Welcome to the 27th issue of Lutheran Women in Mission e-News! Please forward and share this news and encourage others to stay in touch with LWML by email. To date, there are over 2,500 subscribers to e-News receiving LWML news and updates. LWML MEMBERS SHOWED SALT AND LIGHT IN TAMPA! 31st Biennial Convention of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League in Tampa, Florida The Lutheran Women's Missionary League held its 31st biennial convention June 16-19, in Tampa, Florida with over 3,100 attending. President Linda K. Reiser presided at the convention using the theme "Live Joyfully as Salt and Light" (Matthew 5:13-16). President Reiser commended all LWML members for exceeding the mite goal of the past biennium. She thanked them for wanting to help make a difference in the lives of those in need. She also shared these words, "It's our human goal, but the real goal is whatever God puts in the hearts of these women and the mission hearts of the LWML members are huge." A body of over 600 delegates adopted a new mission grant goal of $1.625 million for the 2005-07 biennium. The new goal exceeds the goal for the last biennium by $50,000.00. To see the grants adopted go to: http://lwml.org/mission/index_mission.html Business conducted at the convention included the adoption of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the site of the LWML 2013 convention. Other upcoming conventions are Sioux Falls, South Dakota - 2007, Portland, Oregon - 2009 and Peoria, Illinois - 2011. Elections were held with the following four-year terms extended to: Vivian Ernst of Ida Grove, Iowa Vice President of Christian Life; Sandra Hardies of Canadian Lakes, Michigan, Vice President of Communication; Janis McDaniels of Greensboro, North Carolina, Vice President of Gospel Outreach; Kay Kreklau of Drayton, North Dakota, Secretary; and Rev. Carl Gnewuch, associate pastor of Our Shepherd Lutheran Church, Birmingham, Michigan, Pastoral Counselor. Newly elected members of the Nominating Committee are Donna Gruel of Westfield, Massachusetts, who will serve as chairman; Betty Dietrich of Morton, Illinois; Janell McKinstry of Piedmont, South Dakota; Ladell McWhirter of Kingsport, Tennessee; and Barbara Virus of Orange, California. Convention offerings were given and designated as indicated: $26,201.80, contributed at Thursday night's opening worship service, will go toward the LWML 2005-07 mission goal. Friday's $14,880.70 will benefit the "Papyrus Camp" for foster children at Pioneer Camp and Retreat Center in Angola, New York. Saturday's $18,688.55 will go to "For the Sake of the Church," a LCMS effort to cover tuition costs for church-worker students. $17,432.88 from Sunday's closing worship service is slated for the Central American Lutheran Mission Society to begin mission work in the Dominican Republic. Saturday morning's "Joyful Jaunt" mission-pledge walk brought in more than $58,840.00, which will be used for the 2005-2007 LWML mission goal. Among the many dignitaries addressing the convention were: LCMS President, Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick; Mrs. Terry Kieschnick; Rev, Barry J. Keurulainen, Senior Pastor, St. Luke Lutheran Church and School, Cabot, Pennsylvania, Rev. Dr. Gerhard C. Michael, Jr., LCMS President Florida-Georgia District; Jack Kidwell, President, International Lutheran Layman's League; Dick Gast, chairman, The Lutheran Hour Float Committee. The keynote address was given by Rev. Dr. Paul L. Maier, author, lecturer, and professor of ancient history at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, and the Synod's second vice president. He noted that Christianity is based on Biblical facts and is not "contrived" like other religions. Maier sited the LWML as having an extraordinary track record in supporting God's mission and alluded to the over $80 million contributed by LWML in it's 62 year history. Speakers from the mission field were an additional highlight to the convention. They were: Connie Sikkema, Messiah Migrant Ministry, Tampa, Florida; Rev. Tich Hoa Luu, Assistant Pastor, Lutheran Church of the Cross, Rockville, Maryland; Rev. Dr. Robert Roegner, Executive Director, LCMS World Missions who introduced Missionaries Rev. Claude and Rhoda Houge, Kenya and Rev. Tim and Marguerite Nickel, Kyrgyzstan; Angelina Gomez, Heart to Heart sister; and Rev. Don Treglown, who served among the Tagakaulo people in the Philippines from 1987 to 2001. Forty Heart to Heart sisters representing African immigrants, African American, Hispanic and Hmong women, participated in convention activities, fellowship and spiritual growth opportunities. This group makes up a vibrant part of the future of Lutheran Women in Mission. Rev. Dr. Dien Ashley Taylor, Pastor of Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church, The Bronx, New York, served as convention song leader and led attendees in inspirational singing. Dr. Wm. B Brusick, minister of music at Grace Lutheran Church and School, St. Petersburg, Florida served as music consultant and led all other music for the convention worship services. Comic relief was Jan Struck extraordinaire as a fictional LWML convention first time attendee "Nita Myhtes Daily," who shared humorous cell-phone convention updates with her "Aunt Jane." Nita encouraged younger LWML groups by stating "it is never too early to start wearing purple!" Closing remarks by President Reiser included her encouragement for all Lutheran women to pray together at noon every Monday in an effort to "focus on unity and a combined mission effort." This convention story was reported by a LWML member from Lansing: That morning (Sunday), some other ladies and I were standing outside the convention center following the closing service and watching the rain pour down. We knew we would get soaking wet even walking the short distance back to the hotel. So we decided to ask a taxi how much it would cost to take us across the street to the hotel. We were told it would cost $12! We decided against taking the taxi and just wait to see if the rain let up. In the meantime, another taxi driver called us over and asked where we needed to go. We said we were just thinking about being taken over to the hotel, but decided not to. He told us to get in; he would take us - for free! He said that the LWML members throughout their stay had been so nice to him. The tips he had received were helping to bring food to his family and he was touched by the kindness shown to him. We were very grateful and still tipped him, even though he said he didn't expect any monetary compensation. Examples like this really demonstrate the salt and light shown in Tampa and now impacting the world for Jesus. Read convention news published during convention in the Sonshine Extra http://lwml.org/convention_2005/news.html. Visit the LCMS Website regarding the LWML convention: http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=8287. Do you recognize anyone in the photo? THE LUTHERAN WOMEN'S MISSIONARY LEAGUE The Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML), with a membership of over 250,000, is the official women's auxiliary of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. 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 over 60 years the LWML has been encouraging and equipping women to live out their Christian lives in active mission ministries and to financially support global mission. The first issues of LWML e-News are available as text documents; click here: http://www.lwml.org/e_news.html. To subscribe, click the link below and follow instructions to add your email to the LWML subscription list under "Mission and Ministry." "Full Text Version" will include LWML graphics and logo. The "Weekly Summary" version comes on Friday in a weekly abbreviated version with links to the entire text without graphics. Refer to your Internet provider about enabling images and links embedded in email.