Women of the ELCA Contributes Gift to Support ELCA Mission

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- To support the mission and ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Women of the ELCA -- the women's organization of the church -- extended a $641,938 gift to the ELCA. Among other actions, the amount of the gift was announced at the Women of the ELCA executive board meeting here Oct. 18-21.
Women of the ELCA's annual gift to the church has totaled more than $12 million since 1988, when the church formed. The organization's 2001 budget included a $700,000 gift to the church for 2000. The organization gave a $514,607 gift to the church in 1999 and $816,763 in 1998.
To help bring the final gift total closer to the budgeted figure, the executive board approved an additional $10,000 for the "ongoing ministry of the ELCA;" $5,000 to honor the Rev. H. George Anderson, former presiding bishop of the ELCA, who retired Oct. 31; $5,000 to honor the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop; $5,000 to Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service for its work with refugees and displaced individuals in Afghanistan, particularly with women and children; and $5,000 to Lutheran Disaster Response for its relief work in the aftermath of Sept. 11, when terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center in New York and damaged the Pentagon near Washington, D.C.
Funds for Anderson and Hanson will be designated to ELCA ministries of their choice, said Catherine (Cathi) I.H. Braasch, executive director, Women of the ELCA.
In a separate motion, the board adopted a 2002 budget of $5,205,510 although revenue is projected at $5,181,138. That leaves a $24,372 deficit or "challenge factor," said Braasch.
"In 2003, we will reach our goal of a balanced budget," Braasch said in her report to the executive board. The budget is based on a recommendation made to the board in March 2000, which set the goal to have a balanced budget, based on current year revenues, by 2003. The 2003 budget is scheduled to be considered by the Women of the ELCA Fifth Triennial Gathering in Philadelphia, July 8-14, 2002.
"Women of the ELCA is financially healthy, as shown in the audit for the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2001," Braasch said. "This can be attributed to three primary factors: generosity and stabilization in giving, economies in operations, and strong performance of investments. Women continue to give for mission even when times are difficult, and women's gifts are being well managed."
"With continued prudent management, we will be well-positioned to weather the uncertainties in the global, national and regional economies. With implementation of strategic plans adopted at this meeting and sharper focus on measuring life-changing results of our ministry activities, we can be even better stewards in the future," Braasch said.
The 2002 budget and 2003 proposed budget for Women of the ELCA each includes a $700,000 gift to the ELCA.
In other business, the board received an update on plans for the Fifth Triennial Gathering. Three women bishops of the ELCA will lead Bible studies for more than 4,000 women attending the Gathering. The Rev. Andrea F. DeGroot-Nesdahl, bishop of the ELCA South Dakota Synod, Sioux Falls; the Rev. April C. Ulring Larson, bishop of the ELCA LaCrosse Area Synod, LaCrosse, Wis.; and the Rev. Margaret G. Payne, bishop of the ELCA New England Synod, Worcester, Mass., will reflect on the theme, "Listen, God is Calling." Their Bible studies will also appear in the June and July-August issues of Lutheran Woman Today, the magazine of Women of the ELCA.
About 500 women at the gathering will attend as convention delegates. The triennial convention is the chief legislative authority of the women's organization and the occasion for election of new officers and board members to three-year terms. Besides business, the gathering will feature Bible study, theological reflection, festive worship services, discussion forums and workshops and visits to "cutting-edge" ministries in and around Philadelphia, Braasch said.
A women-of-color gathering, which had been a pre-convention event, will now be included at the beginning of the overall event. "Listen, God is Calling" will also include participation by young women and girls as identified by those involved in Young Women Seeing Visions, an exploration ministry of the organization with young women and girls.
In two private sessions, the executive board discussed preparations for Braasch's successor. Braasch will step down from her current position on Aug. 31, 2002. She announced her plans earlier this year to the leaders of the church's 64 synodical women's organizations. Her decision not to serve for another four-year term included family health reasons and her preparation to enter the ordained ministry.
The timing of her departure relates specifically to Women of the ELCA's Triennial Gathering. Braasch's current term would have ended Aug. 31, but the board extended it last spring to allow her to remain as executive director through the gathering and to inaugurate three years of ministry programming and action under the theme, "Listen, God is Calling."
The search for Braasch's successor opened Nov. 1. Applications and nominations close Jan. 15. "The hope is to have the new executive director on duty June 1, to allow for transition over the summer and her introduction at the Triennial Gathering," Braasch said.
In addition to developing plans for new leadership, the board is positioning Women of the ELCA to implement a new mission statement, goals and objectives to guide the organization's work through at least 2002, when a new three-year ministry emphasis begins. The mission statement, adopted by the board last spring, is "to mobilize women to act boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ."
"The goals and objectives focus on connecting women of all generations, creating healthy communities, and changing lives through Christ-centered awareness, advocacy and action on women's issues. The strategic direction approved by the board also calls for more intentional use of demographic data and other organizational research, development and strengthening of ELCA and ecumenical partnerships," Braasch said.
"What's really exciting about the mission statement, goals and objectives is the strong acceptance that women throughout Women of the ELCA have given them. We're running with 90 percent agreement on the new mission statement and program goals, based on surveys conducted at synodical conventions. Women in the pew, women on the "front lines" of mission and ministry in ELCA congregations, are saying that the mission [statement] resonates with who we are, what we believe and where God is calling us," Braasch said.
The mission statement and goals emerged from an extensive organizational self-assessment of Women of the ELCA beginning in November 1999, using a process developed by the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management, New York. A 22-member assessment team developed the recommendations, relying on data collected from surveys of 1,303 congregational units of Women of the ELCA, workbooks completed by 63 Women of the ELCA volunteer leaders, staff and other partners in the ELCA and related organizations, and 46 personal interviews with leaders in the church.
An estimated 500,000 women of all ages in more than 7,800 congregations participate in Women of the ELCA's local, churchwide and global ministries of faith development, service, advocacy, and leadership in church and society. - - -
Information about Women of the ELCA is maintained at http://www.elca.org/wo/ .

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