wfn.org | ELCA Women Address Health, Racism, Ecumenism, Spiritual Growth

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 10, 1999

ELCA WOMEN ADDRESS HEALTH, RACISM, ECUMENISM, SPIRITUAL GROWTH
99-WO-15-FI

     ST. LOUIS (ELCA) -- Delegates of Women of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) dealt with resolutions received from six of the
church's 64 synod women's organizations.  Topics included women's health
issues, anti-racism training, closer relations with women's
organizations of other Christian denominations and spiritual growth.
     The Fourth Triennial Convention of Women of the ELCA is meeting
here July 8-11 at the America's Center.  The organization's three-year
theme, "Live God's Justice," is unveiled at the convention amid Bible
study, keynote addresses, workshops, business sessions and elections.
     A committee prepared resolutions from synodical women's
organizations for the convention and recommended action.  The committee
asked the convention to defeat one of the resolutions, combined two
resolutions by offering a substitute resolution and recommended
editorial changes for two resolutions.
     Convention delegates defeated a resolution from the ELCA's
Central-Southern Illinois Synod asking that board members of synodical
women's organization be considered voting members of their conventions.
The rationale for defeating the resolution was that board members are to
carry the will of the convention and already have input into the
direction of the organization.
     The ELCA's Southwestern Washington (state) and Minneapolis Area
Synods brought similar resolutions asking Women of the ELCA to "place
priority in its emphasis and in its budget on anti-racism training,
education and awareness," to work to dismantle "its own systemic and
institutional contributions to the perpetuation of racist practices, and
to help Lutheran women become "anti-racists in their own lives."
     The convention adopted a substitute resolution that blended the
language and substance of the two resolutions.  It called for a report
on these activities to the Fifth Triennial Convention of Women of the
ELCA in 2002.
     The ELCA's Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod brought a resolution
that Women of the ELCA work with women's health organizations to promote
spiritual and physical health.  It urged Lutheran women "to seek early
detection programs, affordable testing and awareness education."
     Delegates adopted an edited version of that resolution which
called for "action related to health issues facing all women,
particularly women and children who live in poverty, in their
communities as well as around the world."
     A resolution from the ELCA's Upstate New York Synod asked Women of
the ELCA to work more closely "in ministry and fellowship" with
counterpart organizations in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Reformed
Church in America and United Church of Christ -- churches with which the
ELCA entered into a relationship of full communion.  Delegates adopted
it with some editorial changes.
     The convention also adopted a resolution from the ELCA's Nebraska
Synod after adding a paragraph.  The Nebraska resolution asked the
organization to rededicate itself to the spiritual growth of its
participants.  The new paragraph thanked staff of Women of the ELCA for
preparing materials and programs to help participants "grow in faith."

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