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11/5/2023 Weekly article

Mite offerings proclaim Christ

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9–10).

When the church celebrates All Saints Day many times the hymn, “For All the Saints,” is sung during worship. The hymn has a rousing melody, and the words speak powerfully. The final stanza provides imagery of the countless hosts streaming into the gates of heaven from all parts of the earth. As one visualizes this, one can see family members, friends, and people one knows from all time periods of their life. Do you ever think about those people who have come to know Christ because of the mite offerings of Lutheran Women in Mission? National mission grants have touched the lives of people in 83 different countries. Our mite offerings have proclaimed Christ in places where we have never been. We sing alleluia with the countless hosts streaming through the gates of pearl.

To learn more about the proclamation of the Gospel through mission grants refer to the Mission Grant Resume found at lwml.org/mission-grant-history.

Sharon von Qualen

10/30/2023 Weekly article

Serving the Lord with Gladness

Serve the Lord with gladness! (Psalm 100:2).

What do nearly 75 women do for four days in St. Louis? If they are Lutheran Women in Mission committee members, they plan and develop programs and resources for the coming biennium. The annual Interdepartmental Meeting was held last week for just that purpose.

Last biennium, LWML committees produced Donna Snow’s Unshakable, a video-based Bible study; Life After … Devotions for Widows; calendars to use to read through the Bible in one year; monthly mite challenge calendars; Equipping Saints to Serve, monthly program planner for 2023–2025; eight issues of the Lutheran Woman’s Quarterly; monthly leadership tips; a new group welcome packet; new LWML store products; and numerous programs for writers, potential leaders, seminary students, young women, and Heart to Heart — Sisters of All Nations to name just a few.

LWML has hundreds of resources available to help you and your group. Click on any of the links above to learn more.

Susan Brunkow

10/22/2023 Weekly article

God has not Changed!

We have seen many changes in the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League over the years. Our structure has changed, officer titles have changed, committees have changed, and of course our bylaws and procedures have changed to reflect the variations.

Yet Lutheran Women in Mission continue to possess “mission hearts” with thousands of volunteers who dedicate their lives to making a difference in their neighborhoods and in the world and who use their gifts of time, talent, and treasure to share the love of Jesus.

LWML changes, but our mission continues to be the same: “As Lutheran Women in Mission, we joyfully proclaim Christ, support missions, and equip women to honor God by serving others.” Please keep the Board of Directors and department committees in prayer as we meet in St. Louis this week to plan our mission service activities for the next two years.

Most importantly, God has not changed! Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Find a copy of the devotion “Change” at lwml.org/posts/devotion/change. Or you can listen to the LWML On The Go Podcast “Episode 200: Change—Special 200th Episode.”

Thank you Lord for always being there for me in this world of change.

Kathy Pavelock

10/15/2023 Weekly article

God’s View

On vacation, my husband Mike and I decided to participate in a corn maze. Since Wisconsin corn grows considerably taller than Texas corn, we were going to have to be on our A game. We soon discovered that we did not bring enough water. Slightly giving up, but shortening our time, we decided to take the “Kids’ Path.” We consoled our bruised egos by telling ourselves that people were waiting for us in the store. Once inside, we discovered a drone map of the corn maze. That would have made it much easier, don’t you think?

Similarly, to how the drone viewed the maze, God views our lives. He sees everything. We only see the snippet of time in which we reside. Whenever we start a new adventure in life, we should go to God’s Word and approach our Lord in prayer asking Him to guide our steps.

Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established (Proverbs 16:3).

LWML Devotion suggestion, “What Shall I Do?” by Virginia Von Seggern

Cheryl Mattil

10/8/2023 Weekly article

Endings and New Beginnings

Summer is over. Fall breezy days are here. The leaves are turning brilliant colors. And we are starting to glimpse the end of this calendar year as the months pass by with increased speed. Although with each season passing there are inevitable endings, there are also new beginnings with all its wonder and joy.

What’s new in your life? Has God been giving you a little nudge to step out in faith and serve Him in a different way? For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). God is always with you.

Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands (Isaiah 49:16a). It does not matter what season of life we are in; God always has a plan for us. Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save (Isaiah 46:4).

Nudge.

Leslie Colligan

10/1/2023 Weekly article

Focus on Jesus

Now may the God of peace … equip you with everything good that you may do his will (Hebrews 13:20-21).

Did you celebrate LWML Sunday today or are you planning on celebrating Lutheran Women in Mission Sunday later this month? If you are observing it later this month, a suggestion you might want to consider is showing one of the Focus on Jesus presentations during your coffee or fellowship time. They are based on the mission statement of the LWML. There are five narrated videos — each only a few minutes long — and give a great overview of our mission and why we joyfully proclaim Christ. These videos are well done and were just completed this past summer. Another use you might consider is sharing them at your group meetings or a servant event where you invite guests and non-LWML members. Be creative and use this resource to help share about our wonderful LWML.

Arlene Naasz

9/24/2023 Weekly article

Are You "Hooked"?

The women who taught me the most about the importance of contributing to mission grants through mites were my dear, departed mother-in-law (MIL), Lorena Werner and my “El Paso Mom” Sue Anderson. Both women truly lived the LWML motto: Serve the Lord with gladness! (Psalm 100:2).

As a young bride and new member of the Lutheran Church, my MIL Lorena explained what LWML’s mission was and gave me my first Mite Box. She invited me to the LWML meeting at our church, Christ Lutheran, Yuma, Arizona, and I got involved serving as a society officer and helping with various fundraisers to contribute to the mission grants via our Mite Boxes.

After we relocated to the El Paso, Texas, area 25 years ago, Sue Anderson (former Rocky Mountain District (RMD) President) encouraged me to get involved in LWML at Ascension Lutheran, El Paso, Texas. With Sue’s mentoring, I served as an officer in our zone and on the RMD Mission Grants (MG) Committee. Serving on the MG committee really opened my eyes to all the opportunities our district and national mission grants provide to spread the good news of Jesus to people locally and world-wide. I was hooked!

How about you? Are you “hooked” on feeding your Mite Box regularly to support the mission grants in your district and nationally? Are you “hooked” on Serving the Lord with Gladness? I pray so!

Anita Werner

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