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NEW to the web site: June 2009 WALKING IN THE WORD You must have Adobe Reader (or something comparable) to view the newsletter. For a free download, click: |
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Contact Information
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Gift
of Grace By
Iris Turnbull, President, Central States Women of the ELCA [0709] “I'm 64 years old, married, with three grown children, and three grandchildren. My husband and I are raising our eleven year old grandson. We've been in Kansas since 1975, settled in the same house the whole time. I lived in six states before that. My parents were not active in a church, but I was curious about church from an early age. I was baptized at age 20, while in college. I've always done a lot of reading, and I was able to take some religion, history, and philosophy courses in college, though I was a psychology major. I have been a member of Peace since moving to Kansas, and have been active in many areas. I have been especially interested in hospitality and evangelism outreach. I've also served on the church council, been council president, taught Sunday School, and served on other committees. Peace was a good place for me to grow, with many members being wonderful examples of faith and discipleship. When our sons were ten and seven, we adopted a ten year old girl. She came from a background of neglect and trauma. It was very difficult, and it is her son that we are now raising, as she is not able to care for him. When my children were in school, I got a master's degree in biology at Kansas State, did research on seeds, and taught Principles of Biology. In 1998, I was invited to take the summer Greek class at Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. Then I began to think of returning to seminary. (I ended up postponing that to deal with breast cancer.) In 2001, I decided to pursue candidacy for diaconal ministry and returned to Wartburg. I received an M.A. degree after two years of study. My concentration was in Bible, with both Greek and Hebrew language. My thesis was titled, "Speaking of the Atonement: New Testament Metaphors and New Approaches." I had planned to finish my preparation for diaconal ministry after graduating from seminary, but that was the time when our daughter got into severe difficulties, and her son, then five years old, came to live with us. The past several years I've spent most of my energy trying to care for him. This all has helped me to discern the focus of my ministry and to clarify my vocation. I'm still planning to become a rostered diaconal minister, in a "Word and Service" calling. My focus is on advocacy for children and the development of faithful Christian family life, especially parenting skills. I hope to preach, teach, and work in outreach beyond the congregation, as I believe the church has a gospel message for families and communities. I'm a trained (volunteer) Education Advocate for children in foster care. I was a participant in the ELCA "Equipping for Peacemaking" event in Chicago in 2005. I have done training in "Nonviolent Communication." I've attended a number of conferences and workshops on childhood trauma, special needs education, and mental health.” Call, Iris Turnbull at 785-736-2887 or email at classic@bluevalley.net for further info. “GIFT
OF GRACE” By Iris Turnbull, President, Central States Women of the ELCA [0409] I cordially invite you to attend the 22nd annual convention of the Central States Synodical Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, July 24-26, 2009, at the Clarion Hotel, Manhattan, Kan. [MAP IT] The theme for this year’s gathering is “Gift of Grace.” We will take care of the business of the convention: elections, adopting a budget, and resolutions. There will be worship, workshops, and more. Money will be raised for Camp Tomah Shinga via a bowl-a-thon! A quarter of our offering will go to Lutheran Campus Ministries and our in-kind gifts are designated as school supplies and much needed dollars to ship the supplies to children in Afghanistan and Iraq through “Help us Learn...Give us Hope.” There will be on site projects of quilt tying or you can put together Warm up America afghans (start now on 7"x9" knit or crochet sections) which will go home with those of you who know of a need in your area!. Please make copies of the registration and the bowl-a-thon forms and share them with all the women in your unit. Each congregational or intercongregational unit of the Central States Synodical Organization is entitled to one delegate and delegates are required to attend the business sessions of the convention. (Delegate cards will be found in the packets previously sent to all congregations within the Central States Synod.) All women of the Central States Synodical Organization are invited and encouraged to attend. Please bring your family and friends, if only for a day or an evening. The cost of a full time delegate or a full-time participant is:
I look forward
to seeing all of you in July in Manhattan! ITEMS TO DOWNLOAD Central
States Women Update
Diane Frederick was elected to the churchwide executive board of Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in July 2008. She serves on the program and communication committee. In 2007, Diane concluded her second term as president of the Saint Paul Area Synodical Women’s Organization. When initially elected to the Saint Paul Area SWO board in 2000, her committee appointment was Mission: Growth. Prior to that she served on the Rocky Mountain SWO board (1992–’99). As a trained Paths to Wholeness leader, Diane has facilitated this material in many synodical women’s organizations, conferences, and units. Diane and her husband, Ed, have served parishes in the Rocky Mountain Synod. Ed is senior pastor of St. Philip’s Lutheran Church in Hastings, Minn. They have two sons, Jeremy and Nathan, a daughter-in-law, Jen, and a grandchild, Jackson. A graduate of Concordia College, St. Paul, Minn., Diane has taught at the preschool and elementary levels. She also began a parenting-teen program and opened a childcare in the local high school for babies of teen parents. More recently Diane served as the director of a local food shelf, and she was recognized as Outstanding Food Shelf Director from Minnesota Food Share in 2006. Diane is a vision-caster, asking questions of discernment and faith. She keeps the mission and purpose statements as the focus of her work, seeking to achieve clarity in the ministry challenges she accepts. Diane recognizes that the mission and purpose statements of Women of the ELCA name the discovery of gifts as an essential ministry. Diane
sees Women of the ELCA as another opportunity to witness and share her
faith. Her challenge is to see Christ in everyone she meets. She looks
forward to meeting more women as they celebrate their oneness in Christ. Central
States Women Update
Questions? Please contact me at 785-736-2887 or classic@bluevalley.net
Central States Women of the ELCA Board ready to worship with the congregation of Bethany Lutheran Church, Lindsborg, Kansas. From left: Iris Turnbull, president, Marilyn Youngquist, treasurer, Carolyn Bauer, secretary, Board members, Deborah Rupprecht, Lois Viebrock, Susie Borgstrom and Kathy Oullette.
Kathy Ouellette, Liaison to Lutheran Campus Ministry
Delegates to the recent Women of the ELCA Triennial convention in Salt Lake City Utah included Jan Malpert, Jean Hagbom, Kathy Drake, Carla Standley, Lois Viebrock, Susie Borgstrom and Iris Turnbull. There were 35 in attendance from the Central States! The perspectives below are from Debbie Selland, Triennial coordinator and Jan Malpert, delegate.
2008 Triennial Insight by Debbie Selland, Triennial Promoter As the sun began to set behind the mountains west of Salt Lake City on Thursday, July 10, more than 2,000 Lutheran women from all over the United States and several other countries came together for the Seventh Triennial Gathering of the Women of the ELCA. Come to the Waters was the theme for the Triennial and the overall focus for the weekend was baptism and it's importance in our lives as Christians. The evening began with lively uplifting music, provided throughout the weekend by a group of very talented young men and women, and a procession of women bearing tall poles topped with long streamers of blues and aqua's -- representing water -- waved over and between the women in attendance. Water was poured into a large font and Gathering chaplains and international guests splashed the assembly with water from the font during a service of Affirmation of Baptism. [READ COMPLETE REPORT] Triennial Convention
Report 2008 Central States six delegates and our president, Iris, arrived in Salt Lake City on July 8, 2008 for the seventh Triennial Convention of the Women of the ELCA. The delegates elected a new slate of officers and board members and five were selected to serve a second term. Our new president is Beth Warren of our companion synod, North Carolina. She was a member of the churchwide executive board and executive committee during the last Triennium. Our Region 4 is now represented by vice president, Charlene Spillmann of Texas, (4E) and board members JoAnn Fuchs of Texas (4F) and Diane Brauer of Nebraska (4A). [READ COMPLETE REPORT] Resources
especially for women Listening to God would make a great gift for a special woman in your life. Order through Augsburg Fortress: www.augsburgfortress.org or 800-328-4648. $6.95; ISBN 6-0001-9376-9. Purpose Statement for Women of the ELCA:
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Central States Women
of the ELCA
Join
with other Women of the ELCA at our convention in Manhattan Kan., July
24-26, and meet Diane Frederick of Oak Park Heights, Minn. She will
be in attendance, representing the churchwide board, conducting a workshop
on Saturday afternoon and addressing the convention Friday evening!
Central
States Women of the ELCA cluster coordinators or their representatives
met with the board in Parkville, Mo., Feb. 6-7. Representing the clusters
were: (back row) Mary Francis Bugh, Mid-Missouri; Wanda Darnel, Sunflower;
Donna Westbrook, Osborne-Smith-Phillips; Paula Simonich, SE KS City
Metro; Kay Hase, Ozark Mountain. (front row) B.J. Smart, God’s
Sonflowers; Alice Burnett, Arc River Valley; April Web, Amazing Women;
Laura Anderson, Prairie Angels; Dorothy Brockmeier, Smokey Valley; and
Sarah Dunning, Heartland. The board funnels information via the cluster
coordinators to the local units. These ladies had a lot to absorb at
this meeting! They have all the latest info on convention, “Radical
Welcome” and more!
Since
the 2006 convention, Central States Women of the ELCA has sought ways
to encourage and include women through Lutheran Campus Ministry.
