Washington National Cathedral is an Episcopal cathedral, founded as a house of prayer for all people, a great church for national purposes, and the chief mission church of the diocese of Washington. It endeavors to provide a prophetic witness to the love and justice of God as revealed in Christ. The Cathedral welcomes all persons of good will who seek to build bridges and heal relationships in our nation and world.

After September 11, 2001, Sacred Circles took more seriously its spiritual responsibility for the suffering in the world. In response to these times of increased violence in the world, and building on the work of the previous conferences, the organizers chose another powerful theme for the 2007 conference: Wise Courageous Love. The organizers insist that now, more than ever, it is essential that people choose love over fear as the dominant motivation in their lives. Women who combine spiritual principles with feminist action are leaders in their spheres of influence, from the personal to the social to the global, and it is natural for women to “tend and befriend” in times of conflict and to respond with love. The conference recognizes the stress and time burdens that women carry, and that women need spiritual nourishment. The conference affirms that women’s instincts to love and preserve the world are valued, shared and practical.