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What does it mean to
be an active unit of
Women of the ELCA?
The Model
Constitution and
Bylaws for
Congregational or
Intercongregational
Units sets out
the answer to this
question. The women
in a unit must
commit to four
things in order to
be recognized or
deemed "active." The
women shall 1) come
together for study,
support and action;
2) participate in
the ministry of
Women of the ELCA
beyond the
congregation; 3)
support financially
the total program of
Women of the ELCA;
and 4) designate
leadership that
shall be in
communication with
the synodical and
churchwide women’s
organization
(Article II, section
2).
Come together for
study, support, and
action
Women in a unit
of Women of the ELCA
can come together
for study, support,
and action in any
number of ways.
There is no
prescribed way. And
the way particular
women come together
can change as the
makeup of the group
changes or the needs
of the women change.
Not everyone in a
unit need
participate in every
activity. A unit
could involve
several smaller
groups of women,
each group carrying
out a different
activity.
Study could involve
the monthly Bible
study found in
Lutheran Woman Today
or it could be a
book group that
gathers regularly to
read and discuss a
novel. Supporting
each other can come
in many forms. It
could involve prayer
together or through
a prayer chain. It
could involve a
"secret sister" or
"secret angel"
exchange. Action
could involve making
relief quilts,
working in a food
pantry, or writing
letters to elected
officials.
Participate beyond
the congregation
Programming and
activities occur in
several different
expressions of Women
of the ELCA. Women
in a unit could
attend an event
sponsored by the
synodical women’s
organization, such
as a retreat,
convention, or
training event. Some
conferences or
clusters are very
active and offer
regular programming
in which women could
participate.
Subscribing to
Lutheran Woman Today,
Interchange,
or
Café
are all ways to
participate in our
ministry beyond the
congregation, as is
attending a
triennial gathering
or an event
sponsored by the
churchwide women’s
organization.
Support financially
the total program
Most questions
about whether a unit
is "active" involve
this question: What
does it mean to
support financially
the total program of
Women of the ELCA?
Our constitution
drafters did not
provide the answer.
In the fullest
sense, the women in
a unit would
regularly be doing
all these things:
Collecting
regular
offerings and
sharing a portion
with their
synodical women's
organization
Having regular
Thankoffering
services and
sending 100
percent of the
Thankofferings to
the churchwide
women’s
organization
Supporting
designated giving
programs of Women
of the ELCA and
the ELCA
Participating in
occasional giving
opportunities,
like the
anniversary of the
organization, a
memorial or even
disaster relief
Subscribing to
Lutheran Woman
Today and
Interchange
Purchasing other
resources produced
by Women of the
ELCA
Some of our units
do indeed support
the organization in
all these ways.
Other units may do
one or two of these
things. There are
likely growth
opportunities for
most units in this
area, and so we
encourage all units
to grow in their
financial support of
Women of the ELCA.
Designate
leadership to be in
communication
This is a simple
requirement. One
person in the unit
needs to be the
contact person, so
that information
from the synodical
and churchwide
women’s
organizations can be
provided to the unit
through this person. |
