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THE
LI TIM-OI FOUNDATION
The
Li Tim-Oi Foundation exists to equip Christian
women in the Global South for their ministry - in memory of the first
Anglican Woman Priest
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Who
may receive a grant from the Foundation ?
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| When
Li Tim-Oi wanted to study for the ministry, her family could not afford
the cost of the course at Union Theological Collage in Guangzhou [then Canton].
Others provided the resources for her to do so. In her memory her sister
Rita primed the pump of the Foundation, so that other Christian women in
the 'Two-Thirds World' could like her be trained to fulfil their vocations.
So this Foundation wants to help an applicant who fulfils the following
criteria : |
| 1.
We only make grants to women, because it is women who need affirmative action
in many cultures, especially in the Two-Thirds World of nations in the South
and East of the planet. |
| 2.
Grants can only be made to women who are members of an Anglican Church,
or of a united church in communion with Anglicans. This is because on the
whole it is Anglicans who have been slower than other churches to empower
women. |
| 3.
Grants are only made to students being trained for responsible tasks for
which their diocese has decided to employ them, and for which it has budgeted
the funding. We want to encourage dioceses to recognise the gifts and equal
status of women in society and the Church. |
| 4.
Our grants are normally for vocational training, not for further academic
qualifications. It was to take the first step of the ladder that Tim-Oi
needed help. |
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5. We do not normally make a grant for a course that is already started.
Students should not start courses they do not have the resources to finish
and then put funders under pressure to get them out of difficulties of their
own making. However we recognise that some dioceses expect a student to
raise funds to cover their first year to prove their serious commitment. |
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6. Having agreed an initial grant, we do not want to waste that investment,
so, subject to satisfactory progress reports, we make repeat grants on an
annual basis to complete the course. |
| 7.
Our normal grant is for not more than £1000, and is paid direct to the training
institution. We need to be sure, before paying a grant, that a student is
able to make up the rest of the total cost of the course. We need to avoid
wasting our scarce resources in a situation where a grant is paid but the
course is not started or completed. |
| 8.
We only give grants for students to attend an institution in their own context.
We believe that training which is provided in the student's own context
will be more appropriate to the needs of the student and the local church.
This also allows us to help many more women. |
| 9.
The income of the Foundation is now very limited and the Trustees wish to
spread the benefits as widely as possible. They will normally only consider
in any one year supporting one student from a diocese. It is for the diocese
to decide according to its priorities which woman this should be. Therefore
the application will need to signal his support the personal signature of the Bishop of the diocese for whose
employed service the candidate is to be trained. |
| If
the above criteria can be met, Application Forms
need to be completed. The forms are available from the
Secretary, or can be downloaded from here.
[Acrobat
Reader, which is 'freeware', will be needed to read and print the four
pages.] The Trustees meet in London three times a year to consider applications
- usually in January, May and September . |
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Violet
Needham gave lifelong service to the Society
for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge. In her will she left a considerable
legacy to be used to support women preparing for ordination. SPCK Worldwide
decided that the Li Tim-Oi Foundation should administer these funds,
and Ms Sue Parks, its then Director, became a Trustee. This generous legacy
has greatly subsidised
the Foundation, but the funds are now totally committed. The Foundation
needs lifelong supporters, but would be glad to know that they want their
support to continue beyond the grave.
The Rev Linda Woolhouse, one of the first Church of England women priests, has also left the Foundation a large legacy because she was inspired by the ministry of women she experienced in Tanzania, and recognised that the Foundation was the best instrument to empower them. Her niece and co-executor, Katy Baylis, has become a Trustee. Linda also left her money to fund a visit to Tanzania in due course.
Would
you like to copy their examples, and make the Foundation a beneficiary
in your Will ? A simple Codicil is all that
is needed.
How
to support the Foundation
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