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LWML – Women in Mission    

By Barb Mazarakos 

For 75 years, women have been working together to fund mission projects at both national and international levels through Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. Relying solely on their twice a year mite collections (no additional fundraising is done through LWML), they have been able to support projects such as Disaster Response Trailers in Missouri and the renovation of the JEM Seminary buildings in Nigeria, as well as provide scholarship money for the LCMS Young Adult Corps (formerly LCMS Youth Corp).

At this year’s national convention, it was voted on and agreed to that the LWML would help fund the renovation of a house in Flint, Michigan which will serve as Mercy House for Women and Children. This underserved area on the east side of Flint has a poverty rate among children at the astounding level of 80%. Mercy House will help assist mothers and their children to break that cycle by giving them access to a safe place to sleep where the best practices of parenting can be modeled and taught.

Arlene Gronwold of our congregation serves as President of our LWML unit. She attends board meetings and brings the information she gathers back to the group at their quarterly meetings (which have been combined with Ladies Aid meetings as the same women seemed to be involved in both groups). Their mission is not just one of fundraising, but as Arlene tells me, is also about enriching themselves through service to others. The fall workshop for Zone 25, which includes Christ Lutheran as well as neighboring churches, will be held at CELC on Saturday, October 14. At this meeting they will be taking an ingathering for Lutheran Church Charities; you can find the list of items needed in the church bulletin.

The ladies of the LWML are truly on a mission to make the world a better place and be the hands and feet of Jesus. You can help them by filling your MITE boxes with lose change (or bills!) and bringing them in any time during the month of October. A large bin for MITE boxes will be in the narthex. And look for our church LWML members on Sunday October 1, as we recognize LWML month and take special time out to thank the Lord for all of their good work