About Women’s Ministry

Who’s Invited
The women’s ministry at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church is open to all who identify as female, including cis and trans women, of any age. This is an open and affirming, intergenerational space.

Join our mailing list!
We would love to include you in women’s ministry at FAPC. If you are interested in being on our mailing list, sign up here!

Stay Connected
Church work is a team-sport. Rev. Sarah Speed is the primary leader for Women’s Ministry efforts at FAPC. However, she is heavily supported by colleagues Jaime Staehle, Ashley Gonzalez and Natalie Owens-Pike. Thanks be to God for this team! If you have questions or would like to be added to our newsletter, email us at [email protected]. We would love to hear from you!

Our Programs

Women’s Winter Sabbath
Every winter we kick off the new year with a Saturday day-retreat together. This year’s winter sabbath took place on January 20th on the church’s campus. Make sure to keep your eyes open for announcements about next year’s winter sabbath. We’d love to have you!

Women’s Summer Retreat
Every Summer in May or June, women of this congregation head out of town for a weekend together! From Friday evening through Sunday morning we share meals, visit in small groups, gather together for study, play games, take walks and laugh a lot. If you are interested in going deeper in relationships, we highly recommend joining us for retreat! There is no better way to get to know folks than over a weekend together.

This year’s Summer Sabbath Retreat is scheduled for June 21st through 23rd. Sign up for the retreat here!

Women’s Bible Study (Zoom)
Every Wednesday morning from 8-8:30 a faithful group of women from this congregation hop on zoom together for a weekly bible study. This is a brief, yet consistent moment of dedicated faith formation. If you would like to join this group in study and in prayer, email [email protected].

Mom’s Night Out
Research has shown that new moms are one of the most lonely demographics in the United States. We are here to combat that loneliness together! Join Jaime Staehle, our Director of Christian Education, every other month at 6 pm for a mom’s night out. Mom’s nights take place at restaurants near the church for food, fellowship and connection. (This is another great place to learn about the nursery, baptism, and children’s ministry!) To learn more and confirm the next date, email [email protected].

Fellowship Events
Each quarter, women in this congregation will have an opportunity to participate in intergenerational gatherings. Find our upcoming events on the right-hand sidebar. Join our email list to stay up to date with event sign-ups and reminders. We would love to see you this spring and summer.

Our History

From the very beginning of our church’s history, the women of this congregation have been a force for good. The roots of our Women’s Ministry dates to 1810, just after the church was founded in Lower Manhattan. The women’s Seminary Society met in members’ homes to make garments for students attending the newly established Princeton Theological Seminary. Historians believe this was the first organization for church women west of Massachusetts.

A centennial tea on Dec. 10, 1883, commemorated the formal beginning of women’s societies in the church. These groups were formed to study mission opportunities and benevolent giving to various causes. These groups were merged in 1930 into the Women’s Association. This new organization focused on helping women struggling through the Great Depression. During World War II, the Association shifted its focus toward helping those affected by the war—rolling bandages for the wounded, knitting and sewing for refugees, writing letters to servicemen, and much more. The Women’s Association also ran a holiday bazaar to benefit the church’s ministries and an annual Christmas Tea for the women of the congregation.

While the Women’s Association formally closed in December of 2023, the legacy of that organization lives on in the spirit of the Women’s Ministry today. We will be forever grateful for the saints who went before us and continue to evolve to meet the needs of the congregation today. We hope you will consider joining us in this new season of women’s ministry!