LWML – What is this organization

and what do they do?

LWML stands for Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. The goal statement for the 30^th Biennial LWML Convention this past June was: “Knowing Christ is in my heart, I will share the Hope with all nations.”

The LWML focuses on affirming each woman in her relationship with Christ to enable her to be in ministry among the people of the world. For 60 years the organization has been encouraging and equipping women to live out their Christian lives in active mission ministries and to financially support global missions. This financial support comes from the power the penny. Women who are members of LWML are given a mite box where they collect their small change – yes, even pennies. Our goal is to support missions locally, national and foreign. Mites are collected to help pay for the mission goals. 25% of the contributions received go to projects on the national level, while 75% go to district projects. The 25% of pennies and small change from women all over the world are collected to go toward the 2003-2005 Mission Goal, which is $1,575,000.00.

Our district mission goal for 2002-2004 is $61,200, of which $15,000 will be used for scholarships for those entering full-time church work. A few of these projects are the Orphan Grain Train, Camp Luther and the Lutheran Hispanic Ministry.

Our local LWML here at Our Redeemer meets the third Thursday of the month starting up again this month on Sept. 18^th at 7:30 pm in the school basement. We will begin with a Bible Study, then the meeting and of course food brought by one of the members. At this meeting we will be mainly talking about what we will be doing for LWML Sunday in October. Every time we meet we collect the money in our mite boxes to go toward our mission goals.

On alternating months we have mission projects that we do. Some of the activities, which we have done in the past are tie quilts, mark Bibles for the prison ministry, make Christmas gift baskets for the children at the deaf ministry and put together the Confirmation banners. Last year we made lots of cookies and sold them to the Concordia College students during final exams. That was a big hit with the students! Throughout the year we have LWML Sunday, a potato bake at the last Wednesday night Lenten service supper, and an Advent Breakfast on the first Saturday in December.

All women of the congregation are invited to attend Sept. 18^th to help us in our mission!