organization at the presbytery level.  These were approved by the first General Assembly and sent to local churches and presbyteries.

It was decided that the women’s organization should be called “Women In the Church”.  The initials, “W.I.C.”, suggested the symbol of an old-fashioned kerosene lamp with a wick.  This symbol emphasizes the importance of spiritual life and growth to the women, and encourages them to obey Christ’s command to ‘shine as lights in a dark world’.  It is explained this way:

“In order for the kerosene lamp to give light, it must be filled with oil.  The wick must rest continually in the oil and must be trimmed regularly in order to burn effectively.  The lamp chimney must be kept clean and clear.

Similarly, the believer’s life must be filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit.  As the wick rests in the oil and is fully saturated with it, so must the W.I.C. rest in Christ.  The knob on the side of the lamp represents the Word of God, by which the lives of believers must be daily regulated and trimmed in obedience to His revealed will.

Impurities in the wick represent sins of the spirit, such as attitudes that hinder the work of the Holy Spirit, or neglect of prayer and Bible study.  A dirty chimney is like obvious sins in the life that prevent others from seeing the Light of Christ there.

The theme verse from Isaiah 62: 1 is a promise of God that He will not rest until the salvation of His people shines like a burning lamp in a dark world.  In other words, He will not rest until His children rest in His Spirit, obey His will and show forth His salvation.”

Since1973, hundreds of PCA churches have begun Women In the Church groups for the purpose of providing fellowship, inspiration and information for the women.

The annual Love Gift Offering is a project of the W.I.C. for the whole denomination, and the women are encouraged to think of this as a gift of their love to Christ for His church.