REPORT OF MESSIAH WOMEN OF THE ELCA 2006
Women of the ELCA is an auxiliary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Messiah's Women of the ELCA congregational unit is open to all women of the congregation. Our Unit currently has one circle, the Deborah Circle, which meets monthly on the third Sunday at 3:30 in the church parlor for Bible study and fellowship. We also meet twice a year for our Combined Meetings in April and November.
This year we made 20 Christmas stocking for Wernersville Hospital. The congregation generously donated $310 during the month of September, half of which was used to purchase items to make school kits for Lutheran World Relief and the other half was given to the Independent Church in India to provide school kits for the children at the orphanage. Clothing, soap and blankets were also collected for LWR Ingathering and sent on for distribution.
In 2006, we held our annual Lenten Fellowship in February. Several of our members attended the Lower Susquehanna Synod Annual Convention in June where women from the Lower Susquehanna Synod of the ELCA met to conduct business, worship and celebrate life in Christ, spend time with old friends and meet new ones. As a result of the congregation's generosity, we were able to give $250 to the Gettysburg Seminary Food Bank as part of the Ingathering Offering collected at the convention.
In August, we sponsored the Spang Crest birthday party with the entertainment provided by several youth members of our congregation. We also sent offerings to Women of the ELCA for Thankoffering, Church Women United for the Leprosy Fund and the Independent Church in India for Christmas gifts for the orphans. The Women of the ELCA also purchased gifts for the shut-ins of the congregation as a way of brightening their holiday season.
In November 2006, new officers, who will begin their terms on January 1, 2007, were elected at the Combined Meeting as follows:
President Kathaleen Lilley
Vice President Pam Knouff
Secretary Sharon Garner
Treasurer Carey Kendall
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of the congregation for their support of money and time to assist the ministry of the women of the ELCA of Messiah.
Respectfully submitted,
Carey Kendall
President - 2006