ELCA NEWS SERVICE March 24, 2004 Women of the ELCA Approve Goals for New Theme 04-049-MR CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The executive board of Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) prepared for its next triennial theme, "Act Boldly," when it met here Mar. 18-21. The board also learned about the "Women-to-Women Coffee Tour" to be led by the organization's president, participated in a process to redesign the ELCA's organization and conducted other business. "Without realizing it, women have always acted boldly," said Mary Ellen Kiesner, Menomonee Falls, Wis., president of Women of the ELCA. "If there's a need, a calling, they respond. Our hope, in our diversity, is to recognize together how women are acting out their faith in bold ways. The theme 'act boldly' may sound simplistic, but it entails so much," she said. Women of the ELCA's current theme is "Listen, God is Calling." Act Boldly will officially begin at Women of the ELCA's Sixth Triennial Gathering and Convention, July 6-10, 2005, San Antonio, Texas. It will guide the development of resources and programs by staff of Women of the ELCA within the context of the organization's mission statement "to mobilize women to act boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ" until 2008. The executive board establishes the overall goals for the triennial gathering. One goal is to conduct the business of Women of the ELCA, which includes the election of officers and board members, the consideration of memorials, resolutions and constitutional changes, and the approval of the 2006 budget. Other goals include providing Bible study, offering opportunities for recognizing the diversity of women in the organization, fostering biblical concepts of stewardship, encouraging global and cross-cultural community, and strengthening participants' understanding of themselves as partners in the mission and ministry of the organization. In other business, Kiesner shared information about "On the Roof of Africa: Women-to-Women Coffee Tour." Kiesner will lead 15 women on a study visit Nov. 3-18 to Tanzania, to learn about fairly traded coffee -- a process in which small-scale coffee farmers earn a fairer price for their products, enabling them to cover their production costs and better meet their human needs. Lutheran World Relief (LWR), the overseas relief and development ministry of the ELCA and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, is planning the study trip specifically for Women of the ELCA. Kiesner said the trip is a "wonderful opportunity that falls on the heels" of Women of the ELCA and LWR's "Pour Justice to the Brim: The 90-Ton Challenge." Women of the ELCA and its magazine, Lutheran Woman Today, have joined with LWR and Equal Exchange -- a U.S. worker-owned fair-trade organization -- to challenge Lutherans to purchase 90 tons of fairly traded coffee. Equal Exchange is tracking coffee sales from October 2003 to September 2004. As of last month, Lutherans have purchased more than 40 tons of fairly traded coffee. The executive board met in small groups to work on "phase one" of "Faithful Yet Changing: The Plan for Mission in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America." Faithful Yet Changing includes a process to restructure the ELCA churchwide organization based on the mission statement and strategic directions affirmed by the 2003 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, is expected to recommend a proposal for the reorganization of the churchwide office, budget and staff to the ELCA Church Council in November 2004. The council serves as the ELCA's board of directors and legislative authority of the church between biennial assemblies. One significant dynamic that surfaced from the discussion was "the diverse ideas and thoughts brought to the table," said Kiesner. The board has "a sincere desire to be available to make [a] new plan work. No matter where we serve in the church, mission and ministry must be done in such a way that we are looking out to each other, our sisters and brothers in faith, and to the needs of our community, society and the world. I think the board appreciates being included in the process of the church's strategic planning process, and contributing valuable insight to that process," Kiesner said. The women's organization reconfigured its ministry in March 2003. In other business, the board: + took part in the organization's anti-racism training program, "Today's Dream, Tomorrow's Reality." Training materials are in the form of a three-ring "cookbook with recipes" for learning, Bible study and other activities. The program is available to all Women of the ELCA participants. + received an update on Cafe, a free e-zine developed to reach women ages 20-35. Cafe celebrated its 1,000th subscriber last fall after being online for about three months. Today, about 2,000 people from around the world subscribe. In each issue Cafe, an acronym for "community, advocacy, faith and enlightenment," centers on a specific topic with information housed in four sections: Hot Topic, Coffee Talk, Tip Jar and Internet Cafe. It is available at http://www.womenoftheelca.org/cafe/ on the Internet. + received "Listening to God: A Guide to Discernment," developed by Women of the ELCA and Augsburg Fortress, the ELCA's publishing house based in Minneapolis. Listening to God is a guide that offers six sessions designed to provide "tools" for women to discern "God's hopes" and identify their "gifts for ministry" in the congregation and community. The guide was written by Debra K. Farrington, publisher and editorial director, Morehouse Publishing, Harrisburg, Pa. She is also a retreat and worship leader. + received a report on the annual "Conference of Synodical Presidents" held in San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 19-22. Women of the ELCA synodical women's organizations are located in 64 of the ELCA's 65 synods across the United States and Caribbean. + heard about "All Creation is Longing," a three-month Bible study. The study, written by the Rev. Julie A. Kanarr, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Port Angeles, Wash., will be available in the summer issues of Lutheran Woman Today. -- -- -- Information about Women of the ELCA is maintained at http://www.womenoftheelca.org/ on the Internet. Information about Lutheran Women Today is available at http://www.lutheranwomantoday.org/ on the Internet. For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news