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News from the March 2008 executive board meeting

The churchwide executive board of Women of the ELCA met March 13–15 in Renton, Washington. Among the many items discussed were the success of the 20^th anniversary offering; what the churchwide organization learned from a research study conducted last fall; an update on triennial gathering program planning and registration; and recommendations forwarded to the board from the conference of synodical presidents, which took place in February. The board also held a discussion on the recently released draft of the ELCA social statement on human sexuality and met with members of the Northwest Washington and Southwestern Washington synodical women’s organizations over lunch.

The 20^th Anniversary offering for 2007 was a great success. By the end of the fiscal year, $90,120 had been raised. So the Stand with Africa Water Project in Zimbabwe and Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem will each soon receive $22,530. Ongoing ministries of Women of the ELCA will receive $45,060.

As of the end of March, the amount had climbed even further, to $95,043. Although the anniversary offering officially ended with the end of the 2007 fiscal year on January 31, any funds that still come in will continue to be transferred accordingly.

Representatives of Stand with Africa and Augusta Victoria Hospital will be present at the triennial gathering to make brief presentations about the work of these two important ministries.

In September 2007, the churchwide organization initiated a significant research effort, through the ELCA Research and Evaluation Section, to better understand Women of the ELCA participants, their needs, and their use of existing resources. The questionnaire asked respondents, for example, about their roles and activities in their congregational units, whether and how they used the Internet, and how they use our programs and resources. The board received and discussed the full report at their meeting, and more on the research study will appear in upcoming issues of Interchange.

Briefly, though, the study told us, for example, that 67% of you have been participants for more than 20 years; 42% of you are retired; 43% of you live in small towns or small cities; and 63% of you use the Internet. Most of you meet as a group once a month, and your group typically numbers 11-20 women. What you enjoy about being part of a Women of the ELCA group is the friendship and support, and Bible study. Only one or two new women join your CU every year, though. What you most want from the churchwide organization are resources, inspiration, and ideas for how to get other women involved.

The board also received an update on triennial gathering registration, programming, and budget as of March 14. So far, 1,748 people have registered. The budget for the gathering is based, in part, on attendance of 2,500.

Plenary and workshop leaders are nearly final. Plenary highlights include keynote speaker Sr. Joan Chittister and a response panel to her remarks including Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson. Also speaking will be Chris Grumm, who spoke at the 2002 gathering as well, on “kitchen advocacy,” changing the world through our buying power. Betty Christiansen, author of the book Knitting for Peace, also has been confirmed as a speaker.

Dr. Diane Jacobson from Luther Seminary and leader of the ELCA’s Book of Faith Initiative will present the “B.Y.O. Bible” workshop; the workshop on “Grace-full living: money and spirituality” will be led by the Rev. Catherine Malotky, retirement planning manager for the ELCA Board of Pensions and regular columnist for Lutheran Woman Today; and Debra Wilhite, a spiritual director and family counselor, will lead the workshop on Sabbath-keeping, “The balancing act.”

At this meeting the board responded to recommendations forwarded to them by the conference of synodical presidents. Recommendations submitted covered subjects such as incorporating the term “women’s ministries” into descriptions of our activities and ministry; finding ways to help pastors, rostered leaders and seminarians better understand the organization; creating a section on the Women of the ELCA Web site where women can share programming ideas from their SWOs and congregations with one another; welcoming younger women into the organization; and developing resources for growing leadership within synodical organizations.

The board took time to discuss the newly released draft of the proposed ELCA Social Statement on Sexuality. They were led in discussion by Dr. Marit Trelstad, a member of the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality and a professor at Pacific Lutheran University. The board thanked the task force for what they collectively called a “remarkable document.” Individual members of the board commented that the document was “a very positive tool to open up discussion in church settings,” that it was a “very encouraging, broad overview of how to understand each other in a nonjudgmental way,” and that it “holds to Lutheran roots and is a strong theological document.”

The draft was released March 13 for study and response across the ELCA. Responses to the draft social statement are due to the task force Nov. 1, 2008. Women of the ELCA has planned a hearing on the draft to take place between the triennial convention and gathering on the afternoon of July 10.

Finally, the board hosted members of the synodical boards of Northwest Washington and Southwestern Washington for lunch. They learned more about the breadth of activities and ministries in these SWOs, answered questions, and had good conversation about how Women of the ELCA is present and active in these areas.

The next meeting of the churchwide executive board is October 23-26 in Omaha, Nebraska.