Highlights - 2020 LWMS Board Meetings

2020 Winter 

The Board of Directors (BD) of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society (LWMS) met February 5, 2020, via a video conference call. 

LWMS membership stands at 835 congregations and 11 individual members.

On January 9, 2020, a delegation of BD members; Cynthia Natsis, Patsy Kramer, and Sheila Frey traveled to New Ulm, Minnesota, for the Martin Luther College (MLC) dinner to honor senior students and to introduce them to LWMS.

Ruth Schmitzer, past BD member, is attending the Western Wisconsin and the Minnesota teacher conferences to present information on the kids c.a.r.e. program and how it can be used in the classroom. The BD may consider using volunteers from other areas of the country to present at their local conferences.

The new 2020-2021 Home and World Missions Projects book is available either online or as a printed copy. A new section of Joint Mission Projects is included. Printing costs were covered by the Joint Mission Office and the Church Extension Fund.

The BD continued planning for the 2020 Annual LWMS Convention in Athens, Georgia.

The Send One Sister/First Time Attendee mixer will again be held at the 2020 Annual LWMS Convention. This year it will be hosted by past BD members.

A new Legacy Endowment Fund brochure is in progress.

Standing and Ad Hoc Committee News

The LWMS Awareness Committee reached out to 18 women’s retreats. To date, seven have accepted the Purposeful Passion flyer for inclusion in their event materials.

BD Decisions

Due to declining student attendance, the BD decided to discontinue future MLC dinners. Monies allocated for the dinners will be re-directed to teacher outreach through displays and presentations focusing on the kids c.a.r.e. program at teacher conferences.

The BD approved a final slate of candidates for the 2020 BD ballot.

2020 Spring 

The Board of Directors (BD) of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society (LWMS) met April 2-3, 2020, via video conference calls. 
LWMS membership stands at 840 congregations and 11 individual members.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the BD had discussions on whether to continue with planning for the Annual LWMS Convention in Athens, Georgia, or to transition to a virtual convention. A planning committee was appointed to pursue options for a virtual convention.

Since the Central Office cannot do batch mailings at this time, the recommended bylaws changes will be posted on the website for member review prior to the upcoming convention business meeting.

With the last BD circuit visit to be completed in the fall, the remaining monies allocated for visits will be re-directed to presentations at teacher conferences. The presentations will highlight the kids c.a.r.e. program. Support for teacher conference presentations will be added to the LWMS Wish List.

Patsy Kramer, president-elect, shared highlights of her mission trip to Nepal. Circuits are encouraged to invite her to present at their rallies.

Standing and Ad Hoc Committee News

The BD approved appointment of Sallie Draper to serve as social media woman on the Communications Committee.

BD Decisions

The BD approved the purchase of flags for the countries of Bangladesh, South Korea, and Uganda.

2020 Convention

 Due to the retirement of Vicki Behringer from the Central Office, job opening applications were posted.

Prayer calendars are available for ordering from the Central Office.

A pre-paid membership registration was donated by St. Paul, Onalaska, Wisconsin. It was given to the mission congregation Intown, Atlanta, Georgia. 

The LWMS Annual Business Meeting will be held via video conference on June 26, 2020.

A new website, welstasteandsee.com, was created for the Taste and See event. Devotions, opening and closing services, the flag presentation, Moments with Missionaries, and other activities were posted over a two-week period from June 27 thru July 11, 2020. The website will remain open for a year following the event.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the BD decided to transition planning for the Annual LWMS Convention in Athens, Georgia, to a virtual convention. LWMS will partner with the WELS Mission Office and Taste of Missions to create a combined Taste and See event.
LWMS membership currently stands at 814 congregations and 11 individual members.
The Board of Directors (BD) of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society (LWMS) met multiple times from April 17 thru June 26, 2020, via video conference calls. 

Standing and Ad Hoc Committee News

The LWMS Awareness Committee (LAC) developed Watch Party materials for promoting the Taste and See event. The materials are available on the Taste and See website.

Positions will be available on LAC and the Communications Committee. If interested, LWMS members are encouraged to contact President-elect Patsy Kramer at presidentelect@lwms.org.

BD Decisions

The BD approved an application for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan under the CARES Act. A loan was approved and received. It is anticipated that the loan will convert to a grant according to program guidelines.

The BD approved discontinuation of the Befriend a Missionary Ideas Forms and annual  submission of the forms by the circuits.

 

2019 Summer

To be held August 26-28, 2020 in Waukesha, WI.

Standing and Ad Hoc Committee News

BD Decisions

2020 Fall 

To be held in Sharonville, OH, November 19-21, 2020.

Standing and Ad Hoc Committee News

BD Decisions