Women of the ELCA Reorganizes, Builds New Agreement

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) -- the women's organization of the ELCA -- announced a reconfiguration of its ministry March 12 that resulted in staff reductions. The executive board of the women's organization received a report about the reorganization and attended to other business when it met here March 20-23.
In her report to the board, Linda Post Bushkofsky, executive director, Women of the ELCA, said, "We continue to live into the new configuration. Significant effort will be spent in managing this transition, enabling the organization to move into a healthier and more productive state."
Staff in the new configuration includes an executive director, assistant director, administrative assistant and directors for three areas: programs, communication and operations. Four associates report to the director for programs; two communication specialists, a resource specialist and staff of "Lutheran Woman Today" magazine report to the director for communication; and a budget director reports to the director for operations. Each area has one administrative assistant.
The staff reduction involved the elimination of positions held by seven employees, two temporary employees and one contract employee. Bushkofsky offered 16 staff members positions in the new configuration; each accepted. Three new positions will be posted in the near future.
The staff reductions "had nothing to do with performance," Bushkofsky told the board. The decisions leading to the staff reduction and reconfiguration have included "a consideration of how best to meet the goals and mission of the organization, financial realities, and the opportunity to partner with other units of the church to eliminate duplication of work and employment."
"All things considered, the reduction and reconfiguration have gone as well as could be hoped," Bushkofsky said.
In the next six to eight weeks, time will be spent on "determining work in the new positions, establishing norms, team building and restoration, and spiritual renewal. I hope Women of the ELCA will be a fun, exciting and challenging place to be," she said.
Also in her report to the board, Bushkofsky highlighted a significant new agreement between Women of the ELCA and Augsburg Fortress, the publishing house of the ELCA. The board endorsed the "working arrangement" proposal between the two organizations "for the production of resources."
"I am pleased to report that we have reached an agreement with Augsburg Fortress, as is required by our constitution. Much negotiation went into this, but the final agreement is fair to both parties and signals a new day for the joint production of resources for women of this church. Women of the ELCA will bear both the risk and the benefit of all its own products, including 'Lutheran Woman Today' magazine," Bushkofsky said.
She said the agreement is "good news" since the two organizations "have not had a formal agreement" in the last three years.
The board committed time to receiving reports from program directors of the women's organization and to act on resolutions that surfaced from the board's committees on anti-racism and diversity, budget and finance, constitution review, executive, global mission and printed resources. The board referred to Women of the ELCA's executive director and staff actions that:
+ award more than $28,000 in grants to primary health care organizations, education and church organizations for women and girls in India through Women of the ELCA's India Endowment Fund.
+ encourage moving the organization's multicultural women's gathering into the time frame of Women of the ELCA's Triennial Gathering.
+ propose the development and presentation of a 20th anniversary campaign to be introduced at the 2005 Women of the ELCA Triennial Gathering with "culmination at the 2008 Triennial Convention." The campaign will be designed to increase financial support for the Women of the ELCA's churchwide organization.
In other business, the board officially endorsed the promotion and use of Equal Exchange -- a coffee project of Lutheran World Relief, the overseas relief and development ministry of the ELCA and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod -- at "church events and functions, whenever possible." The project allows coffee farmers to earn a fairer share of income from their crops.
The board devoted time to addressing several resolutions referred to them by the 2003 Conference of Synodical Presidents of Women of the ELCA, which met here Feb. 21-23. Women's organizations exist in 64 of the 65 synods of the ELCA; each has a president. The board referred to Women of the ELCA's executive director and staff actions that:
+ ask synodical boards to "mirror the commitment" of the executive board in having anti-racism education through Women of the ELCA's eight- hour training, "Today's Dream: Tomorrow's Reality," every two years.
+ equip synod presidents with the "necessary materials, programs and ideas" needed to promote Women of the ELCA's mission statement: "To mobilize women to act boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ."
The board also studied the ELCA's strategic planning proposal that will be presented to the 2003 ELCA Churchwide Assembly this summer. Pat Zerega, acting director, corporate social responsibility, ELCA Division for Church in Society, delivered a presentation on corporate responsibility. -- -- --
Women of the ELCA's home page is at http://www.elca.org/wo/ on the ELCA Web site.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html