The Women's Interfaith Institute endeavors to enhance the skills and abilities of women leaders from all faith traditions, and has done so since its founding in 1992.  Over the years, the Institute has offered educational programs, seminars and study groups, leadership development retreats, interfaith liturgies for the public, publishing opportunities, and the archiving of the work of women involved in religious leadership.

The origin of the Women's Interfaith Institute dates back to 1988 when Allison Stokes first came to the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts as pastor of the West Stockbridge Congregational Church. She was amazed to find the unusual number of clergywomen serving congregations in the area. Her interest in this phenomenon led to a research project through Hartford Seminary, which culminated in the publication of an edited collection of women’s stories in Women Pastors (Crossroad, 1995).

Ten United Church of Christ clergywomen met monthly for several years as part of the process for that project and book, and during that time, other clergywomen in the area from different denominations expressed a desire to join the discussions. The idea for a countywide organization of female religious leaders of all faiths was born.

In 1992 the “Clergywomen's Interfaith Institute in the Berkshires” was incorporated. Several years later the group went through the legal process necessary to change the name to "Women's Interfaith Institute in the Berkshires" in order to be clear about the intention to include all women who are religious leaders or who identify their professional work as ministry—whether they are ordained or non-ordained.  Institute members who are professors, social workers, therapists, artists, musicians, educators, etc represent a broad spectrum of spiritual leadership.

The first five years, 1992-1997, were a time of organizational development and growth. The Institute established a mission statement and by-laws, elected a Board of Directors, set dues and recruited paying members, offered member study groups as well as several public program series, began a library and archives collection, and purchased a computer and fax machine.  We also established a database of women and men who are "Friends of the Institute"—people who support the work of women in ministry.  The Institute in the Berkshires also began publishing a quarterly newsletter, Women of Spirit.

During the next five years, 1998-2003, the Institute continued to develop, grow and change.   We established an office in Pittsfield in the historic building that is home to the Women’s Club of the Berkshires.  Here we held monthly board meetings, annual members’ meetings, and regular potluck dinners and programs.  The Institute hired a ministerial intern, Katharine Houk, on a part-time basis.  With a grant secured by Katherine, the board engaged a consultant to lead us in refining our mission statement and doing long range planning and goal setting. 

At the turn of the millennium, in December 1999, founding director Allison Stokes and board member Theresa O’Keefe attended the Parliament of World Religions’ gathering in Cape Town, South Africa.  Soon after the Board was able to better meet its mission by expanding to include a Muslim and a Baha’i in addition to the Christian and Jewish members.

In August 2001 Allison Stokes moved to Ithaca, New York to become Protestant Chaplain at Ithaca College.  At about this same time a member of the Institute, Dr. Norma Thompson, a retired professor from New York University, offered to give the Institute her extensive professional library.  While looking for a space to house this library, Allison discovered an historic church for sale in Seneca Falls, New York.  Located next door to the Women’s Rights National Historical Park, this seemed an ideal location for a home for the Institute.  Because Seneca Falls, “birthplace of women’s rights,” is visited by thousands of tourists annually, this highly visible address would allow us to call attention to our mission—women supporting women of diverse faiths in generating spiritual leadership, scholarship and service. Here we could honor the pioneering spiritual leadership of women in the past while offering visionary leadership for the present and future.

In the fall of 2002 an affiliate or sister group to the Institute in the Berkshires was incorporated-- the Women’s Interfaith Institute in the Finger Lakes.  In February 2003 the Finger Lakes group purchased the church.  The generous gifts of over 150 members and friends of the Institute made this possible.  Shortly after the building was purchased, the Berkshire group gave up its office space in Pittsfield, and furniture, the archives and small collection of library of books (donated over the years by Institute members) was moved to the new building in Seneca Falls.  The Norma Thompson Library was also moved from storage to Seneca Falls. 

Before the Institute could open its doors to the public in the Seneca Falls location, much work had to be done on a building that had been vacant and was in need of repair.    Women religious leaders in the area, joined by a representative delegation of board members from the Berkshires, gathered to bless the building on June 21^st, 2003.  Other pre-opening events were held, too, as other organizations asked for use of the space.  There were concerts by Rangers from the National Park Service, and the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, and a radio play, “Merry Christmas, George Bailey,” by the Seneca Players.  A daylong program and celebration was held on the 150^th anniversary of the ordination of Antoinette Brown Blackwell, first woman to be ordained.

One of the challenges faced by the Finger Lakes board was the urgent need to replace the badly damaged roof.  Generous gifts and grants were secured and work was begun just before the gala opening on June 18^th-19^th, 2004.  Under the gifted leadership of the Rev. Marilyn Foster, first clergywoman in Seneca Falls, the Finger Lakes board chose “Bringing Peace to Life” as theme for the opening and dedication.  A peace pole was planted.

Although the Institute in the Berkshires no longer has a physical home, the group has a highly committed and capable board, and has received foundation funding.  Therefore the monthly activities and programming continue vibrant, creative, rich and strong.  The board in the Finger Lakes work continues to maintain and restore the historic building and to develop programs.  For happenings in both Massachusetts and New York locations, our new website (another event in the historical development of the organization) is a key source of information.

In the late nineties the Women’s Interfaith Institute joined with other independent, non-profit groups of similar vision to form the Network of Women’s Centers for Spirituality and Liberation.  Leaders held annual meetings in Orlando, Florida and Cambridge, Massachusetts, but in recent years have let the ties languish.  One goal of the Women’s Interfaith Institute (Berkshire and Finger Lakes affiliates) is to revitalize this group that together we might realize our potential as a network.