Discipline. In the MCSA the women’s organisations play a vital role in the life of the church. Below I will introduce these various organisations and give a brief background to each of them:
The Women’s Manyano – this organisation was established by and for ‘Black’
women in the MCSA. It was founded on 7 December 1907 at a Convention in Verdriet, Dundee, KwaZulu-Natal.105 The uniform has symbolic spiritual meaning, even though it was originally based on the military uniform of the British soldiers. They wear black shoes, black stockings and a black skirt, which all symbolise the sin of humanity. Fully ‘bloused’ (the term used when a member is inducted into the organisation) Manyano members wear a red blouse with red buttons and a red belt, which all symbolise the blood of Christ, shed on the Cross for the salvation of humanity, and the uniform is completed with a white collar that is clasped in the front with the Women’s Manyano membership pin and a white hat, which both symbolise the purity that comes through the blood of Christ. A minister’s wife wears a red cape over her blouse to signify her status as the president of the branch and the wife of the minister. The uniform sets this women’s organisation apart from the other women’s
105 See the unpublished Masters Thesis of Fanie S. Mkhwanazi, entitled ‘The mission and the role of the Women’s Manyano movement in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa’. UDW: 2001.
120 organisations in the MCSA as they are the only ones to wear a uniform. The uniform is one of its trademarks and the Women’s Manyano ascribes enormous importance to it and it is deeply respected by the members. Holness (1997:23) suggests that it was “really a culminating of a birthing process across the country, spanning several years” of planning. The Women’s Manyano responded contextually “in the face of the failure of many missionaries to understand the cultural and emotional needs of African converts” (Holness 1997:23). This organisation is arguably the biggest church organisation in the MCSA and continues to make a vital contribution to the life of the Church. The Women’s Manyano is an organisation for married women. A ‘daughter’
organisation, the Young Women’s Manyano, was established for unmarried women. Although they have recently obtained more autonomy, the Young Women’s Manyano operated under the wing of the Women’s Manyano for many years.
An excerpt from the MCSA’s web page:
Our organisation – The Methodist Women's Prayer and Service Union as it appears on our pin – is commonly known as the Women's Manyano. Women with full membership of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa are eligible for membership within the organisation. Our current membership Connexionally stands at a total of 62,000 members, who are all committed to fulfilling the common vision of the organisation. Our vision for the period 2008-2011 is
“Dealing with the Scourge of Women and Child abuse”. In line with our theme, our activities have been centred on bringing hope and a future for women and children in distress. We aim to generate funds for missionary work and to encourage a missionary spirit among our people for the upliftment of those in need within our communities. We believe in, and work towards, achieving the global Millennium Developmental Goals, and we also continue to remember, support and pray for all who are infected and affected by HIV and Aids [sic].
Ultimately, all of our efforts are to the service and glory of God, as well as for the extension of His [sic] kingdom [sic] on earth. Postal Address: PO Box 562, Alice, 5700, Republic of South Africa.
Telephone: +27 40 653 2220 Facsimile: +27 40 653 1718106
The Women’s Association – this organisation was established by and for the so called ‘Coloured’ women of the MCSA during the Apartheid years. Together with the Women’s Fellowship (in Namibia) they are among the smaller organisations in the MCSA. During the 1980s and 1990s, when the male hierarchy of the MCSA proposed an amalgamation of the three South African women’s organisations, the Women’s Association raised their objections strongly. I was a member of a District Joint Committee107 during this period of
106 <http://www.methodist.org.za/organisations/womens-manyano> [Accessed 14 October 2011].
107 District Presidents of the three South African Methodist women’s organisations had been called together by the Bishop of each district into a committee to work towards amalgamation. This initiative did not succeed, even though these joint committees continued to meet for networking and socialising between Methodist women.
121 our church’s story and it was clear that the male hierarchy did not understand the significance these different women’s organisations had for the women in this church. (It is interesting to note that the Men’s League – a White men’s organisation – and the Young Men’s Guild [YMG] – a Black men’s organisation – were not urged to amalgamate.) This organisation is strongest in the Western Cape and in Gauteng and it has never had a branch in KwaZulu-Natal. The Women’s Association has been actively involved in the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women and members have served on the Area and World Committees of this international body. The Connexional Committee encourages local participation in World Federation Day activities throughout the Connexion.
An excerpt from the MCSA’s web page:
The mandate of the Women’s Association is to know Christ and make Him known through:
• Mission and evangelism;
• Social and moral care in our communities and society at large;
• The empowerment of our women within the church and secular context;
• To give practical assistance in our societies.
Our membership is currently 1,910 and in decline, which is a challenge for our organisation. During our last Conference in October 2010, resolutions were tabled to try and address the issue.108
The Women’s Fellowship – this organisation was established by and for the women in Namibia, especially as membership of the Women’s Association proved too complicated once Namibia had become an independent country.
This is a very small organisation but they are determined to grow in numbers.
The Women’s Fellowship sent a delegation to several Connexional Women’s Consultations, hosted by the Methodist Women’s Network. The Methodist Women’s Network has unfortunately ceased to exist because of lack of support from the MCSA.
An excerpt from the MCSA’s web page:
The general mandate of the organisation is:
• The unification of women's participation in the broader church;
• The promotion of evangelism at Circuit and Society level;
• To encourage women of all ages to join the fellowship;
• To empower women.
The Fellowship consists of ten branches, spread over the District. In total, we have 124 members and new branches will be opening soon.
Postal Address: P.O. Box 4689, Rehoboth, Namibia.
Telephone: +264 62 52 2018 Facsimile: +264 62 52 4948 109
108 <http://www.methodist.org.za/organisations/womens-association> [Accessed 14 October 2011].
109 <http://www.methodist.org.za/organisations/womens-fellowship> [Accessed 14 October 2011].
122
The Women’ Auxiliary – this organisation was established primarily for the
‘White’ women in the Connexion. Attwell (1997:3-7) records the beginnings of this organisation, which was started in 1907 by the Reverend William M.
Allcock, in Berea, Johannesburg. Between 1907 and 1916 several small groups of women were organised and in 1915 a committee of interested women was formed in order to prepare for the first Women’s Annual Conference, which was held during Synod 1916. Attwell (1997:5) records that in
1917 the second Women’s Annual Conference was held. A busy year ensued. A Constitution was drawn up. Letters were sent to all ministers in the District asking for information about existing women’s groups. It was discovered that there were twenty-nine, with a combined membership of 800.
Two main bodies were established – “one in the Transvaal” (as Gauteng was then known), “which was then a Missionary District of British Methodism, and the other the rest of South Africa which has its own autonomous Conference. Each began independently of the other” (Attwell 1997:3-4). The Conference of 1916 approved the women’s committee’s report and the Women’s Auxiliary was launched. The first name chosen was ‘The Guild of the Wesleyan Methodist Women of South Africa’ but in 1917 the name was changed to ‘The Wesleyan Methodist Women’s Auxiliary’. Attwell (1997:9) records the following statement, which formed part of the Annual Report of the Women’s Auxiliary in 1946:
The members of the 1946 Annual Meetings of the Women’s Auxiliary approve the principle of admitting women into the ordained ministry of the Methodist Church of South Africa.
The Women’s Auxiliary had recommended ordination of women thirty years before the MCSA finally ordained the first woman. In KwaZulu-Natal, even before 1994, when Apartheid was officially abolished, Indian and Coloured women were encouraged to join the Women’s Auxiliary, as there was no Women’s Association in the District. The Women’s Auxiliary members fulfil many pastoral care functions in the MCSA. Branches often take responsibility for funeral teas, arranging flowers, organising crèche facilities for worship services and pastoral care for mothers with young children.
Some branches are active in social justice programmes and in the running of feeding schemes and other outreach projects. The Women’s Auxiliary was originally responsible for the training and pastoral care of Biblewomen.110 District Biblewomen Secretaries organised their courses and monitored their employment conditions. During my term of office as District President of the Women’s Auxiliary, I discovered that many Biblewomen suffered abuse from their ministers
110 A Methodist Biblewoman wears a royal blue uniform with a white collar and white hat. She is trained in pastoral care and basic biblical studies. Biblewomen assist ministers, especially by visiting the elderly and the sick and by teaching in the Sunday School. They are often employed on a part-time basis and they receive a small stipend. Some Biblewomen do become local preachers.
They belong to the Order of Biblewomen and Evangelists of the MCSA – the term ‘Biblewoman’
has also been used by other denominations.
123 and, what was even worse, from their ministers’ wives. Biblewomen were often forced to do domestic work in the manse even though that was not in their job description. Eventually the Church took responsibility for the Biblewomen and their order was merged with that of the Evangelists and their working conditions are now monitored by the MCSA rather than by the Women’s Auxiliary, which has little power to address issues of injustice. Together with the other women’s organisations in the MCSA, the women usually ensure that the mundane tasks in the churches are taken care of.
An excerpt from the MCSA’s web page:
The Women's Auxiliary was established in the early 1900s, with the mandate,
“To advise the various associations as to the best ways of helping the womanhood of the Church to reach the highest and the best character and service”.
The first Women's Annual Conference recorded was held on Saturday 26 June 1915. Our Aim is also our Motto – “To Know Christ and Make Him Known”
and our goals include the extension of the kingdom [sic] of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit by building up and spiritually revitalising women in societies, engaging in and encouraging evangelical outreach, being part of the ministry and mission of the Church, keeping postal contact with women unable to attend regular branch meetings and encouraging involvement in District and Connexional joint projects.
There are approximately 4,600 Women's Auxiliary members.111
All the Methodist women’s organisations make valuable contributions to the life of the denomination, throughout the Connexion and today all the women’s organisation of the MCSA are open to anyone, regardless of race. However, each has its own distinctive features and members enjoy their own organisation’s autonomy. Without these organisations, the MCSA would indeed be poorer – both financially as well as spiritually.
In my experience in the MCSA the president of the Women’s Manyano is the minister’s wife and the male minister remains its honorary president. The following excerpt of selected points from the Constitution of the Women’s Manyano (pp17-18) indicate the options open to a Branch when electing a Committee:
9. BRANCH ORGANISATION:
9.3 Each Sub-Branch of the Manyano shall be managed by a local Committee consisting of:
The Chairwoman, who shall be the wife of the Resident Minister, being a member of the Manyano.
Five (5) members of the Manyano elected by the Sub-Branch in its Annual General Meeting for a three (3) year term. Save for the wife of the Resident Minister, any one Office Bearer of the Sub-Branch may be
111 <http://www.methodist.org.za/organisations/womens-auxiliary> [Accessed 14 October 2011].
124 re-elected for one further three (3) year term only, and shall not
thereafter be eligible for re-election.
9.4 The Branch of the Manyano shall be managed by a Branch Executive Committee consisting of:
The wife of the local Minister, being a member of the Manyano, shall be the Chairwoman of the Branch, and all other Minister’s wives who worship in the same Society shall also form part of the Branch Executive Committee provided that they are members of the Manyano.
9.5 Should there be no local Minister’s wife who is a member of the Manyano, the Branch Chairwoman shall be appointed by the Circuit Manyano Executive Committee in consultation with the Superintendent Minister of the Circuit. The wife of an Evangelist112 may also be appointed as the Chairwoman of a Branch.
As Holness (1997:29) indicates
[t]he 1995 Conference of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa reached a decision that the minister’s wife is no longer automatically president, and the Manyano groups have been instructed to democratise. This injunction has to date been largely ignored.
Even though male ministers were responsible for encouraging women to form their own organisations, the hierarchy still wishes to exercise some control over what the women do. Oduyoye (2009:31) argues that
… it is clear that as long as women’s activities are carried out for themselves, or serve the church’s hospitality needs, or give the church a charitable face vis-à- vis the wider society, they are accepted as non-threatening to the status quo of the patriarchal ethos of the church. However, women theologians and many others see women beyond these activities.
What remains problematic, at least in the MCSA, is it appears the majority of the members of the women’s organisations do not yet ‘see women beyond these activities’. The exclusive hierarchical church structures, which have governed the Church for centuries, guide the women’s organisations because they are enshrined in the MCSA as sacred. These patriarchal structures are supported by our Judaeo-Christian Scriptures and many church members, including women, find it offensive when a woman minister (or anyone) changes the exclusive language when reading a passage from the Bible.
112 A person trained in preaching and pastoral care and a member of the Order of Evangelists and Biblewomen in the MCSA – this position is now open to both women and men.
125 4.5. The Ordinary Woman in the MCSA
In the previous section I have examined some of the aspects of the four women’s organisations within the MCSA and although a large percentage of female members of the MCSA does belong to the women’s organisations, many women do not. It would then be amiss not to provide space to discuss the options open to the ordinary woman in the pew in the MCSA. The reasons some women do not join the women’s organisations are varied.
For some the reason would be the relevance of the women’s organisations to their personal understanding of being church. Yet for others it might simply be that they do not have the time that commitment to a woman’s organisation demands. However, lay women like Gina, whose story will be told in chapter five, need to have a voice in the Church.
Women are eligible to be elected to leadership positions in the Church regardless to whether they belong to a woman’s organisation or not. They can respond to a call to preach and they can be a Bible study group or ‘Class Meeting’113 leader. On paper, therefore, the ordinary woman in the pew has equal opportunities to the ordinary man in the pew. In practice, however, the majority of Society leaders remain men and the majority of Sunday School teachers remain women.