Region 4 challenges itself to raise $25,000 for 25th Anniversary Appeal
Braving the heat of last summer, representatives from Region 4 synodical women’s organizations (SWOs) met in Nebraska for a retreat in July. Their main objective was to plan for the 25th Anniversary of Women of the ELCA. They gathered to envision how their SWOs would celebrate and how they would promote the 25th Anniversary Appeal, which supports the ELCA Malaria Campaign and Women of the ELCA.
What they came up with was a bold challenge for Region 4 to raise $25,000 for the Appeal. They called on “every woman to each give $25 in celebration of 25 years to reach and exceed a goal of $25,000.” On July 16, the synodical representatives left the retreat and immediately set to work promoting this challenge at their synodical conventions, cluster and conference events, unit meetings, and on their websites, Facebook pages and newsletters.
They are well on the way to reaching the $25,000 goal. A few days after the July retreat, the Central States SWO collected $1,295 for the Appeal at its convention. In September, the Nebraska SWO organized smaller weekend gatherings in the eastern and western parts of the state and collected more than $1,600 in the first weekend alone. The anniversary year extends through May 2013.
A 25th anniversary video is also in the works, using photos from each SWO in Region 4 to showcase highlights from their first 25 years. The Nebraska SWO will take on the task of combining the photos into one video that can be shown at churches, online and at Women of the ELCA events. Media staff from the Nebraska Synod office is helping with the project.
Nebraska SWO President Kandy Pflaster expressed her hope that Region 4’s bold commitment will inspire other SWOs and regions to give and celebrate boldly during the 25th anniversary year.
Commenting on the $25,000 challenge, the synodical representatives issued a statement saying, “This Women of the ELCA 25th Anniversary Appeal is not just about celebrating the past. This is about celebrating our future and all that we are accomplishing as women of faith empowered by the Holy Spirit. As a region, we are called to lift each other up, ‘to mobilize women to act boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ,’ recognizing and celebrating our roles as change-makers in the global church… . We all left the Rockin’ Region 4 Retreat invigorated and inspired to share what we learned about this 25th Anniversary of the Women of the ELCA and the Appeal. It is exciting to carry the news back home of how we are changing our world.”
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