wfn.org | Women Give $1 Million for ELCA Ministries

[George Conklin <gconklin@igc.apc.org>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

February 25, 1998

WOMEN GIVE $1 MILLION FOR ELCA MINISTRIES
98-??-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
received a $1 million gift for its ministries around the world from Women
of the ELCA.  The women's organization of the ELCA has given more than $10
million to the ELCA in the past 10 years.
     "This is God's grace at work through hundreds of thousands of women
in congregations and synodical women's organizations in faithful
stewardship in daily life," said Catherine I.H. Braasch, executive director
for Women of the ELCA.
     Among the ministries supported by the gift is the ELCA's World Hunger
program, $213,500; leadership development for women in social service and
congregational ministries, $100,000; global mission, $100,000; public
policy ministry, $26,500; rural ministries, $31,000; urban ministries,
$29,000; braille ministry, $10,000; anti-racism training, $10,000; ethnic
youth leadership, $5,000, and Lutheran World Relief, $36,210.  Gifts
totaling $67,448 will be allocated for domestic disaster relief and other
ministries of the church.
     Sharroll Bernahl, Fort Morgan, Colo., president for the Women of the
ELCA, said, "Giving is showing an upward turn for the first time since
1993.  This is a sign of hope in our organization.  Women in the ELCA are
generous people, able to see the big picture of ministries carried out
throughout this church and how those ministries can be implemented
throughout the world."
     Women of the ELCA budgets a financial gift to the ELCA every year.
The organization gave $813,809 to the ELCA in 1996.
     Women of the ELCA is active in 8,254 congregations in 64 of the
ELCA's synods.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html

  George Conklin