wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Meets New Women of the ELCA President

["News News" <NEWS@elca.org>]

ELCA Assembly Meets New Women of the ELCA President
CWA-31-05-KB* 

    ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- Carmen K. Richards, Hope, N.D.,
president, Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,
challenged the voting members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly to "act boldly" here Aug.
11.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the World Center Marriott
and Convention Center.	About 2,300 people are participating,
including 1,018 ELCA voting members.  The theme for the biennial
assembly is "Marked with the Cross of Christ Forever."
     Richards was elected president of the women's organization
at the sixth triennial Women of the ELCA Gathering in San
Antonio, Texas, July 7.  As part of the organization's three-year
theme, "Act Boldly," Women of the ELCA launched a health and
wellness initiative, "Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls," for
the 3.2 million women in the church.
     In her greeting to the voting members, Richards challenged
them to "act boldly.  Go beyond your comfort zone, and when you
think you can't give anymore, remember this: you can't be burned
out -- you're not on fire yet!"
    After sharing a personal story of her daughter Monica's death
in May 2005, Richards said it caused her to reconsider running for
president of Women of the ELCA.  "I am here today, because I
Listen," said Richards.  She stayed in the election after realizing
"God has a plan for me ... and I listened."
     Richards is a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Hope,
N.D., a congregation of the ELCA Eastern North Dakota Synod.
Richards was a Sunday school teacher for 24 years, youth choir
director, president and treasurer of her local Women of the ELCA
unit and treasurer of the Women of the ELCA executive board.
Richards and her husband, Randy, own and operate a 4,800 acre
farm.
-- -- --

* Kirsten H. Boettner is a senior communication major at Luther
College, Decorah, IA.  This summer she is an intern with the ELCA
News Service.

     Information about the ELCA Churchwide Assembly is at
http://www.elca.org/assembly/05 on the Web.

For more information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org 
http://www.elca.org/news