Community of the Sisters of the Church

The Community of the Sisters of the Church is a religious order of women in various Anglican provinces who live the vowed life of poverty, chastity and obedience. In 2012 the order had 105 sisters living in community, together with an extensive network of associates.

History

The order was founded by Mother Emily Ayckbown in 1870 as the Church Extension Association. Mother Emily and other women who felt called to the religious life established schools and orphanages throughout England in the late 19th century. The Church Extension Association evolved into the present Community of the Sisters of the Church. The sisters have houses worldwide (see below). The Order is under the patronage of St Michael and All Angels.^[1]

Sister Dorina CSC was a prominent religious artist of the 1920s and 1930s who is particularly remembered for a set of Stations of the Cross which has been replicated many times over; examples of this work may be found in many Anglican churches, especially in London.^[2]

Current life and work

Any woman who feels called to join the sisters must first apply to the order and then make several visits. Then she becomes an aspirant, then a novice then makes promises to live as a junior sister for a few years before taking life vows.

The Sisters of the Church are supported by an international network of associates, who pray for the sisters and give financial and other support for their ministries, which include parish and retreat work, counselling and the only centre in the Solomon Islands for abused women and children at Tenaru.

Their most visible presence in recent years was when two sisters, one in Reeboks, sat in the sanctuary of Westminster Abbey during the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on 29 April 2012.

Structure

The order is led by an elected Reverend Mother Superior, who has international responsibility for all houses and all sisters. The order is then divided into provinces, each of which has an elected provincial superior and assistant superior. Whilst individual provinces and even individual houses may set local regulations, there is a common rule of life throughout the order.

Australia

Founded in 1892 and constituted in 1965, the province has convents at:

Glebe, New South Wales
Kempsey, New South Wales
Camperdown (Sydney), New South Wales
Two sisters live in Melbourne, Victoria:
- One sister is in retirement housing at Toorak
- One sister works in Melton parish

Canada

Founded in 1890 and constituted in 1965, the province has a single convent:

Oakville, Ontario (St Michael's House)

Solomon Islands

Founded in 1970 and constituted in 2001, the province has convents at:

Tetete ni Kolivuti (the training centre for postulants and novices)
Honiara (Patteson House)
Ysabel (St Scholastica's House)
Temotu, Santa Cruz (St Mary's House)
Kira Kira, Ulawa (St Gabriel's House)
Auki, Malaita (St Raphael's House)
Christian Care Centre (home for women victims of domestic abuse)

United Kingdom

Founded in 1870, the 'original' province has convents at these locations (the main UK convent location will change in 2016 from Ham Common to Gerrards Cross):

Ham Common, Richmond, Surrey (St Michael's Convent) - closing early in 2016
Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire (St Michael's Concvent) - opening early in 2016
Bristol (parish work, and street ministry amongst sex workers)
Clevedon, Somerset (St Gabriel's Convent) (retreat house, and training centre for postulants and novices)
West Harrow, Middlesex
St Anne's-on-Sea, Lancashire
Kingsdown, Kent

Extra-provincial

There are currently no convents of the order outside the four provinces shown above. In the past, convents have been located outside these provinces, in India, Burma, South Africa, and extensively in New Zealand.^[3]

External links

Community of the Sisters of the Church

References

↑ See Anglican Religious Life 2012-13, Canterbury Press of Norwich, (p) 2011, page 75.
↑ See details at this website.
↑ See references to all these houses on this webpage.

Active religious orders and communities of the Anglican Communion

For men	Alton Abbey Brotherhood of the Ascended Christ Brotherhood of Saint Gregory Community of the Divine Compassion Community of the Resurrection Company of Mission Priests Ewell Monastery Franciscan orders Korean Franciscan Brotherhood Little Brothers of Francis Melanesian Brotherhood Oratory of the Good Shepherd Benedictine orders Order of the Holy Cross Order of the Teachers of the Children of God Salisbury Priory St Gregory's Abbey Society of St. Francis Society of St. John the Evangelist Society of St. Paul

For women	Augustinian orders Benedictine Sisters of Bethany Chama Cha Mariamu Mtakatifu Chita che Zita Rinoyera Chita che Zvipo Zve Moto Christa Sevika Sangha Community of All Hallows Community of Christ the King Community of Jesus' Compassion Community of Nazareth Community of St. Andrew Community of St. Clare Community of St. Denys Community of St. Francis Community of St. John Baptist Community of St. John the Divine Community of St. John the Evangelist Community of St. Laurence Community of St. Mary Community of St. Mary at the Cross Community of St. Mary the Virgin Community of St. Mary of Nazareth and Calvary Community of St. Michael & All Angels Community of St. Paul Community of St. Peter Community of St. Peter, Horbury Community of the Blessed Lady Mary Community of the Companions of Jesus the Good Shepherd Community of the Good Shepherd Community of the Holy Cross Community of the Holy Family Community of the Holy Name (Europe & Africa) Community of the Holy Name (Australia) Community of the Holy Spirit Community of the Resurrection of Our Lord Community of the Sacred Name Community of the Sacred Passion Community of the Servants of the Cross Community of the Sisters of Melanesia Community of the Sisters of the Church Community of the Sisters of the Love of God Community of the Transfiguration Congregation of the Sisters of the Visitation of our Lady Daughters of St. Francis Fikambanan'ny Mpanompovavin l Jesoa Kristy Franciscan orders Malling Abbey Order of St. Anne Order of St. Anne at Bethany Order of St. Benedict Order of St. Helena Order of the Holy Paraclete Order of Women (South India) Sisterhood of St. John the Divine Sisterhood of St. Mary, Bangladesh Sisterhood of the Epiphany Sisterhood of the Holy Nativity Sisters of Charity Sisters of the Good Shepherd Sisters of the Incarnation Sisters of Jesus Way Sisters of St Francis (Korea) Society of All Saints Sisters of the Poor Society of Our Lady of the Isles Society of Our Lady St. Mary Society of St. John the Divine Society of St. Margaret Society of the Franciscan Servants of Jesus & Mary Society of the Holy Cross Society of the Holy Trinity Society of the Precious Blood Society of the Sacred Advent Society of the Sacred Cross Society of the Sisters of Bethany

Mixed	Anglican Order of Preachers (Dominican) Community of the Glorious Ascension Community of the Holy Transfiguration Community of the Servants of the Will of God Companions of Saint Luke (OSB) Franciscan orders Mucknell Abbey Order of Julian of Norwich Benedictine orders Society of the Sacred Mission

Related articles	Topics closely related to active religious orders: Former religious orders in the Anglican Communion

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