The Order of the Daughters of the King® (DOK) is a spiritual sisterhood of women dedicated to a life of Prayer, Service and Evangelism. We have made a commitment to Jesus as our Savior, and we follow Him as Lord of our lives. We are an Order for women who are communicants of the Episcopal Church, churches in communion with it, or churches in the Historic Episcopate. Today our membership includes women in the Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran (ELCA) and Roman Catholic churches.
An order is a community under a religious rule; especially one requiring members to take solemn vows. We don't just enroll as members and attend meetings; we take life-long vows to follow the Rule of Prayer and Rule of Service.
A Rule is a prescribed guide for conduct or action by laws or regulations prescribed by the founder of a religious order for observance by its members.
The Order of the Daughters of the King was founded in 1885 by Margaret J. Franklin at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in New York City. Members of the Order undertake a Rule of Life, incorporating the Rule of Prayer and Service. By reaffirmation of the promises made at Baptism and Confirmation, a Daughter pledges herself to a life-long program of prayer, service, and evangelism, dedicated to the spread of Christ’s Kingdom and the strengthening of the spiritual life of her parish.
In the Christian life nothing can be substituted for prayer. It is a Daughter’s daily recourse to the source of life and strength. Every member must have a rule of daily prayer. Communication with God must be a growing, deepening relationship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each Daughter’s Rule of Prayer should be carefully considered and guarded. It should be prayerfully chosen, reviewed regularly and revised periodically.
- For the Unity of Christ's Church
- For the spread of Christ's Kingdom, especially among women and girls.
- For God's blessing upon the members of the Order.
- For the spiritual growth of the parish and for the clergy of the parish to which the chapter owes allegience.
- For the grace to follow our Rule and for our own needs.
Through her Rule of Service, a Daughter daily seeks to do the will of God where she is, remembering Jesus’ words, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these… you did it for me.” Matthew 25:40 (NIV). 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
- To regularly take part in the worship, study and work of the Church.
- To render at all times aid to the clergy as deemed necessary for the spiritual up-building of the parish.
For His Sake…
I am but 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?