PHILADELPHIA (ELCA) -- Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) must believe they each have gifts for ministry and must allow God to use those gifts in new ways, said the Rev. Margaret G. Payne, bishop of the ELCA New England Synod.
Payne was the Bible study leader at the opening session of the Women of the ELCA's Triennial Gathering here July 8-14 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The organization's three-year theme, "Listen God is Calling" is being unveiled at the convention amid Bible study, keynote addresses, workshops, field trips, business sessions and elections. More than 3,200 women from across the United States and around the world are participating.
The theme is drawn from the Book of Ephesians in the Christian Bible. Ephesians 4:11-12 speaks of how God gives different gifts to people to equip them for ministry to build the body of Christ, Payne said. Each of the participants in the convention came here because they listened, she said.
"It is God who called you here," Payne said to the gathering. "Despite the large group assembled, God first calls us individually and each person responds differently."
It is a challenge for each woman to believe she has gifts for ministry, and it is a challenge to allow God to use those gifts, she said. "We can't be obedient to God's will in our lives until we see ourselves as the gifted people. This is a room full of gifted women and God is itching to put you to work."
Using gifts for ministry will put each person "on a journey of self-discovery that will shape us into the best we can be," Payne said. "The truth is that each of us have the potential to be shaped in a variety of ways -- angels of mercy, warriors for justice, teachers, preachers and mentors."
"Hear that you are God's gifted people and that you are called to new life," Payne concluded.
In a sermon during evening worship July 11, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, preached on the Women of the ELCA theme, urging the participants to listen actively to what God is saying to them. "God is calling us to go into the world to witness to what God is doing," he said.
Lutherans should be bolder in proclaiming their faith to the world. Many Lutherans are complacent when it comes to evangelism, Hanson said. "If we don't heed God's call to bring others to Christ, who will?" he asked the gathering participants. "It's time for our complacency as Lutherans to be over."
"Lead us into the world," Hanson urged the gathering. "Lead to us to say no to violence. Lead us as you have led us in ending racism. Lead us to be followers of Jesus the risen Christ."
Hanson also urged Women of the ELCA to continue to teach the Bible and faith to a world that is becoming increasingly "biblically illiterate." -- -- -- Editors: Photographs from Women of the ELCA's Triennial Gathering are maintained at http://www.elca.org/wo/events/tg/tg02/connect/photos.html on the Web.
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
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