ELCA NEWS SERVICE July 12, 2008 Women of the ELCA Hosts 23 Workshops for Gathering Participants 08-112-FI SALT LAKE CITY (ELCA) -- Advocacy, antiracism, the Bible, discipleship, health and wholeness, international guests, liturgy, money, neighbors' beliefs, participation, politics, prayer, sabbath, sacred space, self-expression, singing, social statements, witnessing and young adults were workshop topics that drew the attention of more than 2,000 participants of Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The Seventh Triennial Gathering of Women of the ELCA runs through July 13 here at the Salt Palace Convention Center. The event theme, "Come to the Waters," focuses on the celebration of Baptism through Bible study, speakers, workshops, community service and worship. Workshops of various lengths were offered once, twice or four time on July 11 and July 12. Arsenia Walker and Linda Ely are members of Women of the ELCA's "Today's Dream: Tomorrow's Reality" (TDTR) antiracism training network. They discussed the organization's antiracism principles and progress it has made since TDTR began in 1997. The Rev. Ann L. Fritschel and the Rev. Gwen B. Sayler introduced the nine-session Bible study they authored for "Lutheran Woman Today," the magazine of Women of the ELCA. The Old Testament books of Ruth, Esther and Daniel will be the subject of the study to begin in the magazine's September 2008 issue. Sayler and Fritschel are professors at Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, one of eight ELCA seminaries. Participants joined Linda Post Bushkofsky, executive director, Women of the ELCA, in a look at ways to carry out the organization's mission "to mobilize women to act boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ." Sabbath is more than a day of the week for Deborah Leoni-Willhite, owner of Insight Out Life Coaching, Geneva, Ill. She led a workshop on ways to relax and renew in the midst of an overworked and over-scheduled life. Valora K. Starr, associate for programs, Women of the ELCA, works in the areas of evangelism, discipleship and global education. Her workshop explored the lives of the biblical women who followed Jesus and their examples for today's faithful. Money and spirituality were workshop topics for Catherine Malotky, a retirement planning manager for the ELCA Board of Pensions. The connection between faith and the distribution of resources was a focus. Malotky writes a column for "Lutheran Woman Today" magazine. Dr. Diane Jacobson, director of the ELCA "Book of Faith" initiative, discussed especially Lutheran ways of reading and understanding the Bible. She is a professor at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., another ELCA seminary. Centering prayer, walking prayer and singing are a few of the many ways Esther Prabhakar, vice president, ELCA Northern Illinois Synod, has learned to pray. Her workshop demonstrated many of those ways, including using a photo scrapbook for daily prayer. The Rev. Ronald W. Duty, assistant director for studies, ELCA Church in Society, presented the ELCA's eight social statements, work being done on three more statements and the process from idea to position of the church. Paths to Wholeness is a retreat model to apply best spiritual practices. Diane Monroe, director for Christian education, ELCA Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission, brought resources to the workshop to help participants lead their own retreats. Inez Torres Davis, associate for programs, Women of the ELCA, talked about some of the sacred spaces she discovered on a recent sabbatical. She shared ways of creating sacred spaces for balance, healing and wholeness. Bishop April Ulring Larson, ELCA La Crosse Area Synod, gathered volunteer choir members to rehearse for the gathering's closing worship. Her ministry began as a musician and choral director. The Rev. Annemarie Burke, pastor for Mt. Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church, Salt Lake City, brought several local women for a panel discussion of life as a Lutheran in a predominantly Mormon area. Their conversation included how to respect your neighbor's beliefs while staying true to your own. International guests attending the gathering formed another panel hosted by Sandra Holloway, retired director for global cross-cultural relationships, ELCA Global Mission. They presented their perspective of the ELCA's model of companionship with Lutherans in other parts of the world. The Rev. Karen G. Bockelman, assistant to the bishop, ELCA Northeastern Minnesota Synod, has served the church in a number of ministry settings. She talked about the significance of liturgy in the Lutheran tradition. Kristen Glass, ELCA director for young adult ministry, presented two workshops. She looked at some of the characteristics of young adults that congregations should consider, and she examined some of the things young women face as they strive to be faithful in today's society. The biblical stories of bold girls can be lessons for girls becoming women who act boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ. The Rev. Linda Norman, controller, ELCA Foundation, shared her experiences as an urban pastor, hospital chaplain and campus minister. Emily Hansen and Josselyn Bennett presented living boldly as a faith-filled celebration. Hansen is a Women of the ELCA associate for programs, Bennett is director for poverty ministries, ELCA Church in Society. They adapted a Women of the ELCA "Act Boldly" event into a three-hour workshop. Witnessing to the gospel of Jesus Christ can be difficult, or it can be difficult to contain. The Rev. Victoria Hamilton helped develop a Witness of Women Bible study for the women's organization, and at the workshop she introduced a new Women of the ELCA resource for evangelism. Tammy Devine and Karris Golden presented a condensed version of a Women of the ELCA health event in a three-hour workshop. Devine is an ELCA diaconal minister and registered nurse who is the ELCA's wellness manager, and Golden is director of communication and marketing for Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa, one of 28 colleges and universities of the ELCA. Visions of racial justice and racial reconciliation filled a workshop by the Rev. Cynthia Ishler and the Rev. Angela L. Shannon. Ishler has worked with Women of the ELCA's "Today's Dream, Tomorrow's Reality" network since 2000, and Shannon is lead chaplain for the gathering. Politics and religion are two subjects to avoid in polite conversation, or so the saying goes. Emily Davila and the Rev. Judith VanOsdol-Hansen challenged that notion with a workshop on faith-driven advocacy. Davila works in the Lutheran Office for World Community at the United Nations, and VanOsdol-Hansen, formerly an ELCA missionary in Latin America, is co-president of the World Council of Religions for Peace. - - - Information about the Women of the ELCA Seventh Triennial Gathering is at http://womenoftheELCA.org/tg08/ on the Web. For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news