wfn.org | Women of the ELCA Director Resigns

[ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 11, 1996

WOMEN OF THE ELCA DIRECTOR CHARLOTTE FIECHTER RESIGNS
96-WO-02-AH

     MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- At the opening business session of the
Third Triennial Convention of Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America, President Jan Peterson announced the resignation of Dr.
Charlotte E. Fiechter, executive director, effective July 31.
Fiechter's resignation was accepted by the Executive Board at a
meeting July 9.  She has served in her position since 1990.  An
interim director will be appointed.  More than 500,000 Lutheran
women participate in the organization.
     Fiechter's resignation comes at the start of a new triennium for
Women of the ELCA. Fiechter said, "I believe it is time for me to move
on to new tasks and new challenges, and I believe it is time for the
organization to bring in new leadership.  My years as executive
director of this great organization have been productive ones.  We
have had many dreams and we have had many achievements."
     Fiechter said it has been her "greatest joy" to meet the women of
the church, to talk with them and to hear from them "how this
organization has made a difference in their lives."
     In an interview Peterson said, "I am thankful for the service,
leadership and wisdom of Charlotte Fiechter as our executive director.
 She is committed to affirming women."
     Peterson said, "Charlotte Fiechter's accomplishments and vision
will make a difference for the women of our church for years to come.
We now have a leadership development program that will take us into
the next century."  She said, "Charlotte's faith has guided her
decisions and life and has carried over to Women of the ELCA and to
our church."
     The Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, said,
"During the past six and a half years Women of the ELCA has brought in
innovative programs and instituted changes
-- large and small -- that have made it a more effective organization.
 Dr. Fiecther has been a strong and helpful colleague during my
administration, and I wish her every blessing in the years to come."
     Fiechter said in an interview, "I have worked to bring meaning to
the organization's emphasis on women and children in poverty through
the development of programs and resources."   She said, "I have worked
to expand leadership development opportunities for women throughout
the church.  The program was re-conceptualized and re-cast under my
leadership so that all women in the organization have access to
training."
     Fiechter stressed her efforts to prepare women in ELCA colleges
and seminaries for leadership positions, to strengthen links with
ordained women and seminary faculty and "to put the issue of violence
against women squarely on the agenda of Women of the ELCA."
     Prior to her work for Women of the ELCA Fiechter was principal
and director at St. Thomas Christian Academy in Brick, N.J. for six
years.  She has held executive positions with the University of
Pennsylvania and Higher Education Resources Services/Mid-America.
     Fiechter earned bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in
European history from Wellesley College, Wellesley, Mass., the
University of Chicago, and Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

     For information contact: Ann Hafften, Dir., ELCA News Service,
(312) 380-2958; Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Dir., (312) 380-2955; Lia
Christiansen, Asst. Dir.,(312) 380-2956