Title: Women of the ELCA Sets Goals for the Future
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

October 29, 1999

WOMEN OF THE ELCA SETS GOALS FOR THE FUTURE
99-263-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Four primary goals or "end statements" Women of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will lift up in the
years 2002-2005 are families, leadership, spirituality and stewardship.
The executive board for Women of the ELCA, the women's organization of
the church, selected the end statements at its meeting here Oct. 21-24.
     For each triennium -- the three-year period between Women of the
ELCA's triennial conventions -- the executive board selects end
statements that lift up the primary values of the organization in
connection with the triennial theme.
     "End statements are really goals," said Linda Chinnia, president
for Women of the ELCA.  In selecting end statements, the executive board
"looks at the situation of the world and what women are experiencing,"
she said.  Chinnia, a member of Holy Comforter Lutheran Church,
Baltimore, was elected president at the Fourth Triennial Convention of
Women of the ELCA July 8-11, 1999 in St. Louis.
     The theme for the 2002-2005 triennium is "Listen, God is Calling."
The executive board engages in a process of generating ideas and
identifying Bible verses to support and connect end statements with the
triennium's theme, Chinnia said.
     "The triennial theme chosen for 2002-2005, 'Listen, God is
Calling,' is all about discernment," Catherine I.H. Braasch, executive
director for Women of the ELCA, told the board.
     "More than ever before, preparing Women of the ELCA for the future
will require discernment of where God is leading, what God is doing, and
how God is providing for this ministry," Braasch said.
     The theme for the current triennium, 1999-2002, "Live God's
Justice," was unveiled at the Fourth Triennial Convention of Women of
the ELCA in July.  "Four ends to be highlighted in this triennium are
anti-racism, spirituality, stewardship and worship, all viewed through
the lens of God's justice," said Braasch.
     In other business, the executive board for Women of the ELCA
considered two resolutions referred to the board by delegates of the
Fourth Triennial Convention.  Delegates called for Women of the ELCA to
not only support families when in crisis, but also to "support families
in starting strong, getting strong and staying strong," and to
demonstrate the organization's commitment to advocacy for and education
about the issues of accessibility and opportunities for people living
with disabilities, said Braasch.
     "Resolutions related to families and disabilities specifically
encourage stronger support from Women of the ELCA," Braasch said.
     The executive board received a report from Women of the ELCA staff
on how the organization is already addressing ministry with families.
Women of the ELCA publications and other resources will explore 
family-related themes during 1999-2002, and expand on these themes 
in 2002-2005, Braasch said.
     The executive board also resolved to provide "education,
awareness, encourage advocacy concerning physical and sensory
disabilities," and assure that Women of the ELCA events are increasingly
accessible to people living with disabilities.
     In other work, the executive board will ask presidents of the 64
synodical women's organizations of the church, including the executive
director and president of Women of the ELCA, to write letters of protest
about a new women's magazine being proposed by Augsburg Fortress
Publishers, Minneapolis, the publishing house of the ELCA.
     "Women of the ELCA has repeatedly expressed serious concerns about
     the
Augsburg Fortress Publishers' plan to develop a second women's
magazine," Braasch said.  "We've been expressing these concerns directly
to the publishing house since early 1998, when we were first told of
planning for the new publication."
     Women of the ELCA and Lutheran Woman Today -- the publication of
Women of the ELCA -- want a strategic partnership with the ELCA's
publishing house, said Braasch.
     "Our concerns about Augsburg Fortress' proposal for a second
women's magazine go much deeper than the matter of future competition
for readers.  We are concerned that the new venture is already competing
for the publishing house's attention to research, growth and development
of Lutheran Woman Today, as well as to customer service," she said.
     Lutheran Woman Today includes Bible study and articles "connecting
Christian faith lives of ELCA women of many ages, many interests and in
many settings," said Braasch.  The magazine has a paid circulation of
180,000.
     The Women of the ELCA board:
+ elected three non-officer board members to the executive committee of
the executive board: Cynthia Cowen, Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Iron
Mountain, Mich., LaVaun Danielson, Swedlanda Lutheran Church, Hector,
Minn., and Donna Haack, St. John Lutheran Church, Pomeroy, Iowa;
+ approved a resolution encouraging celebrations in various settings
during 2000 to honor the 80th anniversary of the first decision of a
Lutheran church (Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the
Netherlands) to ordain women and the 30th anniversary of the ordination
of Lutheran women in North America;
+ received a preliminary report on the evaluation of the 1999 Fourth
Triennial Convention of Women of the ELCA.  The report reflected that
about 500 delegates, most likely came for inspiration and to grow in
faith, as well as to fulfil their voting responsibilities.  "Data
representing non-voting participants is currently being analyzed and
will be presented in March 2000," Braasch said.

For information contact:
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