LWML > News

News Releases

On This Page:

• August 17, 2010 President Helen Morris is Home with Jesus (PDF, 119KB)
• August 15, 2010 LWML Offers Free Leader Development Materials (PDF, 41KB)
• August 2, 2010 LWML Sunday 2010 Materials Available (PDF, 164KB)

Other News Resources:

• News Release Archives - A listing of News Releases over the years
• e-News - For all the latest news
• KFUO Archives - Messages from President Janice Wendorf

August 17, 2010

Past President Helen Morris is Home with Jesus

Helen Morris, eighth Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) President, died on Saturday, August 14, 2010, and is home in the arms of her Savior Jesus. Mrs. Morris was born in Tilden, Nebraska, in September 1917 and was married to husband William for over sixty years. Helen was a certified elementary teacher and her husband was also a teacher and coach. They lived in various places in Nebraska; Abingdon, Illinois; and most recently in Mankato, Minnesota. Helen passed away at St. John’s Lutheran Home in Albert Lea, Minnesota.

Helen served as LWML President from 1975–1979. She was an accomplished speaker and travelled far and wide speaking and sharing her faith at conventions and other gatherings. Helen served on many Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) district and national committees. LWML President Morris presided over the 1977 convention in Laramie, Wyoming, and the 1979 convention in Omaha, Nebraska, which is most remembered for its unscheduled appearance of then Vice President of the United States, Walter Mondale.

Mrs. Morris recalled in the LMWL history book WINGS: Women IN God’s Service (by Marlys Taege, ©1991 LWML) following her election at the 1975 St. Paul, Minnesota convention: “As the 7,500+ saints raised their arms and lifted their voices to the Lord in praise, the full realization of the responsibilities placed upon me brought tears of wonderment, tears of joy and tears of humility.” This Lutheran Woman in Mission had a great faith and talked of her blessings and not her troubles. She was helped by that faith through the trials of blindness caused by macular degeneration, congestive heart failure and Alzheimer’s disease.

The funeral service for Helen Morris was held on Wednesday, August 18, 2010, at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Mankato, Minnesota. Helen will be laid to rest in Tilden, Nebraska, on August 21. Her family shared that any memorial funds received will be evenly directed to the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, and other LCMS organizations, unless otherwise stipulated by the donor.

Current LWML President Janice Wendorf said, “The LWML thanks and praises God for giving us this inspiring mentor and servant. May God grant His comfort, peace, and strength to Helen’s family and friends who loved her and will miss her presence.”

Please remember LWML in your estate plan.
  Our legal name is:  “Lutheran Women's Missionary League."

The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) is the official women’s auxiliary of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Since 1942 the LWML has focused on affirming each woman’s relationship with Christ, encouraging and equipping women to live out their Christian lives in active mission ministries and to support global missions.

Click here for a printable version of this News Release. (PDF, 119KB)

August 15, 2010

LWML Offers Free Leader Development Materials

The Leader Development Committee of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) has made available free leader development resources on the LWML website. “Welcoming New Members…” and “Gaining, Training, Maintaining LWML Members” are the informative resources available as free download. The resources can be obtained by going to the following online address: www.lwml.org/resources/leader_development.

The Leader Development Committee’s objective is to make women aware of available user-friendly resources through the LWML easily accessed and will support their leadership development and mentoring relationships. The committee members have been reviewing, editing, and updating program helps that were previously only available in print form for re-issue in this new format. All revised helps will still be available by ordering through the LWML store at the usual cost plus shipping and handling.

Psalm 25:5a NIV: “Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are my God and Savior,” the Leader Development Committee’s theme verse, reflected the desire to provide materials to assist members in reaching out to others as they share in Good News of Christ..

Please remember LWML in your estate plan.
Our legal name is: “Lutheran Women's Missionary League."

The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) is the official women’s auxiliary of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Since 1942 the LWML has focused on affirming each woman’s relationship with Christ, encouraging and equipping women to live out their Christian lives in active mission ministries and to support global missions.

Click here for a printable version of this News Release (PDF, 41KB)

August 2, 2010

LWML Sunday 2010 Materials Available

The LWML is pleased to announce the release of the LWML Sunday 2010 packets which were mailed to LCMS congregations and LWML societies in the middle of July. While the first Sunday in October is the traditional date for the celebration of LWML Sunday, the observance may be on any Sunday.

The authors of the 2010 LWML Sunday materials, Rev. Kenton Wendorf and Rev. Nathan Wendorf, chose the theme of People of God…In the Word, using the Scripture theme Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path from Psalm 119:105 (NIV).

Rev. Kenton Wendorf is senior pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Grafton, Wisconsin, where he has served since 2003. He also served for 22 years as pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Painesville, Ohio. Rev. Wendorf, who just completed his term on the LCMS Board for Pastoral Education, is the husband of Janice M. Wendorf, President of the LWML.

Rev. Nathan Wendorf, son of the LWML President, has served as assistant pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church in McKinney, Texas, since receiving his M. Div. at Concordia Seminary in 2005. Rev. Wendorf and his wife, Kristine, have one son, Jonathan.

The LWML Sunday packet includes a sample worship folder, sermon, children’s message, devotions, banner pattern, new LWML items flyer, and more. Ideas and helps for celebrating LWML Sunday also are included. A DVD with a short video clip by President Janice Wendorf will be sent with the order of any bulletins or Worship Service CD.

The sermon, children's messages, and devotions are available for free download at www.lwml.org/resources/lwml_sunday/ or can be ordered. To ensure availability and delivery, all LWML Sunday orders should be ordered by September 1, 2010. Contact the LWML Office at 1.800.252-LWML (5965) for more information or to place an order.

Please remember LWML in your estate plan.
Our legal name is: “Lutheran Women's Missionary League."

The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) is the official women’s auxiliary of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Since 1942 the LWML has focused on affirming each woman’s relationship with Christ, encouraging and equipping women to live out their Christian lives in active mission ministries and to support global missions.

Click here for a printable version of this News Release (PDF, 164KB)