First Lady's Journal

One: The Power of the Sisterhood

by Nancy Gates

As many of you know, I will host the 3rd annual conference of The National Women’s Forum in Indianapolis from May 12-May 14, 2011. I have had the awesome privilege of leading this ministry since its inception in 2008. At each of our events, I distribute a little booklet that I’ve simply titled “Sisterhood”. It has become a staple in our registration bags, mainly because I cannot stress the importance of its message enough: We must become ONE! As a precursor to our “Power of the Sisterhood” conference I have chosen to share my message in this journal entry. I hope it will inspire you to begin a journey of healing and to reconcile any differences you may have with your sisters so that we may move forward in Christ. Enjoy! __________________________________________________________________________ Years ago, the sisterhood was synonymous with the women’s ministry of the Pentecostal church, and every once in a while there may have been a little discussion about the need for unity. But I recently saw the word “sisterhood” spelled out in gigantic letters on the stage of a mega-conference in Australia. Somehow, when I saw it used in a modern setting—a conference, teeming with sophisticated, vibrant women of all colors and creeds, all of a sudden I had a brand new appreciation for it. Sisterhood had suddenly become chic, swanky—even a little sexy! In fact, I became so inspired that I decided to peer a little deeper into the special bond of the sisterhood and share a few thoughts about it with you. I’m kind of a word hound, so I can never resist the temptation to split words in half and study their origins. And in this particular case, the second half of the word caught my attention more than the first. So instead of researching sisterhood, I simply studied hood to see if I could gain a better perspective of how it pertains to the relationship between sisters. The takeaway from my study was that in nearly every entry the word “covering” appeared. None of the entries had anything at all to do with relationships, but there was an abstract message there that I felt was worth tapping into. Women who have had the privilege to be initiated into a sorority may understand sisterhood better than those who have not. I’m reminded of Ethel Hedgeman, a student at Howard University who, in 1908, was inspired to begin the first Greek letter sorority for African-American women, known today as Alpha Kappa Alpha. It was her desire to establish an organization that would serve as a support system, a covering, for black women who were still to a very large degree disempowered. The sorority was predicated upon the values of education, service and leadership. Sisterhood and solidarity became the binding agent for this minority organization. And because of unity, courage and determination, it now boasts nearly 300,000 women worldwide in its membership and recently celebrated its centennial year. Sisterhood is not just a group of people who exist together and happen to be female. It is a mosaic of feminine bonding, rapport, fellowship, support and most importantly, common purpose. I wonder what would happen if the women of the Church became truly dedicated to promoting this influential institution? Suppose we could share our talents without the need for competition or give of our resources without broadcasting our good deeds. What if accountability and responsibility for the souls of our sisters became the hallmark of our lives and we each made a promise to hold each other’s feet to the fire so that not one of us strayed from the fellowship? And wouldn’t it be great if we could collectively recognize and accept that there will be differences between us and that we may even break out in the occasional, very unfeminine cat fight, but we still maintained our pledge to propel one another forward in Christ? Although this would require a new set of disciplines from each of us, I happen to believe that it is doable. And it would certainly be worth knowing that our Christian responsibility to become each other’s keeper and to present ourselves as living letters to the world would be accomplished in a way that is mutually beneficial to all. I am convinced that it is not enough for us to merely be sisters. We must become the hood, the covering of support that awakens promise and possibility in the hearts and souls of women all around the globe.

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