wfn.org | Women of the ELCA Reorganizes, Builds New Agreement

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 3, 2003

WOMEN OF THE ELCA REORGANIZES, BUILDS NEW AGREEMENT
03-071-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) -- the women's organization of the ELCA -- announced a
reconfiguration of its ministry March 12 that resulted in staff
reductions.  The executive board of the women's organization received a
report about the reorganization and attended to other business when it
met here March 20-23.
     In her report to the board, Linda Post Bushkofsky, executive
director, Women of the ELCA, said, "We continue to live into the new
configuration.	Significant effort will be spent in managing this
transition, enabling the organization to move into a healthier and more
productive state."
     Staff in the new configuration includes an executive director,
assistant director, administrative assistant and directors for three
areas: programs, communication and operations.	Four associates report
to the director for programs; two communication specialists, a resource
specialist and staff of "Lutheran Woman Today" magazine  report to the
director for communication; and a budget director reports to the
director for operations.  Each area has one administrative assistant.
     The staff reduction involved the elimination of positions held by
seven employees, two temporary employees and one contract employee.
Bushkofsky offered 16 staff members positions in the new configuration;
each accepted.	Three new positions will be posted in the near future.
     The staff reductions "had nothing to do with performance,"
Bushkofsky told the board.  The decisions leading to the staff reduction
and reconfiguration have included "a consideration of how best to meet
the goals and mission of the organization, financial realities, and the
opportunity to partner with other units of the church to eliminate
duplication of work and employment."
     "All things considered, the reduction and reconfiguration have
gone as well as could be hoped," Bushkofsky said.
     In the next six to eight weeks, time will be spent on "determining
work in the new positions, establishing norms, team building and
restoration, and spiritual renewal.  I hope Women of the ELCA will be a
fun, exciting and challenging place to be," she said.
     Also in her report to the board, Bushkofsky highlighted a
significant new agreement between Women of the ELCA and Augsburg
Fortress, the publishing house of the ELCA.  The board endorsed the
"working arrangement" proposal between the two organizations "for the
production of resources."
     "I am pleased to report that we have reached an agreement with
Augsburg Fortress, as is required by our constitution.	Much negotiation
went into this, but the final agreement is fair to both parties and
signals a new day for the joint production of resources for women of
this church.  Women of the ELCA will bear both the risk and the benefit
of all its own products, including 'Lutheran Woman Today' magazine,"
Bushkofsky said.
     She said the agreement is "good news" since the two organizations
"have not had a formal agreement" in the last three years.
     The board committed time to receiving reports from program
directors of the women's organization and to act on resolutions that
surfaced from the board's committees on anti-racism and diversity,
budget and finance, constitution review,
executive, global mission and printed resources.  The board referred to
Women of the ELCA's executive director and staff actions that:
     + award more than $28,000 in grants to primary health care
organizations, education and church organizations for women and girls in
India through Women of the ELCA's India Endowment Fund.
     + encourage moving the organization's multicultural women's
gathering into the time frame of Women of the ELCA's Triennial
Gathering.
     + propose the development and presentation of a 20th anniversary
campaign to be introduced at the 2005 Women of the ELCA Triennial
Gathering with "culmination at the 2008 Triennial Convention."	The
campaign will be designed to increase financial support for the Women of
the ELCA's churchwide organization.
     In other business, the board officially endorsed the promotion and
use of Equal Exchange -- a coffee project of Lutheran World Relief, the
overseas relief and development ministry of the ELCA and the Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod -- at "church events and functions, whenever
possible."  The project allows coffee farmers to earn a fairer share of
income from their crops.
     The board devoted time to addressing several resolutions referred
to them by the 2003 Conference of Synodical Presidents of Women of the
ELCA, which met here Feb. 21-23.  Women's organizations exist in 64 of
the 65 synods of the ELCA; each has a president.  The board referred to
Women of the ELCA's executive director and staff actions that:
     + ask synodical boards to "mirror the commitment" of the executive
board in having anti-racism education through Women of the ELCA's eight-
hour training, "Today's Dream: Tomorrow's Reality," every two years.
     + equip synod presidents with the "necessary materials, programs
and ideas" needed to promote Women of the ELCA's mission statement:  "To
mobilize women to act boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ."
     The board also studied the ELCA's strategic planning proposal that
will be presented to the 2003 ELCA Churchwide Assembly this summer. Pat
Zerega, acting director, corporate social responsibility, ELCA Division
for Church in Society, delivered a presentation on corporate
responsibility.
-- -- --
     Women of the ELCA's home page is at http://www.elca.org/wo/ on the
ELCA Web site.

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