I know that I arrived in Indianapolis for the Triennial meeting more than a day or so ago. Perhaps the central theme of these blogged messages will be a day late, a dollar short, but still hopefully delivered in the time that God has chosen. It has been interesting to hear the conversations of the many women around me-some of them have been coming to this meeting for 12 or 15 years and then there are others like me who are here for the first time. Our first keynote speaker, Rev. Lindsay Hardin Freeman, talked about the ” always welcoming spirit” of the ECW. Thoughts that will remain with me from her presentation are ” faith can’t be taught; it has to be caught” and ” every prayer said for us is still holding us up.” I cannot help but think that the prayers of my grandmothers, Joe Ella and Venora; and those of my godmothers, Gladys and Marion; are joined with all the prayers of the women who are my mothers-Evelyn, Paula, Harlean, Marjorie, and Dorian. Those women, many of whom were/are Episcopal Church Women have built and nourished the congregations that continue to serve others. And as Rev. Freeman said,” they were tough in a wonderfully feminine sense of the word, insistent but not pesky.” Making sure that we were inoculated with the love of God. Making sure that we caught the faith needed to make it through all the trials of life and that we know who to thank for our many blessings and mercies.