wfn.org | ELCA Women Elect President, 'Listens to God's Call'

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 18, 2002

ELCA WOMEN ELECT PRESIDENT, 'LISTENS TO GOD'S CALL'
02-167-MR

     PHILADELPHIA (ELCA) -- Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) elected a new president, launched a new three-year theme
and acted on resolutions designed to enhance the work of the women's
organization.
     These actions were among many taken by 500 delegates who met July
8-14 at the Women of the ELCA Fifth Triennial Convention and Gathering
here at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.  The delegates were among
more than 3,200 women from across the United States and around the world
who gathered under Women of the ELCA's new three-year theme, "Listen,
God is Calling."  The theme was unveiled at the convention and gathering
and women reflected on the theme during Bible study, worship and special
presentations held each day in morning and evening "mass gatherings."
NEW THEME AND PRIORITIES SET FOR WOMEN OF THE ELCA
     The theme, "Listen, God is Calling," was selected from the book of
Ephesians in the Christian Bible.
     Family, leadership development, spirituality and stewardship are
four priorities that were introduced and examined at the Triennial
Gathering.  The priorities will guide the development of resources and
programs by staff of the women's organization within the context of
Women of the ELCA's theme, purpose statement and new mission statement
"to mobilize women to act boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ."
     Women of the ELCA has more than 7,800 "local units" in
congregations and  institutional settings in 64 of the ELCA's 65 synods
in the United States and Caribbean.
     Linda Post Bushkofsky will assume the role as Women of the ELCA
executive director Aug. 1.  She succeeds Catherine "Cathi" I.H. Braasch,
who decided not to serve for another four-year term based primarily on
family health reasons and her preparation to enter the ordained
ministry.  Braasch's end of service coincided with the Triennial
Gathering, but she will officially leave office Aug. 31.
KIESNER ELECTED PRESIDENT, LEADERSHIP TEAM COMPLETE
     Four officers and 17 members of Women of the ELCA's executive
board were elected to complete the organization's leadership team for
2002-2005.
     Mary Ellen M. Kiesner, 56, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Menomonee
Falls, Wis., was elected July 11 to serve a three-year term as president
of Women of the ELCA.  She was elected on the fourth ballot for
president 241-228 over Nancy Christian, Fertile, Minn., who led on the
first three ballots.
     Kiesner is a longtime active member of Women of the ELCA and has
completed a three-year term on the executive board of the women's
organization.  Her experience in Women of the ELCA includes work as a
"Women and Children in Crisis" consultant, membership on the global
education and advocacy committee, a "Woman to Woman" representative to
Estonia, and a "One in Christ" representative to the American Indian
community.
     Kiesner is a radiology technologist at Falls Media Group/Advanced
Health Care, Menomonee Falls.  She earned an associate degree in
radiology at St. Luke's Hospital, Milwaukee.
     Nancy Christian, Concordia Lutheran Church, Fertile, was elected
vice president; Gail M. Powell, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Rockwood,
Mich., was elected secretary; and Carmen K. Richards, Redeemer Lutheran
Church, Hope, N.D., was elected treasurer.
     Twelve women were elected to the executive board on the first
ballot.  The remaining members were elected on the fourth ballot.
BUDGET AND OTHER CONVENTION BUSINESS
     Delegates adopted a $3,681,438 budget for 2003.  The budget
includes spending guidelines for Women of the ELCA's program services
such as anti-racism and cross-cultural ministries, periodicals and
products, women's ministry programs, evangelism and related services,
stewardship and fund development, grants and scholarships, and special
funding initiatives.  The budget also includes expenditures for
executive and organizational services, operations, governance and a
planned $700,000 gift to the ELCA.  Women of the ELCA provides a
financial gift to the ELCA churchwide organization annually.
     Delegates also acted on proposed amendments to the organization's
constitution and memorials -- resolutions that ask for specific actions
by the churchwide women's organization -- from synodical women's
organizations and individuals.  Significant actions included:
     + Designating a Sunday "to bring sexual exploitation of women and
children into the light by focusing media attention and educating
congregations about the sex industry."  The event is scheduled to be
called "Day Full of Light."  Women of the ELCA will distribute materials
for study.
     + A vote to urge Lutherans to advocate for a "just" re-
authorization of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the federal
welfare program.  The resolution, adopted overwhelmingly, urged
participants to write to their senators and ask them to oppose any
amendments that would increase work requirements, remove the option for
states to provide benefits to legal immigrants, narrow the list of
activities denied as work, and mandate full family sanctions.
     + A resolve to encourage individuals, households and congregations
of the ELCA to "reduce personal, household and workplace consumption of
water and other non-renewable resources by 10 percent."  The resolution
also encouraged women to study biblical, theological and practical
issues related to stewardship of water.
     + An action to encourage congregational units to pray for their
youth "that they may grow in faith and have healthy, safe lives."
     + A vote to authorize the executive director of Women of the ELCA
to "lodge a protest in the strongest possible terms" to the U.S.
government over its decision to deny a woman from Tanzania entry into
the United States.  Mary Laiser, secretary of the Women's Desk in the
Arusha Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, was
scheduled to be a presenter and assisting minister for worship at the
Triennial Gathering, but was sent back home July 9 by U.S. immigration
officials after she arrived in Detroit from Amsterdam on her way to the
gathering.  Immigration officials detained her because her visa extended
beyond the expiration date of her passport.
BIBLE STUDY AND FEATURED SPEAKERS
     Bible studies were led by three of the ELCA's seven female bishops
-- the Rev. Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl, bishop of the ELCA South Dakota
Synod, Sioux Falls; the Rev. April Ulring Larson, bishop of the ELCA
LaCrosse Area Synod, LaCrosse, Wis.; and the Rev. Margaret G. Payne,
bishop of the ELCA New England Synod, Worcester, Mass.  There are 65
synod bishops in the ELCA.
     Featured speakers included Christine Grumm, executive director,
Women's Funding Network, San Francisco, an international association of
women's and girl's funds and foundations, and Dr. Pauline Riak,
executive director, Sudanese Women's Association in Nairobi (SWAN),
Kenya.  SWAN brings together displaced Sudanese women from various
ethnic, political, religious and linguistic backgrounds.
     The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, Chicago,
and the Rev. Margarita Martinez, bishop of the ELCA Caribbean Synod,
Dorado, Puerto Rico, preached sermons during worship services.
SEMINARS, 'CONVENTION WITHOUT WALLS' AND WORKSHOPS
     On July 10, four all-day seminars were held at the Pennsylvania
Convention Center.  They were "Global Education and Advocacy,"
"Leadership Training Follow-Up," "Perspectives of the Differently Abled"
and "Organizational Self-Assessment."
     A key component of the gathering was the "Convention Without
Walls" -- opportunities for women to move beyond the convention center
into the surrounding Philadelphia community.  The experiences were
"intended to help participants understand in depth the variety of ways
in which people and organizations in the Philadelphia area respond to
God's call through direct service, empowerment or working for systematic
change, and it provided an opportunity for participants to experience
the many types of Christian service in ways that are experiential,
engaging and hands-on," said Doris Strieter, program director, global
education and advocacy, Women of the ELCA.
     More than 30 workshops were offered to explore the gathering's
theme.  Participants chose from workshops that followed three tracks:
"Hear God's Call," "Respond to God's Call" and "Recognize Your Gifts and
Enhance Your Skills."  Workshop topics ranged from human sexuality and
the church to the crisis in the Middle East.
UNITY VILLAGE AND IN-KIND GIFTS
     A special feature of the gathering was "Unity Village" -- an
interactive exhibit area designed to offer participants information
about Women of the ELCA programs and resources.  Women there had an
opportunity to meet in a gazebo and talk with Linda Post Bushkofsky,
Women of the ELCA executive director-elect.  Some of the ELCA's 28
colleges and universities and eight seminaries had representatives at
the village to discuss their academic programs.  ELCA organizations such
as Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services and some of the church's
divisions -- Global Mission and Church in Society -- had display boards
set up to educate women on the divisions' latest news.
     Participants gave hundreds of children's books and packages
containing a variety of personal care items, such as soap and linens, to
Philadelphia-area ministries.  Known as "in-kind" gifts, the items were
intended for the benefit of women and children living in poverty.
INTERNATIONAL AND ECUMENICAL GUESTS
     Fourteen Lutheran women from Brazil, Egypt, Estonia, Ghana, Haiti,
India, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Palestine, Sudan and Tanzania
traveled from their homes to Philadelphia to attend the gathering.  A
special forum hosted by the international participants took place July
13 at the convention center.  The forum room was adorned with pictures,
books and artwork illustrating the various countries represented.
     More than 30 women from the Episcopal Church took part in the
gathering in an effort to support the full communion agreement of the
ELCA and the Episcopal Church.
"WAY MAKING WOMEN: A WAY TO UNITY"
     About 400 African American and Black, American Indian and Alaskan
Native, Asian and Pacific Islanders, Latina, Middle Eastern and Arab,
and European American Lutheran women gathered July 8-10 to celebrate
culture and pave a way for unity at "Way Making Women: A Way to Unity"
here at the Wyndham Franklin Plaza Hotel.
     Women created systems of support and shared common issues and
concerns through Bible study, worship and community gatherings.  "Way
Making Women" was a component of Women of the ELCA's Triennial
Gathering.
     The Rev. Cynthia Rembert James, Oakland, Calif., led three Bible
presentations.  James is a Christian psychologist who pastors two Church
of God congregations.  She is the first female bishop elected to the
Board of Bishops for the Joint College of African American Bishops'
Congress.
     The Rev. Margarita Martinez, bishop of the ELCA Caribbean Synod,
preached the sermon at the gathering's opening worship.
     International and ecumenical participants attended "Way Making
Women."
'YOUNG WOMEN SEEING VISIONS'
     About 150 young women of the ELCA gathered to curl and braid hair,
apply body glitter and tattoos while discussing some of life's tough
issues like depression and anxiety, preventing sexual exploitation and
the role of motherhood at "Young Women Seeing Visions" July 8-14 at the
Philadelphia Marriott Hotel.
     Planned by "young women for women" and others who support young
women's ministries, Young Women Seeing Visions was a special track at
Women of the ELCA's Triennial Gathering.
     The purpose of Young Women Seeing Visions was to create space to
nurture young women's spirituality.  A sub-goal was to generate ideas on
how to bring young women into the life of Women of the ELCA, said Dianha
Ortega, associate director for youth leadership and spiritual formation,
ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries.
-- -- --
Editors:  Photographs from "Way-Making Women: A Way to Unity" and Women
of the ELCA's 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 information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html