ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 20, 2003

Women of the ELCA Hosts New Web Magazine for Young Women
03-161-MR/JAC*

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "Cafe: Stirring the Spirit Within" -- a
new online magazine (or e-zine) intended for women ages 20-35 --
was launched Aug. 18 by Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA), the women's organization of the church.
     The faith-based e-zine will be issued five times a year,
according to Nancy J. Goldberger, editor, Lutheran Women Today,
the magazine of Women of the ELCA.
     Cafe, an acronym for "community, advocacy, faith and
enlightenment," will be delivered electronically to subscribers
via e-mail and will be posted on the Web.  Golberger said each
issue is centered on a specific topic with information housed in
four main sections:  Hot Topic, Coffee Talk, Tip Jar and Internet
Cafe.
     Hot Topic contains the main article complimented by sidebars
of relevant information, Goldberger said.  Coffee Talk includes
questions for discussion on the main topic; Tip Jar offers
subscribers a chance to share their thoughts and read what others
have to say about the topic; and Internet Cafe offers related Web
links, articles, books, movies and more, she said.
     The first issue focuses on fair-trade chocolate, Goldberger
said.  Subscribers will learn how thousands of cocoa farmers
around the world are "unable to earn a sustainable wage and how
our actions or lack thereof fuel this oppression," she said.
     The issue highlights the Lutheran World Relief (LWR)
Chocolate Project and other fair-trade activism and projects,
such as "Do Justice: The Lutheran World Relief Coffee Project.
LWR is the overseas relief and development ministry of the ELCA
and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
     Future topics for the e-zine include the environment,
finances and sexuality, said Goldberger.
     Thrivent Financial for Lutherans provided a grant to fund
Cafe for two years, Goldberger said.  Thrivent is a fraternal
benefit organization based in Minneapolis.
     Cafe can be accessed online at http://www.elca.org/wo/cafe/ on the
ELCA's Web site.

*Jessica A. Crane is completing her bachelor of arts degree at
Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn.  This summer she is an intern
with ELCA News and Media Production.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news