ELCA Women Are Part of 'God's Building Plan'

PHILADELPHIA (ELCA) -- Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are now "bonded," the Rev. Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl said to more than 3,200 women from across the United States and around the world gathered here July 12 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
DeGroot-Nesdahl, bishop of the ELCA South Dakota Synod, Sioux Falls, served as a Bible study leader at Women of the ELCA's Triennial Gathering here July 8-14. The organization's three-year theme, "Listen, God is Calling," is being unveiled at the gathering amid Bible study, keynote addresses, workshops, field trips, business sessions and elections scheduled during the week.
At the gathering, July 12 was known as "Synodical Women's Organization Day." Women of the ELCA has more than 7,800 "institutional settings" and "local units in congregations" organized in 64 of the ELCA's 65 synods across the United States and Caribbean. DeGroot- Nesdahl said units of the women's organization "are more together than separate" and part of "God's plan" to "build community."
God's building plan is laid out in the Book of Ephesians in the Christian Bible, DeGroot-Nesdahl said. The plan is to "equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the Body of Christ," she said. "God's intentions are clear. We will be one body in Christ, maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
"There's a motto among builders. Measure twice, cut once," DeGroot-Nesdahl said. "If you want what you are building to last, measuring carefully is essential. God is just such a careful builder, measuring meticulously, so the finished project is perfect. As evidence of [God's] care, think of the marvels of creation that build upon one another and fit perfectly together like the length of days and nights that follow the perfect schedule of the sun and moon rotating in their orbit," she said.
"God has gifted us with all we need to build community together as believers," DeGroot-Nesdahl said.
"We have the tools to complete this project. God has been at this for quite some time already, and we pray that God will stay with it, and us, as [God] has promised to do until it is finished. In the meantime, we rejoice in the work we have, equipping the saints for the work of ministry. We celebrate the gifts of other believers and encourage each one to fit their perfectly measured gift into the whole. We challenge ourselves to ask, 'Who is missing?' and, to struggle with ways to bring more of the community together that the building might continue," she said.
With singing and applause, participants welcomed a parade of banners carried throughout the convention center by leaders of synodical women organizations, global education advocates and international guests. Music was provided by Bread for the Journey, a Minneapolis- based band.
Dr. Pauline Riak, executive director for the Sudanese Women Association of Nairobi (SWAN), delivered a keynote presentation. SWAN brings together displaced Sudanese women from various ethnic, political, religious and linguistic backgrounds.
"I am honored to be here and I thank Women of the ELCA and Lutheran World Federation for affording me this opportunity to be with you," said Riak. "I am privileged." Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition. The LWF has 133 member churches in 73 countries representing more than 60.5 million of the 64.3 million Lutherans worldwide. The ELCA is an LWF member.
"I see in you a diversity," Riak told participants. "There is a large number of younger women, people of different color and people who are my age. I am a woman and I am happy to be a woman. I am a mother of eight with one husband," she said.
"I live in Sudan, and I work in a war-torn country. My home is bombed on a regular basis," Riak told participants. She brought condolences to the gathering from the women of Sudan in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. "For you that was an extremely sad day. For us in Sudan, that is an every day occurrence," Riak said. Sudan is one of the most impoverished countries in the world and the "site of one of the longest-running wars."
"There are no Lutheran churches in the Sudan. But, the relationship between the women of Sudan and the Lutheran women of America is growing. We know about you, but you may not know about us. You have assisted us in ways that you may not know," Riak said.
"With your assistance, we have a lot of moral support. There are several of you in this congregation who have visited SWAN members. The money you send to us is important, but what is more important to us is the human relationships that exist," she said.
Riak said SWAN will become an "economically self-sufficient" organization. "With hard planning, we know we can do it. We are women. We have promised ourselves that none of our children will die from hunger. We're also committed that no Sudanese women should die, or become ill or have a problem that cannot be looked at by a sister. It is our responsibility to work for peace in Sudan," she said.
"You are a dynamic group. I want to congratulate you, Lutheran women, for the progress you have made in being able to legally climb the structures of the hierarchy of your church," Riak said.
Riak congratulated ELCA women on being "holistic" in their "approach to pull out the women of color" in congregations. "If you were not be able to do that, you would not be able to speak to the African continent or three-fourths of the world who are people of color. That is important if you are entrusted in lasting partnerships not only in giving donations, but more importantly, in being able to know others," Riak said.
The Rev. Bonnie Jensen, executive director, ELCA Division for Global Mission, Chicago, preached the sermon during evening worship.
"The church of Jesus Christ has provided a sacred space for our stories of faith and healing, and the church of Jesus Christ has provided a sacred space for international encounters," Jensen said.
Jensen encouraged participants to get involved in the ELCA's 65 synod relationships with other Lutheran churches around the world. "We are a global company of women found in Jesus, walking together and finding each other in this sacred space provided by Jesus. We each have gifts to bring to the mission of life. We have education, expertise and know-how and more resources than we have a right to have. And, our global sisters have creativity and ideas, ingenuity and hospitality, commitment to prayer that would be surprising to all of us. These are gifts we need. And together, we have gifts that the world needs," she told the gathering.
"Listen, God is calling us to join a global company of women. Step forward to this table, to be nourished by the gift of encouragement, boldness and evangelical defiance. Step forward into this space, you may find it's quite a dance," Jensen said.
During worship participants collected an offering to support ELCA- endorsed international programs and Women of the ELCA. - - - 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 Internet.

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