A learned man in a Roman toga counseling younger individuals-perhaps, like me, that's what you envisioned when LWML began stressing the importance of mentoring a few years ago.

Well, mentoring has gone modern, and you no longer need a toga! Nor is it for men only! Very simply, a mentor is an encourager, and encouraging is something we all can do­in person, over the phone, via e-mail or letter! We can mentor over a cup of coffee, during a casual meeting in a store, at lunch, after church, before a meeting-anywhere, any time.

Actually women have been mentors throughout the ages. In 2 Timothy 1:5, Timothy's mother and grandmother, Eunice and Lois, are recognized for sharing their faith with him. In Titus 2:5, older women are urged to be an example to younger women, training them to be a good advertisement for the Christian faith (Phillips translation). Priscilla and Aquila mentored Apollos (Acts 18:25-26) by taking him home and explaining the way of God more accurately to him. The wise woman of Abel (2 Samuel 20:18-22) used diplomatic persuasion to save her city and keep the peace.

Mentoring is even more important today, especially in our churches and LWML societies, as Past President Virginia Von Seggern pointed out repeatedly during her term. With most women employed outside their homes, those who accept congregational or LWML responsibilities of any kind need to complete their assignment quickly and efficiently due to personal time restraints. And, they want the satisfaction of doing it well as a service to the Lord. Compassionate and prayerful guidance from experienced friends can assure success and develop willingness to accept future responsibilities.

During a recent South Wisconsin LWML board meeting, district leaders indicated they already are mentoring not only new LWML officers and committees, but they also are discovering blessings as they encourage church personnel and congregational young people.

One member who enjoys working with confirmands described her mentoring role as "learning about one another, loving, caring, encouraging, helping, agreeing and disagreeing, spending time with them, and crying and laughing with them." (Sometimes today too, the tables are turned as teenagers teach parents and grandparents to master the Internet and as young women with business experience help other women break the "glass ceiling.")

"Mentoring is helping someone develop an unutilized God-given talent," said another LWMLer. "It means allowing her to fail and then helping her grow from that failure. Too many times we just do something for someone to make sure it gets done correctly and on time. Sometimes mentoring is hard work because you have to nudge and encourage, and then nudge and encourage some more, even when you know it would be so much easier just to do it yourself."

"A mentor is not a boss, but a friend," added another Leaguer. "Walking alongside, a mentor gently coaches when the need arises. She does not unload all the info at one time and then sit back. She is available and makes contact when she hasn't heard from her 'mentee' recently."

"My home church has never had an office secretary," said Judy Paulson, Hilbert, WI. "During our recent pastoral vacancy, we received a new member with administrative skills who was willing to take on our very poorly paid, part-time secretary position. However, being new to our congregation and from a non-Lutheran background, most things seemed very foreign to her. She also was new to our rural community.

"As congregational secretary for several terms and also involved with Ladies Aid, LWML, our music program and most other things in church, I've been able to help her make sense of our Lutheran/rural ways and enable her put things in context and identify who is who and who does what."

"I don't know how I would have known where to begin as zone president if it had not been for my mentor-the past zone president," said Renee Warren, Waukesha, WI. "She organized a box of materials to pass on. We sat down together and she explained everything. As my first year went on, she checked with me to see if I had any questions about things that she knew were coming up and things that were due. It meant so much to me that I am planning to serve as a mentor to the person who follows me."

To Carolyn Blum, Hartford, WI, mentoring means "being available to talk whenever the lesser-experienced person has a question-you might describe it as taking someone under your wing." As a trained LWML Mission Ministry Vision (MMV) consultant, Carolyn also shelters struggling societies under her wing and helps them gain new momentum. MMVs are available to all LWML societies, and the LWML catalog lists resources on mentoring.

"Mentors recognize your interest in something, then water you like a plant so you develop and grow in your interest," concluded Lynn Koehler, a Wauwatosa, WI, zone president. "They supply you with resources, materials and suggestions, advice and praise. They listen. They are patient. And, who knows, they might even love you!"