Blessed to Belong

May 2009

by Mary La Plante

Women of the ELCA is blessed to count many bold women of faith among its participants, including Marian Chase, president of her congregational unit at United in Christ Lutheran Church in Eveleth, Minnesota. Whether leading a Lutheran Woman Today Bible study in her congregation, organizing a screening of the organization’s new DVD, coordinating a blood drive, or giving the gift of Individual Partnerships to new members of her congregation (18 at this writing!), Marian takes seriously her involvement with Women of the ELCA. She also believes that by living out of the three main mission areas of the Purpose Statement—growth, community, and action—Women of the ELCA can serve as a source of hope and inspiration for current and future generations of women.

And just exactly how do these three aspects of our Purpose Statement help create a community of faith that sustains and nurtures current and future Women of the ELCA participants? Growth, Marian believes, is lived out through Bible study—and in particular, the Lutheran Woman Today Bible study. She says, “While one can grow as an individual by studying alone, the experience is much richer by sharing and learning as a group.”

Speaking of community, Marian mentions a Women of the ELCA survey that cites the friendship and support of women in their congregational unit as being “the best part of participating in Women of the ELCA.” Marian has experienced that support first-hand: “I feel so blessed to belong to this community. These women are more than sisters—they hold me up and support me. We sisters in Christ are there for each other, sharing joys as well as sorrows.”

Marian and the other women in the circles at United in Christ Lutheran Church believe it is equally important to open up circles to new members of their congregation. By providing scholarships to younger church members to attend synodical women’s organization conventions, inviting them to their own circles, and introducing them to Women of the ELCA through Individual Partnerships, they are helping introduce Women of the ELCA to future generations. “Individual Partnerships are the entry point for getting new members of your congregation involved; we give them to all new members of our congregation. And I also strongly encourage all who are not involved in a circle to join a circle or establish a new one. If none of the existing meetings fit your schedule, pick a day and time to establish a circle. A mentor can work with you to guide you in the process.”

And as for action, Marian looks to the prophet Isaiah, who exhorts us to share our food with the hungry, help the poor, and serve victims of injustice and oppression. The circles in Marian’s congregation live this out by providing food baskets to those living in transitional housing; assisting Lutheran Social Service homeless youth programs; providing quilts, school kits, and soap to Lutheran World Relief; organizing blood drives; and supporting the Salvation Army and Eveleth Health Services Park. The women were also instrumental in building and furnishing a new church kitchen.

Marian Chase and the women at United in Christ Lutheran Church have worked hard to create a faith community that nourishes and sustains themselves, their congregation, and the community in which they live. They take seriously the Women of the ELCA Purpose Statement, which calls them “to discipleship in Jesus Christ,” and they live that out by participating in Bible study, forming a close faith community, and engaging in action to help the poor, hungry, and disenfranchised. Says Marian: “I receive love and support and community from my circle—this community of women who love and support each other and hold each other up. We are all so close. We celebrate when we have something to celebrate, and we also hold each other through sorrow. With God’s help and guidance and the help of our family here at United in Christ, we have accomplished much more than we ever could have imagined.”

Mary La Plante is director for marketing, Women of the ELCA.