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Women of the ELCA Executive Board Meeting
The churchwide executive board of Women of the ELCA held its spring meeting
March 17–20 in Miami, Florida. (The meeting was moved from Chicago to Miami to
fulfill a hotel obligation; the October 2004 "Saying Yes!" event, which was to
have taken place in Miami, was cancelled due to hurricanes in other parts of the
state.)
Churchwide budget
The board reviewed the proposed 2006 budget of $3,411,057 and sent it to the
Sixth Triennial Convention for consideration and action. In convention years,
the convention approves the churchwide budget; between conventions, the
churchwide executive board approves the budget.
Triennial Gathering
The latest information on programming and registration activity for the Sixth
Triennial Gathering was presented to the board.
Looking ahead to the Seventh Triennial Gathering, which will be held in Salt
Lake City, Utah, in 2008, the board received a report on negotiations with the
Salt Palace Convention Center and several surrounding hotels. The board also
encouraged the executive director to move forward in considering joint
activities with Evangelical Lutheran Women (of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in Canada), perhaps related to theme, materials, or teleconferencing, for the
Seventh Triennial Gathering, which will take place at the same time as the
quadrennial convention of ELW.
Looking ahead even further, to the Eighth Triennial Gathering, 2011, the
board authorized consideration of Anaheim, California; Portland, Oregon; and
Spokane, Washington as possible sites.
Other board activities and decisions
An operational ethics policy for board and committees was adopted. This was
recently requested of all churchwide boards by the ELCA Church Council.
The board heard a review of the 2005 Conference of Synodical Presidents,
which was held in February in the Chicago suburb of Lisle, Illinois. The board
received 23 recommendations that were subsequently sent to committee or referred
to the executive director for action.
Various requests for proposed changes to synodical women's organizations' constitutions were
carefully considered and responded to.
The executive board recommended to the executive director to approve grants
to India totaling $28,700. These grants are funded by a long-standing endowment
specifically dedicated to ministry in India. The grants will support health care
work, women’s medical and nursing home assistance, girls’ high school education,
women’s higher education, and Bible education for women. Christian Ashrams
Ministry of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church is scheduled to receive
$6,000 of the total, but due to previous irregularities in handling, the funds
are being withheld until site visits by the ELCA director for mission and
support and United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India staff affirm that the
funds will be properly received.
The board reviewed statistical data on the 47 synodical conventions held in
2004. This data consisted primarily of attendance figures, offering amounts, and
offering recipients. An analysis of offerings collected at synodical
conventions, including the percentage sent on to the churchwide organization for
the ongoing ministries of Women of the ELCA, was also reviewed.
The board heard reports on the annual meeting of the Lutheran Women’s
Cooperating Committee, a group consisting of representatives of Women of the
ELCA, Evangelical Lutheran Women (of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada),
the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod),
and the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League-Canada (of the Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod).
Churchwide president Mary Ellen Kiesner presented a report on "On the Roof of
Africa: Woman to Woman Coffee Tour," a November 2004 coffee tour directed by
Lutheran World Relief for a delegation from Women of the ELCA. Mary Ellen Kiesner led that delegation.
Susan W. McArver, associate professor of educational ministry and church
history at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, led the board in a study and
discussion of Our Calling in Education: A Lutheran Study. The ELCA's task
force on education is encouraging the entire ELCA to participate in this study.
A social statement on education will be developed for possible presentation to
and adoption by the 2007 Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA.
Emily Eastwood, executive director of Lutherans Concerned North America, led
a discussion with the board that focused on the experiences of gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgender people in the ELCA, and understanding the
Reconciling in Christ movement.
Over lunch on March 19, the board met with four members of the board of the
Florida-Bahamas Synodical Women’s Organization.
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