wfn.org | ELCA Women See Churches' Ministries at 'Unity Village'

[News News <news@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 13, 2002

ELCA WOMEN SEE CHURCHES' MINISTRIES AT 'UNITY VILLAGE'
WO-02-16-AW*

     PHILADELPHIA (ELCA) -- Thousands of Lutherans walked through
'Unity Village' at the Pennsylvania Convention Center during the Women
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Fifth Triennial
Gathering.  Unity Village was designed to display the works and
resources of the many units, ministries, institutions and agencies of
the ELCA.
     Women of the ELCA's Triennial Gathering is meeting here July 8-14
at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.  The organization's three-year
theme, "Listen, God is Calling," is being unveiled at the convention
amid Bible study, keynote addresses, workshops, field trips, business
sessions and elections.  More than 3,200 women from across the United
States and around the world are participating.
     Unity Village is "a busy place, reflecting many choices and
challenges [faced] daily" by women that are asked to respond to God's
call, according to the gathering's guide book.
     At Unity Village, women had the opportunity to meet under a gazebo
and talk with Linda Post Bushkofsy, Women of the ELCA executive
director-elect, Chicago.  ELCA institutions such as Pacific Lutheran
University, Wittenburg University and Lutheran Theological Seminary at
Philadelphia had representatives ready to discuss their academic
programs with participants.  There are 28 ELCA colleges and universities
and eight ELCA seminaries.
     A "New in 2002" section of the village displayed new brochures and
resources for women in the church.  Organizations such as Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Services and ELCA units such as the Division for
Global Mission and the Division for Church in Society had display boards
set up to educate women on the group's latest news.
     The Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence, an
international theme for 2000-2010 started by Nobel Peace Prize
Laureates, had a display of paper flowers featuring the names of
survivors of domestic violence written on them and paper tombstones with
the names of deceased victims.  Many women at the convention responded
emotionally to the display, said T. Michael Nisbet, ELCA coordinator for
the Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence task force.
     "One woman, who was a survivor of domestic violence, came up to me
after putting her name on a flower and said 'I'm friends with it [my
past] now," said Nisbet.  "The sad thing is that we are running out of
tombstones before flowers."
     Women at Unity Village walked through makeshift stores where they
could buy clothing, food products, musical instruments and many Augsburg
Fortress products.  Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis, is the ELCA's
publishing house.
     A popular display was the Glories Helping Adolescents to Succeed
(HATS) Project.  Women sat around large tables sewing "Happy Hats" for
sick children who are in hospitals.  The project spans eight states,
said project director Susan Khorsand.
     "The process starts when youth in different areas sew the base
hat.  They get to see themselves doing something productive and 'cool,'"
said Khorsand.  "The hats are taken to seniors and the special touches
are added.  The making of the hats brings together all generations and
therapeutically helps the sick children."
     Naim El-Yateem, Brooklyn, N.Y., used his woodwork booth to raise
money for needy families in Palestine.  All of the proceeds from
Nativity Olive Wood Factory products sold at the gathering are sent to
fifteen families who work at the factory in Palestine.
     Women also had the opportunity to use computers to search the ELCA
website and have online chats with others.  Participants enjoyed all
aspects of Unity Village, said Kandy Pflaster, Cozard, Neb.
     "It was a great place to be," said Pflaster.  "I've seen people
from different states trading pins.  It's good networking."

Editors: Photographs from the Women of the ELCA Triennial Gathering are
maintained at
http://www.elca.org/wo/events/tg/tg02/connect/photos.html on the Web.

News releases and other information about the gathering are maintained
at
http://www.elca.org/wo/events/tg/tg02/connect/news.html on the Web.

For more information contact: Melissa Ramirez, newsroom manager, (215)
418-2045 or mramirez@elca.org

*Amy Wineinger is a junior at Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa.  This
summer she is an intern with ELCA News and Media Production.

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