Tools for leaders
Presbyterian Women provides an atmosphere that promotes personal growth and develops women’s gifts of responsible and visionary leadership. Empowered to serve PW, many women also go on to lead in their churches, communities and the denomination.
What is leadership?
“Leader” has such an official and authoritative ring to it. For some of us, the word fits perfectly, however, many of us hesitate to call ourselves leaders. In reality, each of us is a leader in some way — perhaps by delegating chores to family members, organizing the church garage sale or running a circle meeting. Learn more about the ways you may be leading without even knowing it!
Leadership training
Various organizations offer conferences and events to develop leadership skills.
Get the 20 Tips to SOAR in Leadership from the PW Manual.
Apply for leadership grants
Leadership Development Grant Program
A grant from the Leadership Development Grant Program provides funds to allow women to attend training and events to develop and strengthen their leadership skills. Grants are available for individuals and groups or organizations attending a national or international event, and for PW and PC(USA) organizations planning leadership events and other projects that empower women and reflect the diversity of the church. Get information about the grants and download an application.
Sisters Stand and Walk Together
Sisters Stand and Walk Together develops the leadership potential of racial ethnic and immigrant women in the congregations within a synod. Funding is available for up to four PW in the Synod groups to receive funding to carry out the program.
Leading a PW group
Find resources on planning or evaluating a PW event, workshops that outline the responsibilities of PW leaders, activities for community building or living out the PW Purpose, teaching tips and much more!
In the fall of 2010, PW offered leadership training for at least one PW representative from each synod. The training included workshops on a variety of ways to approach planning, organizing, managing and evaluating groups. Download the workshops and use them with your PW in the congregation, presbytery or synod. Please note that while these workshops do not always explicitly reference traditional PW structure and roles, they are excellent tools for any group.
Antiracism Initiative
Building an inclusive caring community is one of the commitments PW makes in its Purpose. It is also a commitment that voting representatives to PW’s Business Meeting sought to keep by pledging to eradicate racism in 1997 and then by declaring Presbyterian Women an antiracist organization in 2006. The following programs are in place to further PW’s commitment to antiracism.
- Transformation of Presbyterian Women into an Antiracist Organization
- PW Racial Ethnic Dialog
- Racial Ethnic Dialog Groups in Synods and Presbyteries
Leadership bibliographies
In addition to the PW leadership resources available for purchase and/or download, learn more about leadership resources in these downloadable bibliographies.
General leadership books and videos (from secular and religious publishers)
PW and PC(USA) leadership resources