Women of the ELCA Executive Board Meeting
The churchwide executive board of Women of the ELCA met March 22–24 in Chicago. On the agenda were action on recommendations from the Conference of Presidents, reports from the executive director and staff, a report on strategic planning for the triennium, approval of the triennial gathering budget, an update on the challenge from the Mission Investment Fund, and approval of the site for the 2014 Triennial Convention and gathering.

The board welcomed two new members, Rebecca Olson of Northwestern Minnesota and Marlene Bergum of the East Central Synod of Wisconsin, who were appointed to the board following the resignations of Wanda Bledsoe of Pacifica (California) and Robin Bert of Central/Southern Illinois. Olson and Bergum were the next highest vote getters at the 2005 Triennial Convention.

Among the recommendations from the Conference of Presidents was a recommendation that the churchwide organization place greater emphasis on the Purpose Statement throughout all the organization's media. The board supported this recommendation, and the staff, through the executive director, will be implementing it in the future. Other recommendations referred to the executive director addressed strengthening connections between congregational units and all expressions of the organization, creating additional resources that help congregational units organize and reorganize, and building support for the organization among bishops, pastors, and other rostered leaders.

The executive director's report highlighted connections made at the 60th anniversary celebration of the Lutheran World Federation. Linda Post Bushkofsky attended as part of the church leadership consultation and as a regional coordinator for the Women in Church and Society desk. Linda said in her report that women have common concerns worldwide, including clean water, commercial sexual exploitations, and violence against women. She was able to share what Women of the ELCA is doing in these areas both at home and with partners around the world.

The board heard an update on the staff's work on strategic planning for the organization, which is grounded in the mission and purpose statements. A key component of the plan is a research study conducted by the ELCA Department for Research and Evaluation, which will survey both women who are active in the organization and women who are not. The staff hopes to complete the study in the coming months and have an analysis of its findings available at the October executive board meeting.

The executive committee of the board approved a balanced triennial gathering budget of $876,000. The budget assumes income from registrations totaling $550,000 from 2,500 paid attendees. Other income will come primarily from grants and other sponsorships, and exhibitor and vendor fees.

As of March 22, the Mission Investment Fund had opened 158 new accounts as part of the Women of the ELCA Challenge, totaling $271,000. So far, Southwest Texas leads all other synodical organizations in number of accounts opened. If Women of the ELCA participants open 1,000 new accounts with MIF by June 30, 2008, MIF will contribute $25,000 toward the 2008 triennial gathering. (See the April 2007 issue of Interchange, page 5, for details on how to take part in the challenge.)

In other triennium-related news, the board accepted Charlotte, North Carolina, as the site of the 2014 Triennial Convention and gathering. (The 2011 Triennial Convention and gathering will be held in Spokane, Washington.)

The board next meets October 18–21 in Fargo, North Dakota.