Not long ago, a very wise woman said, “We’re so blessed–let’s live like it!” Even in tough times, she said, we’re thoroughly blessed. Let’s live like it! Let’s live like we know how blessed we are!
I took that bit of wisdom to a recent meeting of the elected leadership of Women of the ELCA, and we talked it over. First, we imagined a thoroughly blessed group of women and how they might live it out. And one of our first conclusions was: They know they’re blessed, and they’re not afraid! They’re bold and generous and loving.
Women of the ELCA in all its expressions is blessed with the dedication of thousands of faithful women who continue serving and giving and loving and acting boldly.
Then we talked about Women of the ELCA. We’re blessed too, even in tough times. How are we blessed? And that drew a lot of conversation. Women of the ELCA in all its expressions is blessed with the dedication of thousands of faithful women who continue serving and giving and loving and acting boldly. Stop and think for a minute, and you’ll come up with dozens more examples of how Women of the ELCA is richly blessed. We’re so very blessed! So how do we live like it?
Two simple things come to mind right away:
- Invite someone else to share those blessings, generously, kindly, hospitably. Invite someone to your next Bible study or get-together and make her know she’s welcome. It doesn’t matter if she doesn’t look like you or talk like you. Invite her. Welcome her.
- Share those blessings by making a generous Thankoffering. You might hold a Thankoffering service with your whole congregation, with just the women’s group, with a smaller group of friends–or all of the above! There’s no law that says you can only do Thankofferings once. See our Thankofferings page for everything you need to organize a Thankoffering service with a group.
You can also offer Thankofferings by yourself, as an individual. You can give with a credit card online at welca.org/give, or you can simply make out your check to Women of the ELCA, write Thankoffering on the memo line, and mail it to the address below.
We’re so blessed! Let’s live like it!
Audrey Novak Riley is director for stewardship.
Photo by Joseph Gonzalez on Unsplash
Give online or mail your check to:
Women of the ELCA
Gift Processing Center
P.O. Box 1809
Merrifield, VA 22116-8009
Thank you!