Women of the ELCA

Ask the staff: ever since I moved into menopause I can cry over anything. It’s the hormones. So reading the messages these young women have sent have been tough. They are sweet and sentimental. They are touching and sometimes tragic. They are amazing. So I’ve shed some tears here in New Orleans.

This morning a woman about my age came to our exhibit and filled out one of the postcards, answering the question “how do you relationships with other women bless your life?” As she handed me her completed post card, she said “here I am, tearing up just writing my answer.”

Welcome sista’. I understand.

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Young women have these things to say about their relationships with other women:

• Relationships with women help me feel confident in my ability to reach for my dreams and achieve.
• My relationships with other women bless my life by giving me strength in tough times, lifting me up and supporting me on an everyday basis. My relationships with women also give me energy and make me feel important.
• They are the first to offer love and true support during a crisis. They are also the ones that celebrate the loudest when we have a miracle to be thankful for. The women in my life are blessings from God!
• It always seems like a blessing when women of all ages come along, strike up a conversation, and we find we have a lot in common. Church relationships come to mind — relationships with older women that have known me my whole life and have watched me grow. Even if they don’t know it, these women help me learn to be a kind woman like them.
• I feel a strong connection to other women — they are not only colleagues and friends, but feel more like family. There is one woman in particular at my church who has helped me grow immensely in my faith. She is like my 3rd grandma and I don’t know what I would do without her guidance and support.
• They have mentored me. Prayer me though pain. Taught me about my body. Helped me laugh. Cried with me. Hugged me when I was in pain.

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A male pastor just stopped by and completed one of the postcards (seen here, ready to be mailed). Here’s his thoughts about relationships with women.

“In my relationships with other women I am blessed by their witness, their ability to bring insight and understanding for others as they are. They give me strength to be a better person in my work. God bless.”

Thank you Pastor Barry. You’re one smart man!

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Here’s an important post card message from one young woman:

“I have been blessed by the older women in my family and church family. They taught me dedication, perseverance and faith. Even though they often don’t understand the life of women who are young, I know their prayers and witness to Jesus Christ plants many seeds of grace. Praise God for all of you.”

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In our Café we’re asking young women to leave a tip. Not money, although one young woman pulled out her wallet, ready to give a cash tip. No, we’re asking the women to tell us what would inspire them to get involved in Women of the ELCA.

We learned so much from the young women in 2006 when we asked this question that we knew we had to repeat it here in New Orleans. And we’re not disappointed. Read on for some of these priceless tips.

What would inspire you to get involved in Women of the ELCA?

“Even though the churchwide is attempting to make WELCA geared for young women, local churches are not. Help them out – we are yearning for this.”

“Programs that were advertised – I never see anything for this. Also, maybe try to attract a younger generation with a variety of activities.”

“More activities for young adults or intentional activities to bridge the age gap.”

“Younger leadership within our synod!”

“Initiatives and programs for young adult women.”

“Young women in my age range, 25-35-ish.”

“Activities that enhance social justice – geared toward working women’s schedules!”

Let those who have ears hear.

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“They were so good, it was like poppin’ M & Ms.” That’s what one advisor said about the chocolate-covered espresso beans served up at the Women of the ELCA Café at the youth gathering. But there’s more to Mark’s story.

At the 2006 youth gathering he enjoyed the chocolate-covered espresso beans so much that he ate two whole mugs full of them! Later that night he had heart palpitations and thought he was having a heart attack. He ended up in the emergency room where the doctor diagnosed the problem: too much caffeine in his system. You think?

Mark’s wife said he could return to the 2009 youth gathering under one condition: no espresso beans. He stopped by our Café this morning to tell us his story.

And a note to his wife back home in Naperville, Illinois: he had no chocolate-covered espresso beans while he visited with us this morning.

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Day three and the thoughts of the young women just keep getting better and better. I am so proud to be a Lutheran woman!

Patty writes: “The women in my life inspire me to be a leader. They inspire me to step up and serve.”

Robin writes: “They inspire me to try new things and to never give up. All the women I meet and talk to make a difference in the world and I know I can too.”

Angela writes: “My friendships make me strong, give me courage, and comfort me. I am less without them and so much more with them.”

Trisha writes: “Women of the ELCA are giving, loving, a blessing, friendly, and think of those who need God’s blessing and help throughout the world.”

Mary Beth writes: “They keep me on track and remind me every day that I am extremely blessed.”

Another young woman writes: “My mother is perhaps the strongest person I have ever known. I know that she would sacrifice anything for me. I know that God surely gave her to me as a blessing. I hope that every woman is able to experience that in a lifetime.”

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“How do your relationships with other women bless your life?” That’s the question we’re asking young women here at the ELCA Youth Gathering. Let me share some of their awe-inspiring messages.

Katie writes: “My women laugh with me, cry with me, shop with me, gripe with me and share my silence. They are like an army of angels watching over my life.”

Kayla writes: “When I surround myself with positive, good women, such as my mom, they show me what I can accomplish. My mom’s the reason I’m here in New Orleans. Thanks to her I’m blessed by being here to help.”

Another Kate writes: “The older women serving Christ in my life are my biggest role models. They inspire me to live every day for God’s glory. Without the relationships I have with other women of God, my life would be very different.”

Pastor Christina writes: “My mother is the strength that made me see Christ. Because of her, I saw Christ’s call to make me a pastor.”

Sarah, age 14, writes: “They support me. They understand me. They love and protect me. They show me the woman I could be….”

Alexis writes: The other women in my life help me to know that I have strength and remember when I feel weak, they are there to back me up. Other women bless me by empowering me to go beyond expectations.”

Genny writes: “I am especially blessed by the example of some of the older women in my church … they have been a testament and witness to devotion and service. Thanks to them!”

Chyenne writes: “My mother is my inspiration. She became pregnant with me at age 16. She had to drop out of high school, work 2 jobs, and maintain having a child at such a young age. She has taught me so much about life and hard work. I am blessed to have her.”

So many young women agree with Chyenne and list their mothers and grandmothers as inspirations. Maybe they don’t always tell their moms that, but please know how much these young women love and admire you for all you do for them!

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“How do your relationships with other women bless your life?”

That’s the question we’re asking young women at the ELCA Youth Gathering. They are writing their responses on postcards that we’ll be mailing to 800 congregational units of Women of the ELCA this week.

Here’s what one young woman had to say: “Relationships with other women bless my life in many ways. One way is communicating and being able to relate to each other. There are some things that are easier to talk to other women about because they may have had similar experiences or similar views. For this reason, among many others, relationships with other women are a blessing.”

We’re also inviting the women to visit Café, read this month’s article “BFFs for life,” and subscribe to Café so they can be connected with Women of the ELCA all the time. We’re also inviting them (and you) to join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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