History
How We Got Here from There
by Nell Richardson

Introduction
A hole-in-the-wall Galveston restaurant named "Shrimp n'Stuff" does not seem a likely place to begin a story about feminine spirituality, but that is where I was when Betty Adam leaned across the table and invited me to attend a meeting to talk about what she called "a new kind of women's ministry." I was intrigued, but skeptical. I did not know Betty well. I knew she was the new priest and Canon Pastor at Christ Church Cathedral in Houston, but this meal during a pause in Diocesan Council was the first time our paths had really crossed. I also knew that "new" ministries are often a rehashing of "old" ministries. And, while I treasure much about traditional women's ministries, they are not where I feel called in my own church life. I do like to support initiative, however, and Betty seemed genuinely eager to share her ideas. Also, Walter Taylor had become our Dean only the year before, and I liked what I was seeing and hearing as he gradually put his stamp on life at the Cathedral. "So OK," I thought. "I'll go to a couple of meetings to support the new clergy, and that will probably be the end of it."

Well, that was February 1993, and there is no end in sight. Although many of the key players have changed, what started five years ago has become a major new ministry, not just for Christ Church Cathedral but for hundreds of women and men throughout Houston who regularly participate in offerings by what is now known as "Brigid's Place." Lives have been changed by what truly has become "a new kind of women's ministry."

But don't think it's been easy. There are those who think it appropriate that the first gathering to talk about the possibility of such a ministry was on April Fool's Day. I was certainly fooled by thinking nothing much would happen, and that I could go back to whatever life was like before. Others who came to the early meetings were fooled because they had expected their ideas to be dismissed as silly, or impractical, or - horror of horrors - too "feminist." [See Cora Conner Spear's article on the "f word" elsewhere in this issue.] Still others, less than sympathetic to what was happening, were fooled because they thought the ministry could be intimidated or marginalized. Instead, life for me and many others has never been quite the same; women listened and heard each other's voices; and the ministry became ever more powerful as it learned to meet needs that were already present but which had not been addressed before in a meaningful fashion.

So what actually happened to move one woman's vision from an idea discussed in places like Shrimp n'Stuff to a lay ministry with a full-time executive director, a mailing list of over 2,500, a diverse program attended by hundreds of people, and active social outreach projects? This is an article, not a book, so the historical account that follows must necessarily be an overview.

Key Elements of Brigid's Place
It is interesting to look at key elements of Brigid's Place today and consider when and how the ideas evolved into their current form. Any such list must necessarily be subjective and open to debate, but most people agree that Brigid's Place [1] is a nonhierarchical organization that [2] provides a physical space, that is [3] dedicated to and honors women, and which is [4] devoted to spirituality as manifested in the feminine while [5] being inclusive of men. Its programs and projects offer [6] opportunities for closeness in small groups and [7] opportunities for education through speakers, classes, and workshops, and manifest [8] a special concern for women with economic and social difficulties. What becomes clear from the historical record is that virtually all of these elements have been present from the beginning. By looking at each element, we will see that the history of Brigid's Place has been one of defining, refining, and polishing the needs and goals that existed when we first came together.

[1] A Nonhierarchical Organization
During the initial meeting on April 1, 1993, Betty Adam stated that she envisioned "an enabling organization, not a power organization." In the early follow-up meetings, participants discussed the question of structure at length. By May 27, the discussions had crystallized into a decision to call the new organization "The Women's Assembly," to indicate the concept of women gathering together to explore, share, and learn. The structure of the organization would be based on a circular model, demonstrating that decision-making would be shared among equals rather than imposed from the top down. As one participant commented, "The individuals and small groups are like the spokes on a wheel, each contributing to the strength of the whole, and each helping to move the wheel forward."

The image of the wheel led to naming the governing body the "Rotating Circle," a term that has provoked amusement and perhaps even some derision. However, the name is important because it reflects the intention that membership, influence, and decision-making should rotate and be shared among many, and that agreement should be reached through consensus. Thus, although the organization itself is now called Brigid's Place and no longer uses the name Women's Assembly, the Rotating Circle has remained the source of guidance and management through the organization's five years of growth and transition. Even today, when the realities of corporate and tax law have led Brigid's Place to incorporate into a very traditional-sounding entity with an ostensible hierarchy of officers, the Rotating Circle meets regularly as the corporation's Advisory Board, and the advice offered is arrived at by consensus building and group sharing, just as originally conceived in 1993.

Similarly, although Brigid's Place uses the traditional term "executive director" for its paid administrator, that position is not viewed hierarchically. Both founding executive director Jennifer Elkins and Sandi Stromberg, who currently holds the position, have been seen not as on the high rung of a ladder, but as at the hub of the organizational wheel.

[2] Physical Space
The original vision of the women who met in 1993 was for a women's "center," which by implication includes a set-aside space. Although part of the dream from the beginning, over two years passed before the space became a reality. Initially, the Women's Assembly functioned strictly on a volunteer basis. Beginning in the summer of 1993, programs and events were offered by the Women's Assembly but with no particular physical home. However, as the organization continued to flourish, the need for a "home base" became more apparent, particularly as we considered hiring staff to help with the growing volume of work. There was also a sense that women need a "safe" place to be - in the memorable words of one Rotating Circle member, "I want a place where I can hang out and feel good, kind of like guys do in bars." The Rotating Circle had its eye on some underutilized space in the Cathedral's Latham Building, and in March 1995 a generous donor gave funds for the refurbishing of those rooms, to be shared by the Women's Assembly and other Cathedral groups. Renovations were begun in January 1996 and completed soon thereafter.

The availability of space gave rise to discussions about what name to use, as "Women's Assembly" did not seem to reflect the "safe space" idea. The organization had already developed an affinity for St. Brigid, a fifth-century Irish Celtic saint who founded a double monastery of nuns and monks known for their wisdom, compassion, hospitality, and healing, based on the social concept of equality between men and women. Thus, during a brainstorming session when someone said, "Why don't we call it Brigid's Place?" there was an immediate sense that the right name had been found. For a while, the group tried to differentiate between the Women's Assembly and Brigid's Place, but it gradually became apparent that Brigid's Place should be the name of both the space and the organization, because having a dedicated space was an essential component of the organization.

[3] Dedicated to and Honoring Women
From its inception as the Women's Assembly, Brigid's Place has been by and about women - not, as discussed below, to the exclusion of men, but unapologetically addressing issues and ideas of particular interest to women. This is not to say, of course, that all women agree with or even approve of Brigid's Place, and there have certainly been disagreements among those who have participated in and supported the ministry. There has been no monolithic, "party-line" voice; rather, there have been multiple voices trying to listen to one another, and trying to respond to the needs of those women who have been looking for a new and different forum in which to speak and learn.

[4] Feminine Spirituality
Obviously, there are many women's groups dealing with diverse political, economic, and social issues. Early on, the founders of what is now Brigid's Place were mindful that we should not duplicate what was already available elsewhere. What we recognized was that we knew of no other women's organization that was addressing the need of women to enhance their spirituality with emphasis on the "divine feminine," at least not within the context of a traditional church-based setting and in quite the way we envisioned. Thus the first meeting "emphasized the necessity of a spiritual component" to the organization and a "prayerful approach" to its projects. These goals have been carried into the present, including providing a physical space, the Brigid's Place oratory, where anyone can come for group or individual meditation and prayer. Worship services have been a large part of our history, beginning with the first celebration of St. Brigid's Feast Day on February 1, 1994. Brigid's Place program and projects reflect the underlying desire to understand and honor our spiritual selves by expanding our view of the Creator and what has been created.

[5] Inclusiveness
Emphasis on women and feminine spirituality must not be confused with being "anti-male." At no time in its history has Brigid's Place sought to exclude men. Notes made at the first meeting include comments that, whatever its final form, the group should "address concerns of men" as well as of women. One person stated that "this is not 'us' against 'them'" and we should "speak to [the] feminine in men." That attitude has prevailed, and men have participated in all the various types of programs at Brigid's Place, whether they be small groups, workshops, seminars, or worship services. Christ Church Cathedral Dean Walter Taylor has been one of the strongest supporters of this ministry, correctly seeing it as a means of expanding our understanding of God's message, not restricting it. Of course, inclusiveness refers to more than gender, and from its inception Brigid's Place has been ecumenical, multicultural, and multiethnic. The Cathedral vestry would surely not have officially approved the continued existence of Brigid's Place in 1996, nor the Bishop of Texas have approved its incorporation in 1998, had it been perceived as being "against" anyone.

[6] Small Groups
In the early days of the Women's Assembly, the Rotating Circle concentrated on the development of small ongoing groups rather than try to put on large conferences or hold classes. In the fall of 1993, the first Women's Assembly newsletter described small groups as follows:

Small groups are usually more informal and flexible than official groups like a guild, council or committee. Small groups might form around a need and disband or evolve once the original need is met. In other words, a small group exists to serve the needs of its participants rather than the other way around.

Small groups aren't about prestige or power or adding a credit to your resume. When they work, women in them feel warmed, validated, nurtured and accepted. They are about inclusion. A small group can be a lifeline, a resource, a place to learn. It can even be a party. Small groups are great!

Thus, a hallmark of the Brigid's Place approach to its educational and spiritual mission has been to make safe space available for women and men to examine ideas and issues of particular meaning and interest. Women respond particularly well to sharing each other's stories [hence the frequent use of the term "herstory" as a substitute for "history"], and an intimate group setting encourages such sharing. By establishing groups that meet regularly, women have been drawn to find comfort and wisdom from the experience and observations of others.

A complete listing of all the small groups that have met under the aegis of the Women's Assembly/Brigid's Place is too lengthy to be given here, but such groups are the backbone of the program. Each group serves the needs of its participants, but the approach has generally been either to bring in speakers to address the group on a particular topic, or to engage in self-study through the use of books or other tools. Six small groups began almost immediately after the Women's Assembly was created: Women in the Workplace, Women Saints and Mystics, Women on the Cusp, The Contemplative Woman, Wisdom Bearers, and Through Her Eyes. Two of these are among the current six active groups - Women in the Workplace has been one of the most successful groups utilizing a monthly speaker, while The Contemplative Woman continues to attract women who are interested in the self-study approach.

As anticipated from the beginning, groups have altered direction or disbanded as the needs and desires of the participants changed or were met; for example, the very popular Feminist Forum has evolved into a First Thursday series to begin in the fall of 1998. New groups have formed when needed, such as the Women's Journey group created at the request of some women who attended a workshop in the fall of 1997. In short, the small groups offered through Brigid's Place have served the purposes originally outlined in 1993.

[7] Speakers, Classes & Workshops
Once the small groups were firmly established, and the Women's Assembly had gained confidence and support, the Rotating Circle began to consider adding larger events in an effort to expand its mission of educational and spiritual development. The first event of this kind took place in May 1995, when we presented "An Evening with Alison Cheek." Cheek is one of the "Philadelphia Eleven," a group of women ordained as Episcopal priests prior to the time that such ordination was officially sanctioned. The dinner with Cheek attracted a hundred people, made some money for the Women's Assembly, and demonstrated that there was a previously unmet need for women to hear the stories of strong women who have made a mark on history. Such events have continued, one of the most successful being the two-day workshop by author Sue Monk Kidd in September 1997 attended by 312 women and men.

In addition to small groups and large events, the Brigid's Place program has expanded through the years to include classes, workshops, seminars, and retreats offered on a one-time or limited series basis. These offerings play an important role in fulfilling the organization's educational function, and they are often the entry points for further participation in Brigid's Place.

[8] Social Outreach
A natural outgrowth of the educational and spiritual dimensions of Brigid's Place is to extend those lessons into the "real world." One of the original five interest groups of the Women's Assembly was called "Women in Crisis"; its goal was to identify unmet needs among women in Houston and to develop practical responses. That group sponsored a program called "Caring Partners," through which volunteers worked with women who were being discharged from the Women's Home and who needed extra support to make a successful transition. By being friends with these women, the volunteers let them know that someone cared. Although sometimes compassion was all a woman needed to succeed, the project also helped a number of women in direct ways such as finding jobs and housing.

The Women in Crisis committee no longer exists as such; its successor is the Brigid's Place Outreach Committee, which develops new ways of helping women who are experiencing social and economic difficulties. Between the fall of 1997 and spring of 1998, in a joint project with NOAH [Neighborhood Organization for Acceptable Housing], Brigid's Place raised over $5,000 and recruited over fifty volunteers to refurbish the home of a divorced mother of five. Working with the Christ Church Cathedral Mission Outreach Council, Brigid's Place is also coordinating the Family Pathfinders project by which women relying on welfare are assisted to become independent. More social outreach projects are in the works, including a plan to provide affordable housing and spiritual support for women leaving Texas jails and prisons.

Conclusion
What is clear from this brief overview of the evolution of Brigid's Place is that all the elements we recognize today were present in Betty Adam's original vision and in the hearts of those who responded to that vision. I am reminded of the chorus to what has become a kind of Brigid's Place anthem, "Light the Fire: A Song of Brigid." This wonderful hymn admonishes us to "light the fire of God's desire, within all hearts," and that is truly what happened in 1993 when the spark of an idea lit a fire in the hearts of those who wanted new ways to explore their spirituality, not by rejecting the usual ways, but by adding meaning and expanding our understanding.

The history of Brigid's Place shows that great things can be accomplished when a need exists, when there is someone with the vision to recognize that need, and when people work together to respond faithfully to the need. It also shows that great things don't necessarily begin only in cathedrals, so if you happen to be in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant when a priest with a vision in her eyes leans over and tells you she has an idea, watch out - something great may be about to happen.

Nell Richardson, an attorney, is on the vestry of Christ Church Cathedral and a former Board Member of Brigid's Hope.