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	<title>Blog - Women of the ELCA</title>
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	<description>Lutheran women gather for service study advocacy fellowship learn about justice discipleship stewardship</description>
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		<title>Helping hands work wonders</title>
		<link>https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/helping-hands-work-wonders</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Guest blogger]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:14:44 +0000</pubDate>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>By Dona Jenkins Volunteering is what we do to help others with their missions, causes and goals. Sometimes, just a</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>By Dona Jenkins</em></p>
<p>Volunteering is what we do to help others with their missions, causes and goals. Sometimes, just a set of helping hands works wonders for the giver and the receiver.</p>
<p>I started volunteering when I moved to Southwest Virginia years ago. Since then, I have learned that so much “work” is needed for many local organizations.</p>
<p>Among the organizations I volunteer with is the Virginia Synodical Women’s Organization (VSWO) of the Virginia Synod. They wanted to engage more women by being visible on the Internet. I told the VSWO Board that, to meet their goal, they would need a new website. I volunteered to create the website, joined the board, and am now the VSWO Conference Coordinator.</p>
<p>Part of this role involves contacting the 11 Conferences in our Synod and identifying leaders of each Conference. During my first year as VSWO CC, I contacted churches in each Conference to learn more about how they gathered in community.</p>
<p>Some women’s groups meet regularly. For example, some groups meet every month for lunch, fellowship, and service projects. Others incorporate multiple women’s groups in their Conference and plan Gatherings, an event for women of faith to join together for worship, Bible study, Love Offering gifts-giving, and more. Each conference leader submits a report of what their conference was involved with during the past year. The report is included in the Bulletin of Reports, which is published annually for the VSWO Convention. Stories of faith and fellowship with friends are often included in the reports. Join us at the next VSWO Convention!</p>
<p>The 2026 VSWO Convention is June 11 &#8211; 13 at St. John Lutheran Church in Abingdon, VA. This year attendees will have the opportunity to do some volunteering and work on service projects such as assembling solar lights and water purifiers in Thrivent Cause Kits, cleaning up the Creeper Trail at Taylor’s Shelter, a local memorial shelter built near the trail, meeting with other quilters for quilting conversations and ideas, helping at the local food pantry, Ecumenical Faith in Action (EFIA), sorting and organizing items, like putting together completed puzzles, to be sold at their thrift store.</p>
<p>Please join us if you can! We have a Sophie Wilson Grant for first-time non-voting women to cover the registration fee and 50% of your hotel reservation. You can find us at <a href="https://vswo.org/">https://vswo.org/</a></p>
<p>Hope to see you there!</p>
<p><em>Dona Jenkins is the Virginia Synodical Women’s Organization Conference Coordinator.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/helping-hands-work-wonders">Helping hands work wonders</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org">Women of the ELCA</a>.</p>
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		<title>Love is transformational</title>
		<link>https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/love-is-transformational</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Guest blogger]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:00:33 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.womenoftheelca.org/?p=22500</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>by Aubrey Thonvold Since 1974 ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation has been working to deepen and expand the welcome, inclusion,</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>by Aubrey Thonvold</em></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Since 1974 ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation has been working to deepen and expand the welcome, inclusion, celebration, and advocacy of people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions in the Lutheran church. Over those 48 years, there have been countless opportunities for the love of the Divine to transform the lives of God’s people and faith communities in how they see, name, and care for people who have unjustly been excluded from communities of faith simply for who they are and who they love.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">The journey of welcome and inclusion is one that needs to be done in community with accompaniment and accountability. At ReconcilingWorks, we believe God values and embraces each person as a beloved child, that the Spirit gives a diversity of gifts for the common good, and that Jesus Christ calls us to work for justice. It is through these values the organization strives to work alongside people and communities of faith as they work to transform their awareness of how to intentionally welcome, include, celebrate, and advocate for their neighbors.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">One way ReconcilingWorks accompanies people and faith communities is through our Reconciling in Christ program. Established in 1983, the Reconciling in Christ (RIC) program works to ensure the welcome, inclusion, celebration, and advocacy for people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions; work for racial equity and commit to anti-racist work and support the national program. The RIC program is a public way for faith communities to share and live out their values. The RIC program is made up of congregations, synods, colleges, seminaries, outdoor ministries, and other Lutheran organizations. Every faith community begins this journey from their own unique context and ReconcilingWorks strives to support them to create an authentic welcome journey that is customized to their community. Currently, ReconcilingWorks is in partnership with close to 1,000 Lutheran faith communities, representing over 10% of the ELCA through the Reconciling in Christ program.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">When we as people of faith remember that God’s love for us is transformational and not transactional, we are liberated to create sacred space for all to be welcome. God’s love for us is a sacred invitation to live with compassion, courage, and freedom to be who we were lovingly made to be. As millions of people celebrate PRIDE season in June, ReconcilingWorks wants to extend an invitation for you to explore how you can deepen and expand the ways in which you and your faith community create space for the love of God to transform your community. Consider discerning how you and your community welcomes, includes, celebrates, and advocates to people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. ReconcilingWorks knows this work requires support and care, so we have created fabulous and diverse resources for outreach and education. To learn more about these resources and the Reconciling in Christ (RIC) program, visit </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="http://www.reconcilingworks.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span data-preserver-spaces="true">www.reconcilingworks.org</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true">.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Together in partnership and community, ReconcilingWorks looks forward to the ways love can transform the Lutheran church. In partnership let our compassion, courage, and liberation create communities that make a way for all to be seen, named, and cared for as they are. This PRIDE season, let’s work together, so no one that God has named beloved feels as if they are unwelcome. Let’s work together to share boldly that God’s table is for all! </span></p>
<p><em><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Aubrey Thonvold is executive director, ReconcilingWorks. </span></em></p>
<p>This blog post first appeared on the Women of the ELCA website in June 2022.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/love-is-transformational">Love is transformational</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org">Women of the ELCA</a>.</p>
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		<title>Women of the ELCA staff received a total of 26 awards from two religion communicator organizations</title>
		<link>https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/women-of-the-elca-staff-received-a-total-of-26-awards-from-two-religion-communicator-organizations</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Women of the ELCA]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 06:00:35 +0000</pubDate>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>Women of the ELCA staff received a total of 26 awards from two religion communicator organizations, including four Best in</p>
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<p>The post <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/women-of-the-elca-staff-received-a-total-of-26-awards-from-two-religion-communicator-organizations">Women of the ELCA staff received a total of 26 awards from two religion communicator organizations</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org">Women of the ELCA</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Women of the ELCA staff received a total of 26 awards from two religion communicator organizations, including four Best in Class, three Category Winner and 10 Award of Excellence awards. The Religion Communicators Council and Associated Church Press honored Women of the ELCA, <em>Boldcafé</em> and <em>Gather</em> magazine for work completed in 2025.</p>
<p><strong>DeRose-Hinkhouse Memorial Awards from Religion Communicators Council:</strong></p>
<p><strong>Logos and Branding – Single Work</strong> category winner, <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/new-triennial-event-page">Logo and promotional items for the 2026 Women of the ELCA Triennial Gathering</a>, Elizabeth McBride, designer; Jennifer Hockenbery, project manager.</p>
<p><strong>Specialized campaigns</strong> award of merit, <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/ministry-action/intergenerational-2">Beloved: WELCA Campus Ambassador Program</a>,<br />
Elizabeth McBride, writer and designer, Jennifer Hockenbery, writer.</p>
<p><strong>Magazine: Article or Story &#8211; Single Work</strong> category winner, <em>Gather</em> magazine, “<a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/and-god-saw-hagar/">And God saw Hagar</a>,” Cornelia Kästner-Meyer, author, Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>Illustration: Cover or Feature – Single Work </strong>category winner, <em>Gather</em> magazine, <a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Mary-Magdalene-cover-art-Fall-2025-issue-of-Gather.pdf">Mary Magdalene image</a>, the Rev. Stacy Boorn, artist; Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>Artwork </strong>best in class, <em>Gather</em> magazine, <a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Mary-Magdalene-cover-art-Fall-2025-issue-of-Gather.pdf">Mary Magdalene image</a>, the Rev. Stacy Boorn, artist; Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>Magazine: Cover or Feature Item &#8211; Single Work</strong> award of excellence, <em>Gather</em> magazine, “<a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/A-history-of-religious-freedom-Laura-Gifford.pdf">A history of religious freedom</a>,” Dr. Laura Gifford author; Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Best of the Church Press Awards from Associated Church Press</strong></p>
<p><strong>Best in Class – Blog – Personal Website Content </strong>award of excellence, Boldcafe, “Honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Relatives,” <a href="https://www.boldcafe.org/the-power-of-the-red-dress-honoring-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-relatives-mmir/">Prairie Rose Seminole</a> and <a href="https://www.boldcafe.org/honoring-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-girls-and-relatives-mmiwgr-may-5/">Wanda Frenchman</a>, authors; Elizabeth McBride, editor and designer.</p>
<p><strong>Best in Class – Newsletter</strong> honorable mention, Boldcafe <a href="https://conta.cc/4ju6XWa">April</a>, <a href="https://conta.cc/4k3wExq">May</a> and <a href="https://conta.cc/45iq0P4">August</a> 2025, Elizabeth McBride, editor and designer.</p>
<p><strong>Best in Class – Denominational or Other Special Interest Magazine </strong>honorable mention, <em>Gather</em> magazine Spring, Summer and Fall 2025, Andrea Fuller, designer; Elizabeth Hunter, editor, Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>International Reporting (short format) </strong>award of excellence, <em>Gather</em> magazine, “<a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/and-god-saw-hagar/">And God saw Hagar,</a>” Cornelia Kästner-Meyer, author, Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>In-Depth Coverage: Magazine or Journal</strong> award of merit, Gather magazine,  “<a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/What-are-Christians-to-think-about-poverty-and-policy-Laura-Alexander.pdf">What are Christians to think about poverty and policy</a>?” Dr. Laura Alexander author; Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong> In-Depth Coverage: Magazine or Journal</strong> honorable mention, <em>Gather</em> magazine,  “<a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/A-history-of-religious-freedom-Laura-Gifford.pdf">A history of religious freedom</a>,” Dr. Laura Gifford author; Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>Humor</strong> award of excellence, <em>Gather</em> magazine, “<a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/dog-days-of-summer/">Dog days of summer</a>,” the Rev. Dr. Christa von Zychlin, author; Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>Biblical Interpretation or Lectionary Reflection (long format)</strong> award of merit, <em>Gather</em> magazine, “<a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Joy-and-light-followed-by-fear-and-flight-Amanda-Brobst-Renaud.pdf">Joy and light followed by fear and flight</a>,” the Rev. Dr. Amanda Brobst-Renaud, author, Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>Biblical Interpretation or Lectionary Reflection (short format)</strong> award of excellence, <em>Gather</em> magazine, “<a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-power-of-Pentecost-Roben-Itchoak.pdf">The power of Pentecost</a>,” Roben Itchoak, author; Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>Biblical Interpretation or Lectionary Reflection (short format)</strong> award of merit, Boldcafe, “<a href="https://www.boldcafe.org/women-of-sacred-presence-stories-of-faith-and-strength/">Women of sacred presence: Stories of faith and strength</a>,” the Rev. Dr. Ralen M. Robinson, author, Elizabeth McBride, editor and designer.</p>
<p><strong>Bible Resource</strong> award of excellence, <em>Gather</em> magazine, “<a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/summer-2025-money-stewardship-and-generosity-by-the-rev-christa-von-zychlin/">Money, stewardship and generosity</a>,” the Rev. Dr. Christa von Zychlin, author; Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>Bible Resource</strong> award of merit, <em>Gather</em> magazine, “<a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/winter-spring-2024-faithfulness-in-these-days-by-denise-rector/">Faithfulness</a>,” the Rev. Denise Rector, author; Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>Bible Resource</strong> honorable mention, <em>Gather</em> magazine, “<a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/summer-2025-healthy-relationships-by-brooke-petersen/">Flourishing in relationships</a>,” the Rev. Dr. Brooke Petersen, author; Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>Theological reflection (short format) </strong>award of excellence, <em>Gather</em> magazine, “<a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/anything-to-declare/">Anything to declare?</a>” the Rev. Liv Larson Andrews, author; Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>Theological reflection (long format) </strong>honorable mention, <em>Gather</em> magazine, “<a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Joy-and-light-followed-by-fear-and-flight-Amanda-Brobst-Renaud.pdf">Joy and light followed by fear and flight</a>,” the Rev. Dr. Amanda Brobst-Renaud, author, Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>Devotional/Inspirational (short format) </strong>award of excellence, <em>Gather</em> magazine, “<a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/A-pilgrimage-in-Advent-Jennifer-Grant.pdf">A pilgrimage in Advent</a>,” Jennifer Grant, author; Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>Devotional/Inspirational (short format)</strong> honorable mention, <em>Gather</em> magazine, “<a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/repentance-opens-the-door/">Repentance opens the door</a>,” Elise Seyfried, author; Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>Magazine Cover </strong>award of excellence, <em>Gather</em> magazine, <a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Mary-Magdalene-cover-art-Fall-2025-issue-of-Gather.pdf">Mary Magdalene image</a>, the Rev. Stacy Boorn, artist; Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>Video Series</strong> honorable mention, <em>Gather</em> magazine, “<a href="https://www.gathermagazine.org/winter-spring-2024-faithfulness-in-these-days-by-denise-rector/">Faithfulness</a>,” the Rev. Denise Rector, author; Elizabeth Hunter, editor; Cindy Novak, managing editor.</p>
<p><strong>Best Disapproving Letter to the Editor</strong>, <em>Gather</em> magazine.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/women-of-the-elca-staff-received-a-total-of-26-awards-from-two-religion-communicator-organizations">Women of the ELCA staff received a total of 26 awards from two religion communicator organizations</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org">Women of the ELCA</a>.</p>
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		<title>The motherhood of God</title>
		<link>https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/the-motherhood-of-god-2026</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Women of the ELCA]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 20:27:44 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.womenoftheelca.org/?p=31793</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>by Elaine Julian Ramshaw As truly as God is our Father, so truly is God our Mother. We were created</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>by Elaine Julian Ramshaw</em></p>
<p><em>As truly as God is our Father, so truly is God our Mother. We were created by the motherhood of love, a mother’s love which never leaves us.</em>—Julian of Norwich, <em>Showings</em>, Classics of Western Spirituality, translated by Edmund Colledge and James Walsh (Paulist Press, 1978), pp. 296-297.</p>
<p>THESE WORDS WERE WRITTEN six and a half centuries ago by Julian of Norwich, an English woman, visionary and theologian. Was she ever a mother? We don’t know. When we come to know her, from her own writings and a few mentions by others, she is an anchorite, a sort of hermit in the city, living her whole life in a room or suite of rooms attached to a church, where she prays, studies and counsels people who come to her visitors’ window. Perhaps she was unmarried when she entered the anchorage, though she was already in her 30s. Perhaps she had previously married and had one or more children; possibly she had lost her family to death.</p>
<p>Times were hard in 14th-century England, during Julian’s lifetime. Yet her book—the first book written in English by a woman— is one of the most powerful accounts in Christian literature of the astonishing love of God, a love she experiences as tender, intimate, wise and powerful.</p>
<p>LIKE A MOTHER<br />
The Old Testament offers images of God’s constant and tender care for us being like a mother’s love. Even before Julian’s time, a number of male theologians had written of Christ as our mother. But Julian expands greatly on this metaphor of the motherhood of Jesus or of God.</p>
<p>Here’s one: Christ is our mother because he birthed us into endless life. Julian compares his suffering on the cross to the suffering of a mother in childbirth, a suffering that Jesus undertakes willingly in order to bring us to life. She writes this at a time when the risk of dying in childbirth was much greater than it is today.</p>
<p>Here’s another: Jesus’ feeding us in the sacrament of communion is like a mother nursing her baby. Julian writes: “The mother can give her child to suck of her milk, but our precious Mother Jesus can feed us with himself, and does, most courteously and most tenderly, with the blessed sacrament, which is the precious food of true life” (<em>Showings</em>, 298).</p>
<p>It’s also reminiscent of 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8, where the apostle Paul compares himself to a nurse—not a medical professional, but a wetnurse, a woman who breastfeeds other women’s babies: “We were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.”</p>
<p>Another way Julian speaks of the motherhood of God is to say that the love of a kind human mother, like every other goodness in this world, is itself God’s own love at work. Sometimes we say this on Mother’s Day in a way that idealizes motherhood. This Mother’s Day, then, let’s acknowledge the huge variety of experiences of motherhood in our lives. Some of us are mothers ourselves—whether by giving birth, by adoption or by marrying a parent—who in our better moments and deepest intentions live out this tender, godly care, carefully attuned to who our child is and what our child needs today. Some of us, like me, are people who are not mothers, although we may mother in other ways as godparents, as caregivers or by caring for clients, students or patients. Some of us are men who, in the 21st century, have the opportunity to care intimately for our own children in the way that only mothers did for much of recorded history.</p>
<p>Mother’s Day can be a painful day if we had mothers who failed us, if we mourn a daughter or son who has died, or if we grieve our inability to bear a child. We can appreciate that Julian, despite her understanding of the godliness of motherly love, did not romanticize human motherhood. She recognizes that a mother may have to suffer the death of her child, unable to prevent it by her love. And for those of us whose mothers failed us, Julian doesn’t say that God is present in <em>every </em>mother’s action, but in the action of every kind and loving mother.</p>
<p>Whether your mother showed you the loving face of God or not, God’s mothering love is there for you. If you hear Julian’s vignette of the desperate child calling to its mother and you remember only the shame and distress and <em>not </em>a mother who heard and helped, then especially you should know: God always welcomes your need and delights in your asking.</p>
<p>Julian wrote to help us understand that love is God’s meaning. So all can come to the table, knowing that our kind mother God sets it for us, the guests of honor, the dearly loved children. Christ is determined to share with you not only the food and the word of salvation, but also himself, because you are so dear to him. God will rejoice in your hunger and thank you for coming.</p>
<p><em>This is an excerpt from a longer piece by Ramshaw that appeared in the May 2021 issue of </em><a href="https://gathermagazine.org">Gather</a><em> magazine.</em></p>
<hr />
<p>Thank you to our donors who made a gift to Women of the ELCA for the <strong>2026 Mother&#8217;s Day Campaign. <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Mothers-Day-campign-donors-2026.pdf">Mother&#8217;s Day campaign donors 2026</a>.</strong></p>
<p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-31795 alignleft" src="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/1.png" alt="" width="750" height="500" srcset="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/1.png 750w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/1-300x200.png 300w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/1-600x400.png 600w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/1-473x315.png 473w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /> <img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-31796" src="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2.png" alt="" width="750" height="500" srcset="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2.png 750w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2-300x200.png 300w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2-600x400.png 600w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2-473x315.png 473w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /><br />
<img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-31797 alignnone" src="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/3.png" alt="" width="750" height="500" srcset="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/3.png 750w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/3-300x200.png 300w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/3-600x400.png 600w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/3-473x315.png 473w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/the-motherhood-of-god-2026">The motherhood of God</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org">Women of the ELCA</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">31793</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Why we show up</title>
		<link>https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/why-we-show-up</link>
					<comments>https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/why-we-show-up#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth McBride]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 02:31:39 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.womenoftheelca.org/?p=31723</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>by Elizabeth McBride My daughter recently began Irish dancing. At the end of her performance season, we invited friends and</p>
<p><a class="button read-more" href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/why-we-show-up">Read More</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/why-we-show-up">Why we show up</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org">Women of the ELCA</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>by Elizabeth McBride</em></p>
<p>My daughter recently began Irish dancing. At the end of her performance season, we invited friends and family interested in seeing her dance to a “Friend&#8217;s and Family Show.” My cousin, who doesn’t drive, took an Uber from a neighboring state. Her friends and their mothers came as well. Even my old high school friend and his new wife showed up to support my daughter. That afternoon was a wonderful reminder of how much it means to show up for each other.</p>
<div>Being present is what builds community. Whether you’re making a difference in the world, supporting a ministry at church, or cheering on your friend&#8217;s daughter’s dance group, it all matters.</div>
<div></div>
<div>Life and work can sometimes get in the way. Money or transportation can be obstacles, too. It’s not always easy to show up, but when we do, no matter how big or small the invitation, we support those around us and let them know they matter.</div>
<div></div>
<div>This July, Women of the ELCA (WELCA) will host the largest event for ELCA Lutheran adults that is held.  And it&#8217;s women-centered.  It&#8217;s for you. A group of strong, joyful, and <a href="https://welcatg.org">dedicated women will gather in Des Moines</a> to connect and support a ministry led by women who stand up against human trafficking, teach and involve others in racial justice advocacy, and work hard as leaders in their churches and communities.</div>
<div></div>
<div>When we show up, we remind others that they are valued. Their efforts matter, and their beliefs connect with the wider community. Helping others feel valued also reminds us of our own worth. We remember that we are chosen, loved by God, and called to share that support with those around us.</div>
<div></div>
<div>A friend once told me that you never forget the people who showed up for you, whether in good times or tough ones. When we show up, we tell our friends that they matter. That we are aligned with this organization&#8217;s mission. This Mother’s Day, let us remember to honor the women and mother figures who have shown up for us.</div>
<div></div>
<div><em>Elizabeth McBride is the director for communication and Intergenerational programs for Women of the ELCA.</em></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/why-we-show-up">Why we show up</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org">Women of the ELCA</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">31723</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Engage in advocacy for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Relatives (MMIWGR)</title>
		<link>https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/uncategorized/engage-in-advocacy-for-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-girls-and-relatives-mmiwgr</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jennifer Hockenbery]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 01:57:55 +0000</pubDate>
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		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.womenoftheelca.org/?p=31678</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>by Jennifer Hockenbery Women of the ELCA has a history of concern and advocacy to stop human trafficking and domestic</p>
<p><a class="button read-more" href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/uncategorized/engage-in-advocacy-for-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-girls-and-relatives-mmiwgr">Read More</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/uncategorized/engage-in-advocacy-for-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-girls-and-relatives-mmiwgr">Engage in advocacy for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Relatives (MMIWGR)</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org">Women of the ELCA</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>
<p><em>by Jennifer Hockenbery</em></p>
<p>Women of the ELCA has a history of concern and advocacy to stop human trafficking and domestic violence. Our concern extends especially to the need to recognize the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Relatives (MMIWGR) who are trafficked, abused, and murdered at rates much higher than the national average.</p>
<p>WELCA, alongside the ELCA, has committed itself to “&#8230;advocacy for and being in solidarity with Tribal nations, MMIWGR organizations, families, and friends who have long been searching for their loved ones—Indigenous women, girls, and relatives—who have gone missing or who have been murdered.” (<a href="https://elcamediaresources.blob.core.windows.net/cdn/wp-content/uploads/Declaration_to_American_Indian_Alaska_Native.pdf">Declaration of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to American Indian and Alaska Native People, p. 4</a>)</p>
</div>
<div></div>
<div>May 5th is a day marked for planned recognition and commitment. Sunday, May 3rd, is the Sunday that many congregations will encourage advocacy for MMIW. We invite you to consider how you will recognize this situation and advocate for change.</div>
<div></div>
<div><span data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody"><strong>Deborah Nyquist has provided some ideas for sharing your concern and advocating for solutions.</strong> </span><strong>They are:</strong></div>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Invite church members to wear red on Sunday, May 3rd, as a visible sign of their recognition for missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and relatives.</li>
<li>Fill the sanctuary with red, the color of remembrance, to show relatives and families they are not forgotten. Include prayers for individuals and families who are affected in your liturgy.</li>
<li>Host or participate in a community prayer vigil. You can join <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/event/a-vigil-for-mmiw-2">Women of the ELCA’s virtual prayer vigil at 7pm on May 5th, a vigil for MMIW &#8211; Women of the ELCA</a></li>
<li>You can hold your own in-person vigil using this template and liturgy. “Candlelight Vigil for Murdered and Missing Women,” written by Dr. Kelly Sherman-Conroy. <a href="https://elcamediaresources.blob.core.windows.net/cdn/wp-content/uploads/MMIW_Vigil.pdf">Download the vigil</a>.</li>
<li>Join or coordinate a local MMIWR awareness session using this <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Synod-Assembly-Bible-study.pdf">Bible Study created by Deborah Nyquist and Shannon Klescewsk</a><a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Synod-Assembly-Bible-study.pdf">i</a>. This Bible study was created for the Alaska Synod Assembly on April 24-26, 2026. Download the Bible study <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Synod-Assembly-Bible-Study-final.pptx">Powerpoint</a>.</li>
<li>Post a photo of yourself wearing read on May 5th to social media with hashtags like #MMIW, #MMIWG2S, and #NoMoreStolenSisters</li>
<li>Facilitate a community meeting to develop paths of MMIWR advocacy and assist in bringing relatives home: actively aiding families through search, financial support, supporting legislation using resources<a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/ministry-action/justice/mmiw"> found here</a>.</li>
</ul>
<div>This crisis, of course, is not limited to one day in the calendar year. Thus, neither should our commitment be only for one day of the year. May 5th is the beginning of a new year of advocacy. Please consider all the ways you can pray for justice and work towards safety for Indigenous women and girls. For further reading, please read these two blogs written by Indigenous members of Women of the ELCA.</div>
<div></div>
<div>Blog 1: <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/honoring-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-girls-and-relatives-mmiwgr-may-5">Honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, girls and relatives (MMIWGR) May 5 by Wanda Frenchman </a></div>
<div>Blog 2: <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/honoring-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-girls-and-relatives-mmiwgr-may-5-2">The Power of the Red Dress: Honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIWR) by Prairie Rose Seminole</a></div>
<div></div>
<div><em>Dr. Jennifer Hockenbery is interim executive director for Women of the ELCA and editor of the </em>Journal of Lutheran Ethics<em>.</em></div>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/uncategorized/engage-in-advocacy-for-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-girls-and-relatives-mmiwgr">Engage in advocacy for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Relatives (MMIWGR)</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org">Women of the ELCA</a>.</p>
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		<title>Katie&#8217;s Fund Grant supports Unnamed No More, a ministry responding to violence against children</title>
		<link>https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/katies-fund-grant-supports-unnamed-no-more-a-ministry-responding-to-violence-against-children</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Guest blogger]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:12:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Post]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.womenoftheelca.org/?p=31554</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>by Staci Stought April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month (NCAPM). This month focuses on raising awareness, supporting families, and</p>
<p><a class="button read-more" href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/katies-fund-grant-supports-unnamed-no-more-a-ministry-responding-to-violence-against-children">Read More</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/katies-fund-grant-supports-unnamed-no-more-a-ministry-responding-to-violence-against-children">Katie&#8217;s Fund Grant supports Unnamed No More, a ministry responding to violence against children</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org">Women of the ELCA</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><em>by Staci Stought</em></div>
<div></div>
<div>April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month (NCAPM). This month focuses on raising awareness, supporting families, and preventing child abuse through community efforts. Child abuse happens more often in our congregations than we may realize. Many people in our churches have been harmed. Our children are at risk, and some members are living in unsafe homes or relationships. Too often, churches respond to these issues with silence or denial. Sometimes, the church even adds<a id="OWA49d29ce7-5d04-5263-cd48-124625dd7e74" title="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2018/05/31/feature/the-epidemic-of-denial-about-sexual-abuse-in-the-evangelical-church/" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2018/05/31/feature/the-epidemic-of-denial-about-sexual-abuse-in-the-evangelical-church/" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0"> to the harm</a> by moving predators, silencing children and vulnerable adults, or making things harder for survivors.</div>
<div></div>
<div>The ELCA has recently made child and vulnerable adult protection a key Christian responsibility. In November 2025, the ELCA adopted a <a id="OWAc2a9b9d1-ce35-ffb3-206d-86522ee05e8f" title="https://elcamediaresources.blob.core.windows.net/cdn/wp-content/uploads/Child_Protection_social_message_web.pdf" href="https://elcamediaresources.blob.core.windows.net/cdn/wp-content/uploads/Child_Protection_social_message_web.pdf" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="1">social message on Child Protection.</a> Bishop Curry highlighted the urgency of this message as part of his <a href="https://www.elca.org/news/bishop-curry-message-for-child-abuse-prevention-month">Pastoral Message on Child Protection</a>.</div>
<div>
Many congregations lack the structure needed to put the social message’s recommendations into practice. <a id="OWAe3847cc1-903d-a616-0dfb-1d09c84147b8" title="https://www.safechurchinitiative.com/" href="https://www.safechurchinitiative.com/" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="3">Unnamed No More, A Lutheran Safe Church Ministry</a>, helps fill this gap. Founded by Staci Stought, Pastoral Care Minister at Messiah Lutheran Church in Columbus, Ohio, Unnamed No More helps faith communities talk openly and respond to gender-based violence.</div>
<div></div>
<div>
<div><b>“How can churches faithfully respond to abuse?”</b></div>
<div><span data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Staci Stought founded this safe church ministry while pursuing her degree at Luther Seminary. </span>Stought is a retired Sexual Assault police officer with specialized forensic experience in child abuse. She uses her background in child abuse investigations, offender safety planning, and child protection to combine professional knowledge with faith-based reflection for the church. What began as an answer to a final assignment question in an Old Testament course, grew into a Bible study and is now an organization.</div>
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<p>Unnamed No More&#8217;s mission is to equip Christian leaders and congregations to minister to people affected by abuse, and to address harm from a faith perspective. Unnamed No More partners with congregations through a range of ministries, including <a title="https://www.safechurchinitiative.com/services-3" href="https://www.safechurchinitiative.com/services-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="1">Bible studies, sermons, ministry workshops, Sex Offender Safety Planning, Pastoral Care Support, </a>and helping churches to follow through with the recommendations of the ELCA Social Message on Child Protection.</p>
<div>Unnamed No More focuses on caring for people affected by abuse, including those currently experiencing abuse, those healing from past harm, those who have caused harm, and vulnerable adults and children. The ministry uses trauma-informed theology to address these issues in ways that avoid retraumatizing survivors or ignoring harm. It aims to reflect God’s justice, accountability, and hope.</div>
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<div>Currently, 15 Lutheran congregations have engaged in more than 40 sermons, trainings, Bible studies, and workshops. In 2024, the ministry was selected for a Lutheran SEEDS Fellowship through Luther Seminary. Unnamed No More received a Women of the ELCA (WELCA) Katie’s Fund grant in 2025. Unnamed No More envisions a future in which churches are no longer silent in the face of gender-based violence. Rooted in the call to “consider, take counsel, and speak out” (Judges 19:30) and grounded in Christ’s promise of abundant life (John 10:10), this ministry works toward sanctuaries that are safe, accountable, and life-giving for all.</div>
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<div><a id="OWAf360629c-48db-fc9d-0ced-639f7a792ebb" title="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Katies-Grant-Supporting-Unique-Ministry-2.pdf" href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Katies-Grant-Supporting-Unique-Ministry-2.pdf" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="5"><b>Learn more about Unnamed No More</b></a>.</div>
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<div><a id="OWA5f67a29f-6e51-49af-6210-4056f1021611" title="https://www.elca.org/resources/financial-information/grants-and-scholarships/welca-grants" href="https://www.elca.org/resources/financial-information/grants-and-scholarships/welca-grants" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="6"><b>Apply for a Katie’s Fund Grant:</b> </a>The Katie’s Fund Grant will have two annual grants cycles. The first cycle will open on June 30th each year, with all completed applications due by September 1st. The second cycle will open on November 1st each year, with all completed applications due by February 1st.</div>
</div>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/katies-fund-grant-supports-unnamed-no-more-a-ministry-responding-to-violence-against-children">Katie&#8217;s Fund Grant supports Unnamed No More, a ministry responding to violence against children</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org">Women of the ELCA</a>.</p>
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		<title>From Scarcity to Sanctuary</title>
		<link>https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/from-scarcity-to-sanctuary</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Guest blogger]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 01:11:39 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Post]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.womenoftheelca.org/?p=31557</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>By Pastor Sarah Jones and Deacon Sarah Kretschmann The Church Property Resource Hub highlights the ministry of Trinity Lutheran Church</p>
<p><a class="button read-more" href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/from-scarcity-to-sanctuary">Read More</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/from-scarcity-to-sanctuary">From Scarcity to Sanctuary</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org">Women of the ELCA</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>By Pastor Sarah Jones and Deacon Sarah Kretschmann</em></p>
<p>The Church Property Resource Hub highlights the ministry of Trinity Lutheran Church of Manhattan and shares resources for embodying loving welcome through creative use of church property</p>
<p><a href="https://www.elca.org/how-we-serve/churches-and-church-leaders/property-resources"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-31559 alignleft" src="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CPRH-Launch-Social-Media.png" alt="" width="309" height="386" srcset="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CPRH-Launch-Social-Media.png 1080w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CPRH-Launch-Social-Media-240x300.png 240w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CPRH-Launch-Social-Media-819x1024.png 819w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CPRH-Launch-Social-Media-768x960.png 768w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CPRH-Launch-Social-Media-600x750.png 600w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CPRH-Launch-Social-Media-992x1240.png 992w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CPRH-Launch-Social-Media-252x315.png 252w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CPRH-Launch-Social-Media-750x938.png 750w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CPRH-Launch-Social-Media-680x850.png 680w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 309px) 100vw, 309px" /></a>When New York State Pride reached out to local churches in the early 2000s seeking shelter space for LGBTQ+ youth during the coldest months of the year, Trinity Lutheran Church of Manhattan felt called to act. Membership had declined significantly, and financial resources were limited. What the congregation did have was space – and a good amount of courage.</p>
<p>Pastor Heidi Neumark and Vicar Chris Wogaman led the housing effort, determining that the state would provide bedding and cots while Trinity would offer overnight supervision, dinner, and breakfast. The trial program ran for three weeks and was so successful that two Pride members offered to keep the shelter going full time. With seed funding for a year, the congregation began exploring ways to enhance the program.</p>
<p>“This was a huge leap of faith for them,” says the Rev. Alyssa Kaplan, Trinity’s current pastor. The congregation was often operating at a deficit and had faced serious challenges before calling Pastor Heidi. Trinity took this leap not waiting for stability or an excess of funds &#8212; they acted at a time of scarcity.</p>
<p>“They knew that churches had hurt the LGBTQ+ community, that churches were one of the reasons why these youth were on the streets,” says Pastor Alyssa. “They saw that it was incumbent on their church to be part of the healing process.” In June of 2006, the congregation unanimously voted to establish Trinity Place as a permanent shelter program. The shelter has been open every night since.</p>
<p>The church is not large – a modest sanctuary sits atop a basement fellowship hall, two offices, a kitchen, and two small restrooms. Shelter guests arrive in the late afternoon and help transform the fellowship hall, often used for daytime programming, into a shared sleeping area with cots and a central dining table. The guests are young adults ages 18 – 24 and may stay at Trinity Place for up to 18 months.</p>
<p>Having a reliable and safe place to sleep, cook, unwind, and store belongings is critical. It helps residents maintain employment, pursue education, access needed services, and take steps towards permanent housing. The shelter accommodates about 10 guests—the maximum the space allows—creating a sense of community.</p>
<p>Trinity Place was born from a congregation that proclaims, “a wild belief that with God and one another we can make a difference.” For hundreds of LGBTQ+ youth, they have. The church building has become more than a house of worship; it is a place of shelter, healing, safety, and love. The bold step the congregation took 20 years ago has sustained not only its mission in Manhattan but its physical presence – which may, in fact, be one and the same.</p>
<p>Like Trinity, many congregations find themselves with buildings and land that could be used to meet urgent community needs. However, for many navigating the challenges and opportunities that buildings and land represent can be daunting.</p>
<p>The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) launched the Church Property Resource Hub to help. This online platform equips congregations and synods with tools for faithful property stewardship &#8211; how-to guides, stories of creative solutions, eLearning courses and connections to professionals who can assist.</p>
<p>No congregation is alone in this work. Many ELCA congregations find themselves with buildings and land that no longer fit their programming or capacity. How might your congregation embrace the next chapter of ministry in your space?</p>
<p>Explore the <strong>Church Property Resource Hub</strong> at <a href="http://www.elca.org/cprh">www.elca.org/cprh</a> or email the team with questions at <a href="mailto:CPRH@elca.org">CPRH@elca.org</a>.</p>
<p>Photo courtesy of Trinity Place Shelter. A resident of Trinity Place holds up a collage affirming their identity and value. Residents participate in programming that helps them become confident and capable for independent living in New York.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/from-scarcity-to-sanctuary">From Scarcity to Sanctuary</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org">Women of the ELCA</a>.</p>
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		<title>Familiar Easter symbols remind us of our calling</title>
		<link>https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/familiar-easter-symbols-remind-calling</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Guest blogger]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Post]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/uncategorized/familiar-easter-symbols-remind-calling</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>by Susan Harris I’ve been thinking about the contrasts of the seasons during this time of year. Maybe it’s because</p>
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]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>by Susan Harris</em></p>
<p>I’ve been thinking about the contrasts of the seasons during this time of year.</p>
<p>Maybe it’s because the gray skies and cold weather of winter have given way to the blue skies and warmth of spring. From the barren tree branches, lush new growth has burst forth.</p>
<p>What a difference this makes in the world around us. According to a quote attributed to Martin Luther, “Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every life in springtime.”</p>
<p>From the ugliness of the crucifixion and the tomb, the beauty of the resurrection and everlasting life springs forth. And what a difference that makes in our world and in our lives!</p>
<p>Having celebrated the Resurrection on Easter Sunday, the message is topical. Along with the empty cross and Easter lilies in the sanctuary, another symbol of Easter is the butterfly.</p>
<p>Just as the butterfly emerges from a tomb-like cocoon, we see the comparison with the resurrection of Jesus. From a caterpillar to a cocoon and finally a beautiful butterfly, we witness a miraculous transformation.</p>
<p>Another familiar symbol of Easter are the colorful eggs. Children look forward to Easter egg hunts held at churches and parks, without realizing the significance of the colored eggs. The eggs represent the tomb and a bird hatching signifies life. So the Easter egg serves as a reminder that Jesus rose from the grave and that those who believe will experience eternal life.</p>
<p>The most significant symbol in the life of Christians is the cross. It signifies our belief that Jesus was crucified but he still lives. The cross is the focal point in church sanctuaries, on church steeples and on necklaces we wear. The cross is a universal sign of Christianity.</p>
<p>As Women of the ELCA, we identify with the symbol of the cross, water and a white lily as well. <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/tools-for-leaders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to the Women of the ELCA website</a>, this logo “identifies women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as children of God; baptized, forgiven, adopted into God&#8217;s family, full of grace and hope in eternal life. It is a reminder of the growth, beauty and vitality that rises out of that life-giving baptismal water. It is also a reminder of the mission of the church to ‘Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations; baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’ (Matthew 28:19).”</p>
<p>I hope you will continue to consider how you as an individual created in the image of God have been called and empowered.</p>
<p><em>Susan Harris was a former president of the North Carolina Synodical Women&#8217;s Organization and a lifelong member of Salem Lutheran Church, Lincolnton. </em></p>
<p><em>This post first appeared on the Women of the ELCA blog, April 2017.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/familiar-easter-symbols-remind-calling">Familiar Easter symbols remind us of our calling</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org">Women of the ELCA</a>.</p>
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		<title>Raising up healthy women and girls through the Run, Walk and Roll 5K</title>
		<link>https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/gathering-2026/raising-up-healthy-women-and-girls-through-the-run-walk-and-roll-5k</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jennifer Hockenbery]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:10:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Gathering 2026]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Run Walk Roll]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.womenoftheelca.org/?p=31473</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>by Jennifer Hockenbery When my grandmother was 5 years old, her older brother, my great-uncle, would hold her hand as</p>
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<p>The post <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/gathering-2026/raising-up-healthy-women-and-girls-through-the-run-walk-and-roll-5k">Raising up healthy women and girls through the Run, Walk and Roll 5K</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org">Women of the ELCA</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>by Jennifer Hockenbery</em></p>
<p>When my grandmother was 5 years old, her older brother, my great-uncle, would hold her hand as they walked one mile to school each morning. As soon as he turned to go in the school room, my grandmother would take off and run the mile back home as fast as she could. She did this at first because she did not want to go to school, but then she realized she loved to run. Even after she adapted to attending school for the day, she would still run the mile home as fast as she could.</p>
<p>My grandmother told me this story after watching me run in high school during a cross-country meet. She wanted me to know that running was in my genes. Like my grandmother, I love to run. My daughter, now running Cross Country and Track for the Claremont McKenna, Mudds, Scripps Colleges combined athletic team, also loves to run. My daughter’s coach, like my grandmother’s older brother did for my grandmother, sometimes needs to hold my daughter back from running. Some days we need to sit still at school! Some days we need to rest. Both resting and moving are part of healthy living.</p>
<p>The generations of women in my family are not alone in our love for running. This year, the Run Walk and Roll has two Girl Ambassadors to inspire all of us! Meet Eleanor and Gwyneth Guillaume of Des Moines, Iowa.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-31478" src="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/artworkeleanorgwyn.png" alt="" width="501" height="334" srcset="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/artworkeleanorgwyn.png 600w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/artworkeleanorgwyn-300x200.png 300w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/artworkeleanorgwyn-473x315.png 473w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 501px) 100vw, 501px" /></p>
<p>Eleanor started running cross-country with the Johnston Running Club at age 5 and has been running ever since. After the 2020 season, she joined the track team and started in sprints before eventually moving up to the longer distances. She is a multi-year national qualifier in both Cross Country and Track and has competed in the 800 meters, 1500 meters , and 3,000 meters. Running has taken her to compete all over Iowa and the Midwest, as well as North Carolina, Indiana, and Kentucky. Eleanor has won the USATF Sportsmanship award for the state of Iowa. She currently runs for her middle school team, Johnston Middle School. Eleanor tells us, “I like running because I have made a lot of friends and the team aspect. I like to compete.” Importantly, “Running makes me feel strong.”</p>
<p>Gwyneth started running with the Johnston Running Club at age 5 and also competes in track and field. Gwyn took to the long distances immediately. Gwyneth has qualified for national competitions in both Cross Country and Track, competing in the 800 meters and 1500 meters in track and the 2,000 meters and 3,000 meters in Cross Country. Gwyneth is also a national qualifier in the javelin. She loves competition and running has taken her all over Iowa, as well as North Carolina, Indiana, and Kentucky. She has twice been named the USATF Cross Country runner of the year in the state of Iowa. Gwyneth tells us, “I love to run and compete because running makes me feel free and powerful, and I like to challenge myself to see what I can do.”</p>
<p>Now, all of us may not be competitive at the national level, but all of us can gain benefits from moving together. One of our top finishers in 2023, Jodi Slatterly, explains:</p>
<p>“Running provides me with an outlet to relieve my stress, and I feel a sense of accomplishment (and I feel healthier) when I complete a run. I appreciate the mission and purpose of Run Walk and Roll to raise up healthy women and girls. It was wonderful to combine my joy of running with supporting the Women of the ELCA health initiative. I pray the triennial gathering uplifts the women of the ELCA to know we are all worthy!”—Jodi Slatterly</p>
<p>Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls began with the bold initiative of Women of the ELCA to “lead boldly—first the church and then beyond—in promoting women’s complete and total health: physical, spiritual, and emotional.” The money raised for Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls Seed Grants has been dedicated to programs that provide education, healthy care, and advocacy to empower women and girls to lead healthier lives.</p>
<p>A major part of this initiative has been the Run, Walk, and Roll 5K, which encourages girls and women to use their bodies in ways that are healthy—by running, walking, or using wheelchairs to complete a 5000-meter course together! And for those who prefer, just come and cheer us on. You can register for the Run, Walk, and Roll 5K here: <a href="https://runsignup.com/Race/IA/DesMoines/ELCA5KDesMoines"><strong>Women of the ELCA </strong></a> <a href="https://runsignup.com/Race/IA/DesMoines/ELCA5KDesMoines"><strong>Run, Walk, and Roll 5K for Raising up Healthy Women and Girls</strong></a>.</p>
<p><em>Dr. Jennifer Hockenbery is interim executive director for Women of the ELCA and editor of the </em>Journal of Lutheran Ethics<em>.</em></p>
<p><em>Photos courtesy of Eleanor (left) and Gwyneth Hill.</em></p>
<hr />
<p><strong>Register for the Run, Walk and Roll 5K:</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://runsignup.com/Race/IA/DesMoines/ELCA5KDesMoines"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-31479 aligncenter" src="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/race-in-desmois-public.png" alt="" width="1585" height="603" srcset="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/race-in-desmois-public.png 1585w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/race-in-desmois-public-300x114.png 300w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/race-in-desmois-public-1024x390.png 1024w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/race-in-desmois-public-768x292.png 768w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/race-in-desmois-public-1536x584.png 1536w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/race-in-desmois-public-600x228.png 600w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/race-in-desmois-public-992x377.png 992w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/race-in-desmois-public-1200x457.png 1200w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/race-in-desmois-public-828x315.png 828w, https://www.womenoftheelca.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/race-in-desmois-public-750x285.png 750w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1585px) 100vw, 1585px" /></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org/blog/gathering-2026/raising-up-healthy-women-and-girls-through-the-run-walk-and-roll-5k">Raising up healthy women and girls through the Run, Walk and Roll 5K</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.womenoftheelca.org">Women of the ELCA</a>.</p>
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