ELCA NEWS SERVICE
July 10, 2005
Women Of The ELCA Celebrates 35th Anniversary Of Women's Ordination
05-125-JB
SAN ANTONIO (ELCA) -- Nearly 2,000 Lutheran women and men attended
the "Great Banquet" July 9, a first-time event in which they heard
inspirational speakers and music, and observed the 35th anniversary of the
ordination of the first Lutheran woman pastor in North America, the Rev.
Elizabeth Platz. Platz is still an active pastor and is a campus pastor
with the Lutheran Campus Ministry, University of Maryland, College Park.
The event was the culmination of the Women of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America's Sixth Triennial Gathering held here July 5-10
at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. The organization's three-year
theme, "Act Boldly," was unveiled at the convention amid Bible study,
keynote presentations, workshops, community service, business sessions and
elections. More than 2,100 women from across the United States and around
the world participated.
The highlight of the evening was a presentation about women serving
in the ministry. More than 3,000 women are on the active clergy roster of
the ELCA, more than 25 percent of the church's active ordained pastors,
said the Rev. Michelle Miller, associate director for leadership
development, ELCA Commission for Women, Chicago.
The Rev. Marie Aviles-deJesus, retired ELCA pastor, Milwaukee, became
a Lutheran pastor at age 65. In remarks to the banquet participants,
deJesus, now 90, began by asking the audience how many are over age 65.
"If I did it, you can do it, too," she said. "It's very easy because with
the help of God all things are possible."
The Rev. Elieshi Mungure, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in Tanzania, Diocese of Meru, credited Women of the ELCA for helping her
to become a pastor. Mungure, who is studying for a doctorate at Luther
Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., one of eight ELCA seminaries, said the Lutheran
Church in Tanzania has been ordaining women for 13 years, however, two
dioceses in the church have declined to ordain women.
The Rev. Barbara J. Lund, program director for East Asia, ELCA
Division for Global Mission, Chicago, was ordained 10 years ago. She said
women should celebrate that nearly one-quarter of the ELCA's active
pastors are women. She said "the deepest gap" in the church today is with
women of color clergy.
Bozena Miller, a member of the Lutheran Church in Poland, has studied
theology but is not ordained because the Lutheran Church there does not
ordain women. At present, she teaches and studies English, she said.
"Women in our church who study theology are really acting boldly,"
she said, adding that many teach and provide "pastoral care."
"Whenever you pray, please think about your sisters in Poland and
pray for ordination in our country," Bozena Miller added.
The presentation concluded with a video that highlighted women in
ordained and lay ministry, and noted the ordained women who were pioneers
in the ELCA predecessor church bodies.
The women and men also heard brief reflections from Ardath Rodale and
her daughter, Maria. Ardath Rodale, chairwoman of the board, Rodale, Inc.,
is an author and publisher of at least 11 magazines, including
"Prevention" and "Men's Health." Rodale, a member of Lutheran Church of
the Holy Spirit, Emmaus, Pa., spoke about her faith journey, and how her
faith was affected by the death of her son, David, as a result of AIDS;
the sudden death of her husband, Bob; and her three bouts with cancer.
Maria Rodale, vice chairwoman of Rodale, Inc., and founder of
"Organic Style" magazine, also shared brief reflections on her faith
journey.
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Information about the Women of the ELCA's Sixth Triennial Gathering
is at http://www.womenoftheELCA.org on the Web.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
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