Women of the ELCA

While some congregational units (CUs) of Women of the ELCA involve twenty, forty, or more than one hundred women, other CUs bring to mind Jesus’ statement that “where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20 NIV) That’s one of the great things about our organization. Those who drafted our constitutions and those who adopted them created an organization with great flexibility so that, quite literally, a congregational unit can involve two or three women or a CU can involve 200 women.

On a recent afternoon I sat down with Norma Richardson, Annie Bailey, and Waetina Coles (pictured here, left to right) of All Saint’s Lutheran (Baltimore), a congregation of 87 baptized members. All Saint’s, an intentionally multicultural congregation formed about 15 years ago from the merger of three small congregations, is currently in a redevelopment plan under synod authorization. Those 15 years have brought “trials and tribulations” to the congregation, according to Waetina, but throughout it all the women’s group has remained strong, living with a real sense of community.

Eight or nine women gather monthly for Bible study, using the study provided in Lutheran Woman Today magazine. Rooted in the Word, the women respond to the needs of their community. Those needs take many forms. Sometimes they work with women being released from prison, providing clothing and furniture, covering utility bills, even helping the women re-gain custody of their children. Sometimes they work with a homeless program that provides job assistance and meals along with overnight housing. The women work with Lutheran Campus Ministry at nearby Morgan State University, providing home-cooked meals for the students. They’d like to get a special unit of Women of the ELCA started at Morgan State.

The women involve the whole congregation in collecting money for blankets on Mother’s Day and with their annual Thankoffering each fall. Likewise, the women support ministries of the congregation, such as Sunday School and a six-week summer camp program for neighborhood children.

While the numbers involved in the CU at All Saints might be small, there’s nothing small about their faith or ministries. Three inter-related messages of Mother Teresa, the Albanian nun known for her ministry in India, came to mind as I visited All Saints.

“I can only love one person at a time – just one, one, one. So you begin.”

“Jesus said love one another. He didn’t say love the whole world.”

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”

The women of All Saints are loving the people of their community, one by one, and they show us that one size need not fit all in Women of the ELCA. The way the CU organizes itself can change from place to place and from time to time. What worked 10 years ago might not work tomorrow. There’s great flexibility in our governing documents to allow the organization in any congregation to reflect the needs of the community of women gathered there at that time and place.

• » Comments (1)

While I’ve been out and about, I’ve been promoting Women of the ELCA resources, of course. I know I told you all about some new resources being developed this year – free programs, downloadable from our web site. The first is now available: Looking into the Mirror: A Lenten Reflection. This resource invites you to use the Lenten season to refocus your faith life and realign your relationship with God. This easy-to-use resource is great for a 45-60 minute program. Or, add some material to it and you can expand it to a morning session or event a day-long retreat. You may photocopy the resource so that everyone in the group has a copy.

I invite you to check it out and let me know your thoughts. At least one new resource of this type will be available from our web site at the end of each month. Already have everything planned for this year? No problem. These resources will remain available on our web site for use whenever you need them.

I’m regrouping at home, following the annual Conference of Synodical Presidents. I have several writing assignments I’m working on, including a Katie Luther resource (one of the above-described programs). I’ll be plotting out the rest of my sabbatical trips shortly. And I’m reading three books. I know there are some out there who have trouble fathoming reading more than one book at a time (I’m married to someone like that). But it works for me! So, I’m reading Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion by Sara Miles, Returning to My Mother’s House by Gail Straub (I heard her speak at a conference I attended last month — excellent and thought-provoking!), and Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I’m still interested in reading your suggestions of books that have been important on your spiritual journey. Post a comment and let me know.

• » Comments (3)

Helpful is Spellers discussion on mutual embrace and how it might be Insightful for radical welcome.Opening of self to the marginalized,silenced and oppressed is obviously no easy task.I do agree with Spellers about the level of discernment needed, but I also believe that opening of the self in order to be open for the other,concerted effort is needed.Influenced by dynamics communality the question of self opening to the other might not seem significant enough for those coming from communal cultures like I do. However, in doing a cultural self critique, it becomes clear on how difficult it often is when relating with the other. Also, doing self critique might help promote paradigm shift from moral blame and accuse to that of responsibility and solidarity.This example stands to illustrate our universal brokenness and our need for Christ’s saving grace wherever we may be situated in this world.

from Margaret Obaga

• » Comments (0)

My friends,

One of the gifts of radical welcome is a willingness to receive the other as IS.Tendency to put conditions for the other is with us all the time. When we wonder why the other is acting strange, the quite cynicism or simply ignoring the other. The notion of helping others because they are needy or because “I don’t need it anymore.” However, this is not to give up the self foolishly. Rather, in wisdom serve the Lord, for God alone gives this wisdom.

Posted for Margaret Obaga

• » Comments (0)

Karen Melang
Habitat for Humanity
Fremont, Nebraska

• » Comments (0)

In the first chapter of Part II of Radical Welcome, Stephanie talks about bringing together what we say and what we do. She states, “Inviting is not the same as radical welcome.” Throughout the chapter, I was struck again and again with the difference between how welcoming we think we are, and how that welcome is experienced by others.

Many congregations do exhibit what Stephanie says on p. 65: “Please, join us in what we are already doing.” The difficulty for the newcomer is they may not feel comfortable with or included in what we are already doing. We hear the bold call in this chapter to look seriously and honestly at the power structures in our congregations. Stephanie’s point is very challenging, but very real, indeed. How can we honestly examine the power structures in our churches and help create open spaces for new leadership to emerge?

It also made me ponder congregational reputations. My congregation is 109 years old. We certainly have a reputation in our community, although I’m not sure I know what it is! And I’m the pastor! Is our congregation seen in the community as a place of radical welcome? Are our power structures open to including newcomers and strangers?

Stephanie’s words in this chapter are bold and challenging. Did anyone else experience it this way?

Blessings,
Elise

• » Comments (2)

Today I finished Moravian Women’s Memoirs: Their Related Lives, 1750-1820, translated by Katherine M. Faul.

During the 18th century Moravians had a practice of keeping a memoir (Lebenslauf) which was an autobiographical account of their lives, with a special emphasis on their spiritual journey. Another church member would write the final paragraphs that detailed the final illness and deathbed scene. The memoir would be read at the deceased’s funeral.

This volume includes memoirs of single women, married women, and widows (following the choir grouping used within the church at that time). Those who could, wrote their own memoirs. Others dictated their memoirs. Occasionally a husband’s memoir augmented the wife’s account.

Together these memoirs paint an amazing account of the life of Moravian women in the second half of the 18th century. Some, who were born in Europe, tell of life there before taking a ship to the U.S. Some carried out ministries with the American Indians, mostly in Pennsylvania and they tell of that. The schools and their congregational life are described as well. The challenges these women faced in 18th century North America were amazing. The losses they endured, unbelievable.

All of them spent some time in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. There and elsewhere Moravians in this period did not live in family settings but rather, the congregants lived by sex and marital status groupings called choirs. Single women lived together, as did single men. Married women lived together as did widowed women. The children lived together. (Some of the single sisters’ diaries from 1776 can be seen here.)

The women’s words speak to the great support and fellowship they received while living in the midst of other women. (Some things transcend centuries, don’t they?) It’s an amazing window to the lives of faithful women in the 18th century.

• » Comments (4)

“How do you define a bold woman?” I was recently asked. As I see it, there are many bold women.

There are those who regularly spend long periods of time in prayer, sharing concerns and requests with God along with singing God’s praise. They are bold because they take time to talk with and listen to God, opening their hearts and minds to God’s redemptive and reconciling love.

We might more easily think of women as bold when they regularly communicate with local, state, or federal legislators, seeking justice through governmental actions. Those who march on Washington or gather on the steps of their state house are bold.

Those who reach out to the hungry, the poor, the imprisoned, the outcast, they are bold. They are bold because they move out of their own comfort zones to care for the neighbor, just as Jesus teaches us.

I’d like to introduce you to a bold woman I recently met. Her name is Kristin Broksas. Kristin lives in Tucson, Arizona where she is a nanny. She’s an active member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran in Tucson, where she’s a member of the Circle of Friends, one of the Women of the ELCA circles. She’s also active in leading Encounter, a Sunday evening emerging worship service that is both “ancient and future.” Kristin also serves on the synodical board of the Grand Canyon Synodical Women’s Organization.

What makes Kristin bold? Kristin risked responding to an invitation from two women she respected and admired, two women who invited her to attend a Bible study. That’s how she got involved in Women of the ELCA in the first place, a couple of years ago. Kristin risked claiming a place at the table, both in her congregational unit and then in the synodical women’s organization. What do I mean?

Kristin is 25 years old. At 25, Kristin is probably at least 20 years younger than some in her unit and synodical board and likely at least 40 years younger than most in her unit and the board. Kristin honors the other women in the organization by speaking her mind and contributing to the life of the community. She honors the other women in the organization by listening to them and learning from their experiences. When the differences between the generations lead to the potential of creating a chasm, Kristin hangs in there because she is committed to the purpose and mission of Women of the ELCA. Kristin is a bold woman.

Photos: The top right photo was taken at a synodical women’s organization event when Kristin was speaking to conference leaders for whom she serves as the synodical board mentor. In the bottom left photo Kristin is seen with her friend Trudy who has become involved in the Circle of Friends and Encounter at the invitation of Kristin.

• » Comments (1)

It’s tempting to say the women of St. Mark’s Lutheran in Springfield, Virginia do it all. With nearly 70 women actively involved in their unit, they engage in Bible study; knit, crochet and quilt; host an annual bazaar; and the list goes on and on. I’d like to highlight three things I found particularly interesting.

The congregational unit (CU) has a monthly newsletter of its own, a custom stretching back for at least 30 years. It makes for great efficiency at circle meetings because little time needs to be spent on the topics reported out in the newsletter. And if someone can’t make a particular meeting, they keep informed through the newsletter. Most participants get the newsletter via e-mail, although a few receive it in hard copy form. This is the first CU I’ve encountered with its own newsletter. Do any of you have one too?

The CU actively supports Lynbrook School, an elementary school located across the street from the church. The students at Lynbrook have many needs, with 90% of them qualifying for free or reduced cost breakfast and lunch. As Margret Feigel explained, “we support them in any way we can.” That support has taken many forms over the years. Participants provide winter coats, hats, scarves, and mittens for the students. The whole congregation, at the CU’s invitation, provides school supplies – paper, pencils, scissors, glue sticks and the like – for the students. One circle recently held a kitchen shower, with participants providing cooking utensils and kitchen items for the school’s newest after school club, a cooking club. Two participants teach in the after school knitting club. Some participants tutor students (working with particular homework and classroom assignments) while other women serve as mentors (eating lunch with a student, being the student’s friend).

It’s a give and take relationship with the school community. One of the school staff members became a member at St. Mark’s and is very involved in the life of the congregation. The staff and faculty contributed home baked goodies for the bake sale that was part of this past year’s bazaar. The relationship grew from the early days of the congregation when it had no room for Sunday school classes and the school classrooms were used. One can only imagine how the relationship will continue to grow!

The CU, through its quilters, has forged a unique relationship with teenage boys housed at the Prince William Juvenile Detention Center. It began when some craft items went unsold one year at the CU’s annual bazaar. A participant took those craft items to the center, donating them for its Santa Shop where the boys select Christmas presents for family members. Soon the quilters visited the center with fabric and notions and taught the boys to make quilts. The quilters arranged for the boys to take a field trip to the church once where they sewed quilts together and enjoyed a meal together too.

It was a joy to meet with Mary Anderson, Margret Feigel, Cheryl Dwyer (vice president and newsletter editor) and Pat Martin (president), seen in the above photo with Marcia Ihnen, president of the Metropolitan Washington Synodical Women’s Organization. What an amazing ministry at St. Mark’s!

• » Comments (2)