by Katherine Hinck*, ELCA News Service
Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will
offer two "Healthy Hearts" events this fall as part of its 2005-
2008 health initiative, "Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls."
The two events will take place Sept. 29-Oct. 1, Chicago, and Oct.
27-29, Greensboro, N.C. The goals of the initiative are to
educate women and girls to care for themselves physically,
spiritually and emotionally, to help prevent health risks from
continuing, and to advocate for more research and the elimination
of heart disease and stroke. The weekend seminars will feature
professional speakers discussing ways to create a better quality
of life, self-assessment exercises, Bible studies and meditation
techniques.
The keynote speakers for the Chicago event are the Rev. Mary
Stein-Webber, Trinity Lutheran Church, Oakland, Calif., and Dr.
Gwen Wagstrom Halaas, a family physician in St. Paul, Minn., who
has authored numerous books on ministerial health and wellness.
In Greensboro the speakers are diaconal minister Tammy Devine,
wellness coordinator, ELCA Board of Pensions, and the Rev. Ginger
Anderson-Larson, associate director of contextual education and
director of spiritual formation, Wartburg Theological Seminary,
Dubuque, Iowa. Wartburg is one of eight ELCA seminaries.
The seminars run Friday evening through Sunday afternoon. On
Sunday participants will receive training on how to replicate
health events in their own community, church or women's group.
*Katherine R. Hinck is a senior journalism and religion major at
Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D. This summer she is an
intern with the ELCA News Service.
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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.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
