All women of the Episcopal Church: rooted in our past and growing into the future are ECW. The ECW has its roots in the local congregations. There is also (in some dioceses) a diocesan ECW Board; there is a Provincial ECW and a National ECW Board.
In 1871 at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, meeting in Baltimore, the Board of Missions was authorized to organize a Women's Society. Thus began a communicating link to encourage, inform, recruit and guide women,“to have each one feel she, individually, has something to do for Christ and for the coming of his Kingdom.” From the beginning funds were raised to support women who dedicated their lives to mission work. The United Thank Offering grew from this effort.
Between 1958 and 1985, the role of women in the Church went through many significant changes as women were accepted into seminaries and ordained, elected to vestries and as deputies to General Convention.
Representatives from each diocese and province meet every three years at the same time as the General Convention of the Episcopal Church to share in spiritual growth and nourishment, fellowship, education, leadership training, connection with a worldwide network of Anglican women and women from other church organizations and to vote on the United Thank Offering grants for the coming year.
In materials published by the National Board of ECW this question is answered as follows: “…as women have become integrally involved in the life and work of the Church, the need for a women's group is not as readily apparent. An important 'why': women simply enjoy getting together with other women - whether it is for fellowship, Bible study, or working on a project. Another important aspect is the opportunity for women to grow into the life of the Church through women's ministries. Many of the women in leadership roles in the larger body of the Church began their involvement/ministry with the Episcopal Church Women.”
Over the past twenty five years women in the Diocese of Maryland have had much visibility in leadership roles as lay persons at the diocesan level. In addition they have served as spokespersons for our diocese and as mentors for younger women in the diocese and at the national level. They have served on Diocesan Council, Standing Committee, committees, commissions, campaigns, and raised millions of dollars for the United Thank Offering. Nearly every year this diocese receives a UTO grant. Women meeting in parishes through out the diocese may be called by a variety of names but they are all part of ECW and part of the church at large.