Mary J. Drexel Home and Philadelphia Motherhouse of Deaconesses

See ULCA 60 Administrative History.

See ULCA 60 Adminsitrative History.

See also ULCA 60 Administrative History.

See ULCA 60 Administrative History

See also ULCA Administrative History

The Sisters' Conference of the Philadelphia Motherhouse of Deaconesses (PMD) comprised consecrated deaconesses who would attend periodic meetings where they considered and voted on matters not under the purview of other boards affiliated with the institution. These issues included motherhouse regulations, selection of candidates for investiture and consecration, election of members for Sister's Council, elections for directing sister, the motherhouse's fiscal condition, vacations, family and guest use of vacation properties, deaconess garb, attendance at chapel, and absences from various meetings. When the United Lutheran Church in America's Board of Deaconess Work (BDW) assumed oversight responsibility for the PMD, it, not the sisters, had final approval of PMD candidates for investiture and consecration. The sister's conference would transmit its recommendation of candidates for later consideration by the BDW.

See also ULCA 60 Administrative History.

The "oberin" or directing sister was the deaconess who oversaw aspects of diaconal community life and the day-to-day running of the motherhouse and its institutions not under the responsibility of the directing pastor. When construction of the motherhouse was completed in 1888, the newly-created corporation for MJDH/PMD, in addition to creating a separate board of trustees to oversee this corporation, created the positions of directing pastor and directing sister. Until 1897 the directing sister had responsibility for the motherhouse and the training school for deaconesses. After 1897, two positions were created: directing sister for the motherhouse and directing sister for the training school.

This position was elected by the board of trustees from nominees recommended by the deaconess community. Her duties included overseeing all aspects of the "running of the household" for the MJDH/PMD and its institutions. She was also responsible for staffing decisions for the motherhouse and children's hospital. She administered the Sisters' Fund and distributed the sisters' allowances.

See also ULCA Administrative History.

The Sisters' Conference of the Philadelphia Motherhouse of Deaconesses (PMD) comprised consecrated deaconesses who would attend periodic meetings where they considered and voted on matters not under the purview of other boards affiliated with the institution. These issues included motherhouse regulations, selection of candidates for investiture and consecration, election of members for Sister's Council, elections for directing sister, the motherhouse's fiscal condition, vacations, family and guest use of vacation properties, deaconess garb, attendance at chapel, and absences from various meetings. When the United Lutheran Church in America's Board of Deaconess Work (BDW) assumed oversight responsibility for the PMD, it, not the sisters, had final approval of PMD candidates for investiture and consecration. The sister's conference would transmit its recommendation of candidates for later consideration by the BDW.

See also ULCA Administrative History.

In the charter creating the Mary J. Drexel Home and Philadelphia Motherhouse of Deaconesses (MJDH/PMD), a provision allowed for the establishment of a Board of Trustees to manage the corporation. This board, as initially constituted, comprised nine managers, or trustees. Among requirements for trustees was that they "adhere to the faith," and a minimum of four trustees be ministers in the Lutheran Church and recognized by the Evangelical Lutheran Ministerium of Pennsylvania and Adjacent States (PM). Three trustees also had to be members of the Board of Trustees for the German Hospital of the City of Philadelphia. From its membership, the board elected annually a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and solicitor. The directing pastor and directing sister served on the board as ex officio members. Later amendments increased the number of board members to fifteen and provided that the Board of Deaconess Work of the United Lutheran Church in America (ULCA), the Pennsylvania Ministerium, and the Board of Trustees itself would each nominate five members to the board.

A by-laws change in 1926 reduced the number of meetings from monthly to 5 times a year and for any additional meetings called by the president. The change also created an executive committee which met on alternate months, with no meetings in July and August. From 1948 through 1953, the board met monthly except in the summer. Later by-laws amendments reduced the number of meetings to four time per year, usually in January, April, June, and December and. The board met five times per year and for any additional meetings called by the president. The board's Executive Committee comprised the president and chairs of the standing committees. It met the months in which the board was not meeting. In addition to the Executive Committee, there were four other standing committees: Finance, Property, Home for the Aged, and Deaconess Motherhouse and School.

It was the board's responsibility to call the directing pastor and directing sister and define their duties; decide on questions related to beginning work in new fields and geographic areas; supervise the finances of the corporation, and in general provide supervision and decision-making for matters concerning the overall work of the MJDH/PMD.

See also ULCA 60 Administrative History.

The Sisters' Council for the Philadelphia Motherhouse of Deaconesses (PMD) comprised six consecrated sisters of the motherhouse. In addition to these six, the directing pastor attended the meetings and the assistant to the directing sister as well as the training sister were ex officio members. Elected by the sisters' conference, the Sisters' Council, according to its "Regulations for the Sisters' Council," had the responsibility of "advancing the inner life of the sisterhood," and "preserving the best traditions of the motherhouse." Its first meeting occurred on November 21, 1921. Meetings were first held weekly, but at the end of 1922, the council switched to holding monthly meetings.

In addition to its broad directives to advance the sisterhood's inner life and preserve motherhouse traditions, the council also had specific duties outlined in its regulations. The council made recommendations as they pertained to admission of candidates for the diaconate, and later for the consecration or dismissal of probationary sisters. The council proffered recommendations regarding new fields of work as well as whether to accept new outstations or eliminate certain ones. Actions taken by the Board of Trustees for the MJDH/PMD were put before the council for consideration. Council work also pertained to actions regarding personnel matters that included transferring sisters to new assignments, replacing sisters in work assignments, and reviewing vacation allowances and stipends provided the sisters.

See also ULCA 60 Administrative History.

It was not until 1888 when construction was nearing completion on the Philadelphia Motherhouse that the Board of Trustees of the Mary J. Drexel Home and Philadelphia Motherhouse of Deaconesses (MJDH/PMD) began to consider finding a pastor to serve as full-time directing pastor.

Duties for directing pastor included acting as "spiritual guide" for all residents and staff of the MJDH/PMD. The directing pastor was also the headmaster for the girls' school and if time permitted he was to teach classes there. He was in charge of the kindergarten and directed the component of deaconess training that pertained to religion. He served as editor of any publications that were not overseen by the Board of Trustees and he had responsibility for the library, chapel, and all ecclesiastical supplies.

The directing pastor dealt with all business correspondence, as well as issued receipts for income received by the MJDH/PMD. He was required to file monthly reports with the Board of Trustees treasurer outlining monthly income and expenses and he maintained the corporation seal. Outside the motherhouse, he was required to visit, for inspection, all outstations staffed by the deaconesses.

See also ULCA 60 Administrative History.

The "oberin" or directing sister was the deaconess who oversaw aspects of diaconal community life and the day-to-day running of the motherhouse and its institutions not under the responsibility of the directing pastor. Sister Marie Krueger was the first directing sister for the Mary J. Drexel Home and Philadelphia Motherhouse of Deaconesses (MJDH/PMD). She was one of seven deaconesses that John D. Lankenau brought to the United States from Iserlohn, Germany, in 1884 to staff the German Hospital of Philadelphia, later Lankenau Hospital. When construction of the motherhouse was completed in 1888, the newly-created corporation for MJDH/PMD, in addition to creating a separate board of trustees to oversee this corporation, created the positions of directing pastor and directing sister. Until 1897 the directing sister had responsibility for the motherhouse and the training school for deaconesses. After 1897, two positions were created: directing sister for the motherhouse and directing sister for the training school.

Bylaws of the MJDH/PMD contained provisions pertaining to the position of directing sister. This position was elected by the board of trustees from nominees recommended by the deaconess community. Early on she was required to speak and read German perfectly, but that requirement was eliminated in later years. She was an ex officio voting member of the board of trustees. Her duties included overseeing all aspects of the "running of the household" for the MJDH/PMD and its institutions. This included overseeing supply procurement, housekeeping, the cafeteria, and clothing for the deaconesses. She was also responsible for staffing decisions for the motherhouse and children's hospital. For staffing decisions affecting the hospital, the bylaws required her to consult the hospital's chief of staff and for staffing decisions affecting deaconess training, she consulted the directing pastor. She administered the Sisters' Fund and distributed the sisters' allowances. With the consultation of the directing pastor, she could inspect outstations at which the deaconesses worked.

Motherhouse Directing Sisters:

Sister Marie Krueger, 1884-1887

Sister Wanda von Oertzen, 1888-1897

Sister Emilie Schwarz, 1897-1901

Sister Magdalene Steinmann, 1901-1908

Sister Wilhelmina Dittmann, 1908-1922

Sister Julia Mergner, 1922-1929

Sister Elsie Dodenhoff, 1929

Sister Grace Lauer, 1943-1945 (interim directing sister)

Sister Anna Ebert, 1930-1962

See also ULCA 60 Administrative History.

The Sisters' Council for the Philadelphia Motherhouse of Deaconesses (PMD) comprised six consecrated sisters of the motherhouse. In addition to these six, the directing pastor attended the meetings and the assistant to the directing sister as well as the training sister were ex officio members. Elected by the sisters' conference, the Sisters' Council, according to its "Regulations for the Sisters' Council," had the responsibility of "advancing the inner life of the sisterhood," and "preserving the best traditions of the motherhouse." Its first meeting occurred on November 21, 1921. Meetings were first held weekly, but at the end of 1922, the council switched to holding monthly meetings.

In addition to its broad directives to advance the sisterhood's inner life and preserve motherhouse traditions, the council also had specific duties outlined in its regulations. The council made recommendations as they pertained to admission of candidates for the diaconate, and later for the consecration or dismissal of probationary sisters. The council proffered recommendations regarding new fields of work as well as whether to accept new outstations or eliminate certain ones. Actions taken by the Board of Trustees for the MJDH/PMD were put before the council for consideration. Council work also pertained to actions regarding personnel matters that included transferring sisters to new assignments, replacing sisters in work assignments, and reviewing vacation allowances and stipends provided the sisters.