Nominations for the churchwide executive board are open until November 30, 2022.

Voting members of the Twelfth Triennial Convention (2023) will elect officers and board members to serve for the 2023-2026 triennium. The president and vice president are elected at the convention by nominating ballot, and no advance nominations are needed for these two positions.

Nominations will be received by the nominating committee for secretary, treasurer, and board members until November 30, 2022. Additional nominations from the floor may be made during the 2023 convention.

Access the Nominations Form

Continue your observance of Advent on December 1 at the next BYOD with guest host, the Rev. Emily Carson. Emily, whose Advent articles have been popular on Cafe, will lead a discussion on faithful actions during Advent. Emily is Assistant to the Bishop – Cultivator of a Culture of Generosity and Care for the Southeastern Minnesota Synod.

You can prepare for the discussion, if you have time, by reading Advent: The season of illumination and Why we celebrate four weeks in Advent. 

A link to a mocktail and cocktail recipe will be included with Zoom log in information. Advance registration is required.

Register here.

When things don’t go according to plan this Christmas, remember what is most important: Jesus is with us. Read the December devotion.

The reality of life—memories of the past and the pain of the present—can leave many people feeling less than merry in December. It might be the death of a loved one, a discouraging diagnosis, a job loss, or some other crisis.

As a community of women, we have committed ourselves to promote

healing and wholeness in the church, the society and the world. How can we do

that for those who are sad or suffering this season?

We will gather on the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere—the Winter Solstice—December 21.

Register now to attend the Blue

Christmas Service. The service (webinar) will take place at 7:00 p.m. CST on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, via Zoom.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Thanks to endowments created in the past for this purpose, Women of the ELCA is able to offer scholarships in two categories: for Lutheran laywomen and for those studying for ordained ministry. 

Scholarships for laywomen assist Lutheran women studying for a career other than ordained ministry. 

Scholarships for ordained ministry are for assistance to Lutheran women during their final year at an ELCA seminary. Candidates must be preparing for ordained ministry in the ELCA and endorsed by their synodical candidacy committee.

Learn more about Women of the ELCA Scholarships. The application period opens December 15.

2122: Growing Katie’s Fund for the next 100 years launched on June 11, 2022. (View the launch party.) 2122 is a campaign to raise $1 million for the Katharina von Bora Luther Endowment Fund, fondly known as Katie’s Fund.

The primary communication hub for the campaign is welca.org/katiesfund. There you can find all kinds of information about the campaign, including a six-minute promotional video, blog stories about the campaign, and stories of how Katie’s Fund has enabled leadership development, global partnerships, and living theology over the past 25 years.

To learn more, including how to make a gift, contact Linda Post Bushkofsky, executive director.

Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls Seed Grant applications open December 15

If you missed the November 5 churchwide Thankoffering service, don't fret. You can watch a recording of the service. Watch it anytime you need to jumpstart your gratitude.