Have you begun planning for the fall season? Since March 2020, we’ve been living through the global pandemic, and changes in the ways we do things happen every day.
Women of the ELCA has made adjustments, too. And we are here to help you plan so you can remain connected and engaged in living out your faith in Jesus Christ. We have many resources to help you plan for your next virtual meeting. It’s important that you reach out to women for connection and encouragement.
Below are 10 ways you can Encourage & stay connected
Remember, as you begin to plan and in the midst of Covid-19 congregational units be sure you use caution in meeting and planning events. The following resources and ideas are available to keep women engaged as we shelter in place.
- Hold a Thankoffering service virtually with Light the Way for Justice, Light the Way for Love. The tips section offers ways to hold a virtual Thankoffering service.
- Use Giving Thanks to God, All Day Every Day prayer resources as you continue your daily Thankoffering discipline while sheltering at home.
- Get started on the 2021 Quilt Challenge. Download the challenge rules and begin designing a quilt for this much-loved artistic event that is part of our triennial Gathering.
- Download our In-Kind Gifts fact sheet so that you and the women in your congregation can begin now collecting items to assist ministries in ELCA congregations and other Phoenix-based agencies.
- Gather women (virtually) in prayer each Tuesday at noon as we continue to pray for the world and its inhabitants as we live through this pandemic, using this call to prayer.
- Encourage women to participate in the Dear Friend in Christ project, an effort to sustain community through letter writing. Details are found here and you can read some letters from the project here. The project continues through November 1, All Saints Day.
- Use the PowerPoint A Place for You available in English and Spanish by hosting a virtual introduction to Women of the ELCA. Go to our Tools for Leaders page and scroll down.
- Read a book related to racial justice. You can find a list on our justice web page. Again, scroll down a bit.
- Encourage your friends to sign up for Bold Connections and invite them to participate in a virtual Gather Bible study.
- Read this blog to learn other ways to support each other virtually.
How are you planning to keep women engaged in your community? Share and send your story through the Contact link.
Eva James Yeo is director for membership for Women of the ELCA.