ELCA'S Commission for Women Tackle Church and Societal Issues

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- =22The past six months have probably been the most = hectic, creative, overwhelming, meaningful, and inspirational time in the = history of the commission,=22 said Joanne Chadwick, executive director for = the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America=27s Commission for Women. = =22The commission has responded to issues of ordination of women in the = Lutheran church around the world; welfare reform, women and children = living in poverty and sexual harassment in the church and society, she = said. =20
=22What happens in the world affects the people of this church and we = must be ready and able to respond,=22 Chadwick said. =22There seems to be something in the church and society which calls for (even shouts) for a = response to the challenges of the day,=22 she said.
Chadwick told the commission=27s Steering Committee, meeting here = Oct. 10-12, =22The commission has been called upon to share their gifts = and talents (and the discovery of new ones) with the ELCA in new and = creative ways.=22 =20
Chadwick noted =22as the ELCA reaches its 10th anniversary, the = Commission for Women is no longer a questionable or unknown partner, but = one who has linked arms with structure and continues to nudge and cajole = as change in the structure begins to occur.=22
The ELCA=27s Commission for Women, Commission for Multicultural = Ministries, Division for Ministry and Department for Synodical Relations are working cooperatively to sponsor a gathering of ordained women of = color Jan. 9-11, 1998, reported Charlotte D. Williams, associate director = for Cross Cultural Advocacy. =22The event will bring 66 African American, = Asian, Hispanic, Native American, and Arab Middle-Eastern clergywomen of = the ELCA together to be in fellowship and to begin strategizing on several = key issues, she said.
The conference theme will be =22Women of God: Created, Chosen, = Called.=22 The participants will look at bringing a much-needed focus on = the complexities of issues and concerns that women of color face as they do = ministry, in various settings, in the ELCA, said Williams. The event will = be supported by a grant from Lutheran Brotherhood, a fraternal benefits = organization based in Minneapolis.
Staff of the Commission reported on upcoming and ongoing projects. = The steering committee discussed the ongoing emphases of the ecumenical decade: =22Churches in Solidarity with Women: 1988 to 1998.=22 They = are:=20 * addressing the global economic crisis and its impact on women; * achieving the full participation of women; and affirming their = contributions to the theological, spiritual and administrative life of = the churches; * Eliminating the effects of racism and xenophobia; and * Overcoming violence against women domestic, community, national and = global). The Ecumenical Decade of the Churches in Solidarity with Women began in = 1988 as a program of the World Council of Churches. The decade has been a = global ecumenical strategy to enable the churches to respond to the = challenges to move forward in the commitments to women. Through a variety of programs, training events, grants, and scholarships = the ELCA has woven each of these themes into its life and ministries, said = Jean Martensen, associate director for studies and leadership development.=20 The steering committee also reviewed a demographic composition of ELCA = synod and churchwide leadership. This report was in response to an April = 1990 request from the Church Council where a resolution was passed = specifying that the study of the composition be conducted regularly by the = Commission for Women, the Commission for Multicultural Ministries, the Office of the Bishop and the Department for Research and Evaluation. The report presented data for 1997 compared to data collected in 1994. = Tables showed the change in the composition of the staff and lay leaders = of the churchwide organization and the synods. In 1994, 57 synods responded = to the request for information. In 1997, 50 synods had responded as of = October 16, 1997. The report stated that =22there is slow progress in the ELCA at = increasing the rate of leadership for females and of African Americans, = Asians, Hispanics, Native Americans and person of other races (non-white).= =22 For the churchwide council, boards, standing and advisory committees the = rate of participation among women is up almost 2 percent between 1995 and 1997 to 44.4 percent. For the synod boards and committees the rate of = participation between 1994 and 1997 is up just over 1 percent to 42.2 percent for 1997. For the synod councils the rate of participation for = women is up 0.9 percent to 41.3 percent. The number of female executive staff at the churchwide level is stable at 24.2 percent of the total = staff. The number of female executive staff at the synod level is up = slightly at 19.7 percent. The steering committee re-elected the Rev. Ann Tiemeyer, St. Jacobus = Lutheran Church, Woodside, New York, as chair. =20

For information contact:=20
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS=40ELCA.ORG
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