What does being a Daughter of the King mean?
By RoseAnn Hill
April 2008
As a relatively new Daughter and having been unfamiliar with Daughters of the King until recently, I thought it would be helpful to reiterate the motto for the sake of everyone. It is:
For His Sake
I am 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?
**
Daughters vow to follow a Rule of Life and a Rule of Service. The following information is taken from a website of the Daughters of the King in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I think it does a good job explaining the premise of being a Daughter of the King.
"A Rule of Life is a considered pattern of activities designed to embody and focus our relationship with God.
A Rule of Life may thought of as:
· a covenant between God and me
· a way to provide "prime time" for God in my life
· that which I can use to focus my Christian walk
Observing a Rule of Life:
· gives a high priority to our religious dimension
· acknowledges that rhythm is the key to vigorous life
· provides assurance in periods of spiritual dryness
· develops inner strength and resources for times of supreme stress and testing
· facilitates gathering with other believers in order to celebrate our common life in Christ, expressing the social dimension of faith;
The Rule of Service is the application of one's baptismal vow, reaffirmed by confirmation to be Christ's faithful servant in the extension of His Kingdom.
There are many ways for a Chapter or an individual Daughter to serve. Some possibilities are:
Bringing support and comfort to the sick through prayer and visitation, to those who come to our attention through the Daughters of the King, or our clergy. We are especially called to support those who find themselves away from home and without local support in a crisis situation.
Making lap quilts and coverings for hospital stays.
Taking altar flowers to the sick, lonely shut-ins, and/or those in grief.
Making sleeping bags for the homeless.
Feeding of the hungry on a regular basis (weekly, monthly, etc.)
Finding food and shelter for those in need, especially in winter.
Making and distributing rosaries or prayer beads."
The members of our chapter may do any or all of these things, individually and as a group, and also provide assistance to the bereaved by coordinating receptions at the church following memorial services.
The habitual wearing of the cross of the Daughters of the King makes us mindful of our vows, and also serves as a conversation starter and gives us the opportunity of quietly witnessing to others.
Any women of St. Paul’s interested in learning more about Daughters of the King or who would like to become a member may contact our President, Kathleen Jensen at jensencurl@earthlink.net.
