The Bridge in Plain Text
Issue To Be Used Any Time After
Oct. 1, 2007
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text from The Bridge in plain text format, so you can easily copy
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The Bridge
A monthly publication of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA
Connecting the congregational, synodical, and churchwide expressions of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Women of the ELCA: Not JUST Your
Grandmother’s Circle
Portions from About Us on
the website of the Women of the ELCA (www.womenoftheelca.org/about)
Lutheran tradition features
women as the ones feeding the congregation hot dish and Jell-O meals and
keep everyone covered in beautiful quilts. The lives of today’s women have
changed, and also many women just aren’t interested in cooking or sewing. So
how do today’s women fit into the Women of the ELCA?
Women of the ELCA is the
women’s organization of the 4.8 million-member Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America. This network of nearly 500,000 participants in 64 geographical
areas (called synods) in the United States and the Caribbean exists for
mutual support and bold action on participants’ faith in Jesus Christ.
The organization builds on the
strong history of women’s missionary movements, Bible study, and service in
which our foremothers engaged. Some of us recall stories from our
grandmothers of how they saved “egg money” (from the sale of eggs) so they
would have money to donate for support of missionaries in other countries.
You may have heard how our foremothers trudged through snow for hours to get
to Bible study at another woman’s house, hung their stockings on the line to
dry while they studied, and then trudged home again the same day. Or you may
have heard about schools and orphanages built in various parts of the world
with women’s Thankofferings. Of course, that’s only part of the history.
Today, women’s lives have
changed. Women enjoy access to a wide variety of careers and have greater
freedom and ability to contribute to the ministries they value. Women also
now have the opportunity to respond to the call to ordained ministry as well
as the call to teach Sunday school. Still, embracing the world as God’s gift
and God’s people as sisters and brothers, being committed to growth in faith
and action, standing for justice with the poor and oppressed — these remain.
An example of a major
initiative of the Women of the ELCA today is “Raising Up Healthy Women and
Girls,” which aims to help women and girls in individual communities and
throughout the world live healthier lives in every aspect of health through
education, resources, and advocacy.
Women of the ELCA are active
on the “acting boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ.” This mission of the
Women of the ELCA is manifested in a variety of ways, and there’s bound to
be one for you (or your wife, daughter, sister, or friend!).
Featured Resources
Monthly Bible Verse
This Bible verse was selected by Harold Usgaard, bishop of the
Southeastern Minnesota Synod, for everyone in the synod to study.
“So that everyone who belongs
to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy
3:17
About Our Synod
The Southeastern Minnesota Synod is a faith community of 130,000 baptized
people in 184 congregations as well as related institutions of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Its geographic area includes
15 counties in the southeastern corner of Minnesota.
The Bridge is a monthly
publication of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA. For more information,
contact the synod office:
Southeastern Minnesota Synod,
ELCA
1001 14th St. NW, Suite 300
Rochester, MN 55901-2551
(507) 280-9457
www.semnsynod.org
This issue is designed to be
used any time after Oct. 1, 2007.
Graphics from this issue
Right-click the link and choose "save to disk" to save the
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are in high-resolution tiff format. If you require another format, please
call 507-280-9457.
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