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January 4, 2003 9:50 a.m.
First Lutheran Church, Findlay, Ohio
Opening: President Pat Hirschfeld called the meeting to order.
Linda Tooman led us in devotions from the book "Daily Wisdom for
Women" by Carol Fitzpatrick.
Minutes: The minutes from the October 12, 2002, meeting were
approved with no corrections.
Treasurer's Report: Treasurer Wanda Straub reported a balance as
of December 31,2002, of$12,134.92. The current designated funds for the
Tanzania project are $ 5,783.20.
Correspondence:
- A Christmas card was received from the churchwide office.
- A Christmas card was also received from Dennis Asp, Capital
University.
- Newsletters were received from Capital University, Wernle Home
for Children, and Oesterlin Home.
- Karen Tjarks, Director of Stewardship, Women of ELCA, sent a
letter and pamphlet on "Legacy of Love, Options in Estate
Planning."
President's Report:
The Conference of Presidents will be held February 20 - 23, 2003,
in Chicago. President Pat Hirschfeld will attend. All synodical
presidents are asked to attend three days instead of one as before.
Pat will write up an article about Tanzania and about our Women in
Crisis Grants that we distribute every year to share at the
conference.
Pat has spoken to five different organizations concerning her trip
to Dodoma. The response has been excellent.
Check out the "Stewardship Planning for 2003" booklet
that is found in the packets sent to each unit. Included in these
materials are resources for Thankoffering services along with
explanations of the four offerings in which Women of the ELCA
participate, devotions, a Bible study and guides for year-round
stewardship planning. Please plan ways to lift up this excellent
resource in your congregation.
The next Triennial Gathering will be in San Antonio, Texas, in
2005.
"Response," a gift-giving catalog of the ELCA, is an
excellent resource for giving for your church. Let your leaders know
about this catalog.
Please check the web site of the Women of the ELCA
and Northwestern Ohio Synodical web page and the Northwestern Ohio
Synod web page.
Churchwide - www.elca.org/wo
Northwestern Ohio Synod-vvww.nwos-elca.org/nwos
Northwestern Ohio Synodical Women - wwvv.nwos-elca.org/nwos.wo
Kris Jolmson is doing a beautiful job with our web page. To learn
about what is going on at the synod, check out their web page and
click on News Release. This is a monthly update of important things
happening in the
Northwestern Ohio Synod. The Women of ELCA web page has a chat
room. This contains issues of interest in our organization. It was
suggested that we put in registration forms for our Synodical
Convention this summer or our NWOSWO web page. Please look for
them. .
It was noted from a Churchwide Board memo that the income from the
Triennial Gathering held this past July was lower than expected due to
fewer registrations, and expenses exceeded the projected budget. The
cost of the Gathering was $ 900,000 more that anticipated. The
churchwide Executive Board made adjustments in their regular budget,
so the actual shortage is in the amount of $ 250,000. They authorized
the removal of money from the New Ministries Endowment Fund to allow
the budget to balance. In order to help with the churchwide's deficit,
our NWOSWO board members are encouraging our local units to include
churchwide in their end-of-year giving. Treasurer Wanda Straub will
write an article for the next "Son Light" newsletter
concerning this matter.
Pat Hirschfeld mentioned that the last email she received from
Tanzania for the Lutheran WorId Relief project was on December 12,
2002, and that the project was in the preparation stages. The people
from the Kenya office came in October of 2002, to Dodoma, Tanzania.
Since then they have heard nothing. The project was to be implemented
on November 1, 2002. Pat emailed Asenath in Nairobi and has not
heard back from her. She will keep pursuing this. LWR wants Pat to
clarify our relationship with this project with regard to its funding,
which Pat explained that we have $5,000.00 to start the project. Pat
has yet to receive an answer. There was much discussion by our NWOSWO
board concerning the designated funds of $5,783.20 that need to be
dispersed.
Motion: Marilyn Lee (SE) made a
motion to send the designated Tanzanian Funds we have to Lutheran
World Relief for this project. Mary Satterfield (VP) seconded the
motion. The motion passed.
Our board also discussed that funding may still be incoming for
Tanzania. We talked about the Aya School in the Dodoma Diocese in
Tanzania that our synod sponsors. This school is a secondary school
for youth in grades 8 - 12. A scholarship for one student to attend
Aya School is $250 a year.
Motion: Jacquie Fritz (SW) made a
motion to begin a Scholarship Fund for the Aya School in the Dodoma
Diocese with any monies that are received in the future. Jeanne
Matthews (NC) made a second to the motion. After further discussion,
the motion carried.
Conference Reports:
CENTRAL - No report.
EASTERN - No report.
MAUMEE VALLEY - There was no report for Maumee Valley
Conference, but Corrine Hurni had an updated report on the Banquet
Committee which is reported under Convention business.
NORTH CENTRAL - No report.
SOUTHEASTERN - Their President's Meeting
will be held on January 11, 2003, and their Spring Assembly is planned
for May 3, 2003, at Good Hope, Bucyrus.
Marilyn Lee is responsible for sending out letters to each
conference for the Synodical Women in Crisis Grant of $300. These
letters should go to each conference Mission/Community Chairperson.
Each conference board should pick a recipient to receive this grant
money in their conference. The Mission/Community Chairperson should
contact this recipient and send them an application to complete. The
applications must be back to the Community Chairperson by April 1,
2003. All applications must then be sent to Marilyn Lee by May 1,
2003, to qualify for the grant money.
SOUTHWESTERN - Their conference fall retreat was held on
Saturday, November 2, 2002, at St. Mark's, Wapakoneta. Our pastoral
advisor to the conference board, Joy Miller, gave the opening
devotions. Jacquie Fritz, with the help of Elaine Harklau, presented
"Opening Your Spiritual Gifts," using the inventory and
leading the group in discovering the spiritual gifts, hidden gifts,
leadership, and mentoring. The bible study was given by Pastor Deb
Domeier. Synodical president, Pat Hirschfeld, shared highlights of her
trip to Tanzania using slides and video. We had a record number of
ladies (over 70) which is the most in over five years.
The Spring Assembly is scheduled at Zion, St. Mary's, for April 5,
2003.
Jacquie Fritz attended a "Paths to Wholeness" Retreat of
the Southern Ohio Synodical Women's Organization at the Proctor Center
outside of London, Ohio, on November 22 & 23,2002. Jeanne Matthews
and Lily-Beth Frentz were the presenters. It was a unique experience
in discovering and experiencing various spiritual paths. It was a
beautiful place, lovely and loving Christian women, and an
enlightening, uplifting experience.
TOLEDO - Joyce Nelson reported the Toledo Conference
will have a "Paths to Wholeness"_ Retreat in Maumee on
February 28 & March 1, 2003. The cost is $ 50.00 per person.
Their Spring Assembly will be held on April 26,
2003, at Glenwood Lutheran Church in downtown Toledo.
"Son Light" Report:
Information and registration forms for the Synodical
Convention this summer, July 18 & 19,2003, will be in the spring and
summer issues of the newsletter. The next deadline is February 5th,
OLD BUSINESS:
Leadership Training:
The board continued their discussion of a different approach to
Leadership Training for the conferences. It was decided at the October
board meeting that there would not be a Leadership Training Event in
May. Instead, conference board representatives to the Synodical
Women's Board would meet with their newly elected conference officers
and present a program for training. This meeting should take place
within 30 days after their conference Spring Assembly. The following
is an outline for Conference Training:
1. A presentation of the "Leading Boldly Self
Assessment" program by the Drucker Foundation
2. Structure of the Women of the ELCA from the bottom up, and
terminology
3. Importance of Communication within the organization
4. Responsibilities of secretary and treasurer at conference
level
5. Round table discussion on responsibilities of Individual
Office Roles
6. Lift up units - who they are, are they struggling - prayer
7. Closing
Mary Satterfield will continue to work on this
outline so board representatives will be prepared to lead it.
Synodical Banner: Mary Satterfield
received the synodical banner back from the Global Mission Events held
this summer. Wanda Straub now has it in her possession. If anyone
would like to use it for display at a conference event, please contact
Wanda.
NEW BUSINESS:
Synodical Convention:
Pat Hirschfeld presented the contract for the use of the Holiday
Inn French Quarter for the 2003 Synodical Convention on July 18 &
19, 2003. The cost is $ 1,500.00 a day for use of meeting rooms. Hotel
rooms will cost $ 85.00 per room (up to four people). Sixty rooms have
been reserved for Friday night. All board members are to be at the
hotel on Thursday, July 17. Each person who wishes to stay overnight
must make their hotel reservations. The deadline for reservations is
June 17, 2003.
Mary Satterfield, chairman of the Program Committee, distributed
preliminary copies of the convention schedule and goals. Committee
chairpersons need to inform Mary of their estimated expenses by
January 25, 2003, for the convention budget. Also, board members need
to inform Mary and the Nominating Committee of their intentions of
their name being put on the ballot for a 2nd term. Delegates for the
2005 Triennial Convention will also need to be sought for the ballot.
Registration forms, delegate forms, nomination and
resolution forms need to be sent out with the next issue of the
"Son Light" newsletter. The deadline for these will be
February 15, 2003. All program booklet information needs to be given to
Mary by April15, 2003.
The Women's Ministry Task Force (GET REaL) would like to make a
presentation at the convention, but what they have planned would be too
lengthy to present during our regular convention time and workshop time.
It will be suggested to them that they could present the "How to
Lead a Bible Study" part of their program for a workshop. Another
workshop suggestion was to have something on the lighter side, such as a
program on laughter. Mary will check into this idea.
The following committees made reports:
Banquet:
Chairman Corrine Hurni has ordered 200 crystal
candlesticks from The Dollar Tree in Defiance. These have a 3
1/2-4" square base and invert to hold a rose. These are 24% lead
crystal and made in the USA.
The committee members are from Maumee Valley Conference: Marti
Schaufele and LoAnn Peters, Zion, Defiance; Janet Sisco - S1. Paul,
Defiance; Doris Smith - Antwerp; Edie Baxter and Lois Klinger - St.
John, Briceton; Susan Zumfelde - Emmanuel, Napoleon; Isabelle Buehrer -
First, Stryker; Leona Babcock - McClure; Randi Jones - St. Paul,
Paulding; Sue McKibben - St. John, Defiance; Norma Hemrick - St. John,
Hicksville.
The committee is keeping the banquet total under $25.00, with
tax and gratuity. They also will pick the menu for both the Friday night
banquet and Saturday lunch. The menu selection was provided by the
French Quarter.
Budget:
The committee members are: Wanda Straub, Chairman;
Virginia Pastorek (NC); and Esther Yake (SE).
Offerings:
Chairman Joyce Nelson reported that her committee
members are: Donna Jean Stockmaster (T); Wanda Staub (SE); and Sue Kapff
(T).
Minutes:
Committee members are: Linda Tooman, Chairman; Carrie Schlid (SE),
and Joan Schulte (NC). Linda is still seeking another committee
member. This committee will meet prior to the convention at the
convention site.
Displays:
Chairman Marilyn Lee has sent letters of invitation
to display persons. She had concerns on the cost of the display
tables. Pat Hirschfeld stated the contract read that tables with
skirting were rented at $15.00: This cost was covered at the
2001 Convention by Aid Association for Lutheran Grant money. Judi Coe,
Program Committee member, is checking with Trivent for Lutherans about
helping with the 2003 Convention, so Mary Satterfield will check with
her about possible funding through this agency again.
Other suggestions for displays included a Fair
Trade Coffee table, a table where ladies could make a small craft, and
a display by Church WorId Service, which is working to educate people
in Cambodia and other war-torn countries about landmines.
Next Board Meeting:
The next board meeting will be held on March 8, 2003,
at Holiday Inn French Quarter, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Linda Tooman will
lead us in devotions. We will look over the facilities for the
convention, and also assign board members to attend the conference
Spring Assemblies at this meeting.
Adjournment:
There being no further business, the meeting
adjourned with prayer.
Respectfully Submitted,
Linda Tooman, Secretary
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