Report of the Executive Director, Women of the ELCA
Summary of Unit Activities, April 2007

It is always a challenge to summarize the mission and ministries of Women of the ELCA, as the women of this organization respond to their baptismal calls in many and varied ways, with the churchwide women's organization supporting them at every stage. What follows is a brief overview of ways in which the churchwide women's organization meets that expectation.

On February 25th, Women of the ELCA observed its inaugural Bold Women's Day, a day meant to celebrate the many ways in which women act boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ. Some celebrations remembered bold women of the past while others focused on contemporary women. Many groups used Bold Women's Day observances as the kick-off to celebrating the 20th anniversary of Women of the ELCA.

As part of the Women of the ELCA 20th anniversary observances, the organization is offering a Bold Women of the Reformation trip to Germany that focuses on the lives of Katharina von Bora Luther and other women of the Reformation as well as bold Christian women of today. This cultural trip, developed in partnership with the ELCA Wittenberg Center and Christian Tours Europe, features guided tours, lectures, and visits with local congregations. Nearly 80 participants will be supported by six staff for this trip that takes place April 17–29.

Women of the ELCA partnered with Lutheran World Relief on two educational tours of Tanzania that occurred in January. Designed exclusively for Women of the ELCA participants, these tours focused, in part, on the Fair Trade coffee efforts long supported by this organization.

In partnership with ELCA Global Mission, nine women of the ELCA from Southwest California, Northwestern and Northeastern Minnesota, South Central Wisconsin, South Carolina and Southeastern synods traveled to India this February as part of the Global Education Advocates program of Women of the ELCA. They were accompanied by six women representing companion churches to these six synods. Using the accompaniment model, the seminar focused on young women speaking to young women in a global setting about justice issues that affect this age group, including HIV/AIDS, sex trafficking and tourism, education, class, etc. The nine women from this first seminar of the second cycle will make a two-year commitment to serve as global education advocates in their synods. Our global advocates encourage action that will make a difference in the lives of women here in the United States, in the countries visited, and in our respective churches.

Women in this organization have traditionally spent significant time in Bible study. In the summer months, women in the organization will be focusing their Bible study on mission in a three-part study written by Kelly Fryer. Her study tells us that we are sent out: (Session 1) "With the Message of Jesus;" (Session 2) "Like the First Evangelists;" and (Session 3) "In the Power of the Holy Spirit." Beatitudes as a Compass for Discipleship (the study that begins in Lutheran Woman Today magazine in September) has been written by Martha Stortz, professor of historical theology and ethics at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, California.

Women of the ELCA participants have long understood advocacy as part of their Christian responsibility, and the organization is currently working in support of the H.E.A.R.T. (Heart disease, Education, Analysis and Research, and Treatment) for Women Act, a bi-partisan bill introduced in the U.S. Senate by Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and in the House of Representatives by Lois Capps (D-CA) and Barbara Cubin (R-WY) on February 14, 2006, and reintroduced this February 14 (with some minor changes in language). This particular advocacy piece supports Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls, the health initiative of Women of the ELCA.

In November 2006, Women of the ELCA participated with Evangelical Lutheran Women, the ELCA, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, and Lutheran World Federation's Women in Church in Society desk to create and host a North American Consultation on Commercial Sexual Exploitation. In the future, staff will begin an ELCA inter-unit consultation about commercial sexual exploitation, working, in part, with Mary Streufert, director for justice for women in the ELCA's Church and Society program unit. An inter-unit working team on CSE has been created, and staff are creating a workshop event (for late 2007 or early 2008) that addresses churches and young adults on issues surrounding CSE.

For more information on these and other ministries of Women of the ELCA, visit womenoftheelca.org or the sites of its magazine, lutheranwomantoday.org and e-zine, boldcafe.org.