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