Women Of The ELCA Reach Out In San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO (ELCA) - - Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) took part in 15 different servant events throughout the San Antonio area. The projects took place July 7-9.
Women of the ELCA's Sixth Triennial Gathering is meeting here July 5-10 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. The organization's three-year theme, "Act Boldly," is being unveiled at the convention amid Bible study, keynote presentations, workshops, community service, business sessions and elections. More than 2,100 women from across the United States and around the world are participating.
About 15 women volunteered each of the three days at Woman of the Well House, a home for formerly incarcerated women that promotes emotional, spiritual and intellectual growth for a second chance in life.
"We try to implement leadership skills like communication, community and teamwork," said Priscilla Murguia, executive director, Woman at the Well House. These skills help the women prepare for life after they leave the home, she said.
"The women get along extremely well," said Michelle Hockett, program coordinator and counselor of the House. "They are a core group, (that is) cooperative, helpful and positive."
After meeting the residents, hearing some of their life experiences and taking a tour of the home, the volunteers and residents worked alongside each other while "gardening, (doing) minor indoor house painting and some major cleaning," Murguia said.
At the San Antonio Food Bank, about 25 ELCA women volunteered each day to help package lunches for children. Volunteers on July 8 packed more than 6,000 nutritional lunches at the Food Bank’s "Peanut Butter and Jelly Deli."
"The lunches go to agencies that help children," said Marty Mueller, an ELCA volunteer, who is also the coordinator of the hunger task force in her congregation, so she is "very interested" in the Food Bank's goals. "I know children get fed during the school year, but not always during the summer," Mueller said.
The children's lunches will be sent to about 60 different sites, said Mario Perez, operations production manager at the Food Bank. "Over 2,400 children will be fed on Monday" with the packed lunches, he said.
The Food Bank tries "to fill the nutrition gap for kids," said Steve Elliot, public relations, special events manager at the Food Bank. "Volunteers help pack these lunches everyday," he said.
At St. Vincent de Paul, a San Antonio Metropolitan Ministries Shelter, volunteers helped prepare meals and serve homeless families, men and women.
After taking a tour of the shelter and learning about the homeless situation in the area, the ELCA volunteers washed dishes, prepared food and organized things before serving the homeless, said Edith Reinke, an ELCA volunteer. "They depend on volunteers here," she said. "Over 200 churches volunteer here."
While serving homeless families, elderly and disabled people, among other homeless men and women, Reinke said, "It’s hard to believe that this happens every day and it’s only one place here."
"We have so much to be thankful for and [the experience] really humbles you," added Reinke.
Twelve other locations were greeted and helped by Women of the ELCA volunteers during the week. Among them were an Alzheimer’s activity center, a children’s shelter, a Habitat for Humanity project, and several churches and schools.
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Information about the Women of the ELCA's Sixth Triennial Gathering is at http://www.womenoftheELCA.org on the Web.

* Kirsten H. Boettner is a senior communication major at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa. This summer she is an intern with the ELCA News Service.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news