Daughters
of the King

At St. Mark's

Purpose

The purpose of the Daughters of the King, which is comprised of Episcopal lay women, is to extend Christ's love through the mediums of prayer and service. After completing a three-month training program and induction into the Order, each member accepts the challenge of carrying on God's work. Some of the means by which the Order fulfills its purpose of prayer and service are: Daily prayer, Operation of Spiritual book store, Baptismal ministry, Greeting card ministry, Opportunity for service, Phone calls, Errands, Deliveries, Visitations, and Receptions.

Prayer Cards

Prayer cards are put into the bulletin on the second Sunday of each month for your convenience. Please let us pray for you, your family and friends.

Book store

Thanks to Helen Goring and Audrey Sweeney, the book store is available for business one Sunday a month.

Nationally

Purpose of the Order

"The object of the Order shall be the extension of Christ's Kingdom through Prayer, Service, and Evangelism."

Who Are We

The Daughters of the King is an Order for women who are communicants of the Episcopal Church, or churches in communion with it, or churches who are in the Historical Episcopate. Members undertake a Rule of Life, incorporating the Rule of Prayer and the Rule of Service. By reaffirmation of the promises made at Confirmation, a Daughter pledges herself to a life-long program of prayer, service and evangelism, dedicated to the spread of Christ's Kingdom and the strengthening of the spiritual life of her parish.

History

Mrs. Margaret J. Franklin taught a Bible Class named Daughters of the King in Holy Sepulcher Church (now Church of the Resurrection) New York City. The Order was founded on Easter Even, April 4, 1885.

Motto

For His Sake

I am but one, but I am one.
I cannot do everything, but I can do something.
What I can do, I ought to do.
What I ought to do, by the grace of God I will do.
Lord, what will you have me do?

Official Colors

The colors of the Order are BLUE and WHITE.

Emblem of the Order

"With heart, mind and spirit uphold and bear the cross."

The emblem of the Order is a silver Greek Cross Fleury inscribed, Magnanimiter Crucem Sustine, the watchword of the Order, meaning: "With heart, mind and spirit uphold and bear the cross." At the base of the cross are letters "FHS", initials for the Motto of the Order: "For His Sake." The cross is customarily worn on the left side over the heart, or it may be worn on a silver chain around the neck, but it is never to be worn simply as an ornament. Only a member in good standing may wear the cross of the Order, which remains the property of the Order. When a member dies, it may be buried with her; otherwise it must be returned to our National Office.

Rule of Prayer

The first rule is the Rule of Prayer, and it should be carefully considered and guarded. In the Christian life, nothing can be submitted for this daily recourse to the source of life and strength.

Every member must have a rule of daily prayer. Because communication with God must be a growing, deepening relationship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each member's Rule of Prayer should be carefully chosen and reviewed and revised periodically.

Part of the Rule of Prayer is to pray daily

	For the spread of Christ's Kingdom, especially among women and girls.
	For God's blessing upon the members of the Order.

For the spiritual growth of the parish and for the clergy of the parish to which the chapter owes allegiance.

Rule of Service

By the Rule of Service, a Daughter seeks daily to do the will of God where she is, remembering Jesus' words: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these..., ye have done it unto me." (Matt: 25:40) The Rule of Service is, after all, nothing but the application of one's baptismal vow, reaffirmed by confirmation:

	To be Christ's faithful servant in the extension of His Kingdom;
	To take regularly a part in the worship, study and work of the Church;
	To render at all times aid to the Rector as deemed necessary for the spiritual up building of the parish.

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

We are a group of Christian women, trying to implement our confirmation vows to "pray, work and give for Christ's Kingdom," by becoming members of a spiritual order for laywomen and adopting a Rule of Life based on Prayer and Service.

Through membership in our Order, women are:

	Given strength through prayer;
	Helped to learn through study;
	Provided fellowship with other Daughters;
	Disciplined through following the Rules of the Order;
	Offered an opportunity for useful work through service to others in need, to their parish and diocese and to their clergy.

We are a group of dedicated Christian women who are trying to follow a life of Prayer and Service to our neighbors. We are women to whom parishioners can look for love and for help in time of need, loneliness, or strangeness. We seek to walk with God as our guide and try to draw those with whom we come into the Church. We are women who try to spread Christ's Kingdom here on earth. We can never forget that Prayer is the foundation from which our service grows.

"Prayer without work is empty words,
Service without Prayer is labor lost."

We find the Order of the Daughters of the King to be a "safe place" in a busy world where we can be together and support each other in Christ's love.

Duties and Responsibilities of Membership

	Follow a daily Rule of Life; fulfilling the vows of Prayer and Service;
	Undertake a personal program of evangelism through prayer and service, working to bring others to Christ through His church;
	Pay National, Provincial, Diocesan, and Chapter dues promptly;
	Participate in the offerings to the funds of the Order; the Self-Denial Fund at the Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Feb. 2), the Master's Fund at Pentecost (Whitsuntide) and the Endowment Fund;
	Attend and participate in Diocesan and Provincial Assemblies and cooperate with other church groups whenever possible.

Our Chaplains

Our By-Laws refer to "Rector" in several instances, but in large parishes, the rectors sometimes allow assistants or curates to be chaplains; therefore the following duties and responsibilities are the same for Chapter, Diocese, Provincial, and National chaplains. They are:

	To provide pastoral care and counseling for the members;
	To offer input in human relations;
	To address basic theological concerns;
	To be the support person;
	To aid in group maintenance.

Evangelism

As defined by the Episcopal Church, "Evangelism is the presentation of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit in such ways that other persons may be led to believe in Him as Savior and follow Him as Lord within the fellowship of the Church."

Each Daughter promises to make a conscientious and constant effort to live out the definition in her life, doing all she can through her words and deeds to bring others, especially women and girls, into a relationship with Jesus Christ and into the fellowship of the Church.

Through evangelism we try to reach those who do not know the love of Jesus Christ.

We make a conscious effort to reach out to those who are new in the community and looking for a church home, to those who are in hospitals, to shut-ins, and to those in sorrow or personal trouble. We do all we can to help Episcopalians experience God's love through the fellowship of the Church.

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Daughters of the King