Oklahoma City, OK--Some 6,000 men, women and children filled the Cox Convention Center Thursday night for the opening worship and communion service of the 30th biennial Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML) Convention in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, hosted by LWML'ers of the Oklahoma and Mid-South Districts.

Voices filled the arena with strains of "Lift High The Cross" as the cross led the opening procession of Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod clergy and the LWML executive committee.

LWML President Virginia Von Seggern of Nebraska offered words of welcome and encouragement with the call to worship shared in Chickasaw, English, Spanish, and American Sign Language.

Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod President the Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick urged worshippers to "share the hope within you" with those who do not yet know Jesus Christ as their Savior. "Every second, one person dies without the hope of everlasting life in Jesus," said Kieschnick, who snapped his fingers, counting off the seconds, to emphasize souls lost. He added those who claim no religious preference now represent the third-largest group in the United States behind Roman Catholics and Baptists, so today, more than ever, it's critical for Lutherans to share their faith with others.

"Jesus," Kieschnick said, "gives us hope both for eternity and for our lives today ... He is right here with you tonight and every night, in your times of grief and pain, as well as in times of joy and gladness."

Delegates adopted a mission goal for the 2003-05 biennium of $1,575,000 and chose 14 projects to fund with their "mites," or contributions. The new goal is nearly $100,000 more than the $1,478,056 contributed by LWML members over the past two years and represents only one avenue of mission outreach by the auxiliary of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod.

As the new projects were selected, the some 4,500 LWML members at the convention were encouraged by LWML President Virginia Von Seggern to "Feel God's challenge to actionWe are now in a new biennium and we will, with God's help, raise a new record amount of money for mites!"

The Myriad Botanical Gardens Walk Path provided a change of pace for almost 1,000 members of the LWML. Starting at 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning each walker enjoyed the beauty of the rain-washed gardens and the encouragement of other LWML walkers and joggers. Each participant knew that every step made was supporting vital mission work around the world. The event earned over $58,000 to help fund 14-newly selected mission projects of the LWML of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

Those 14 mission projects selected for the 2003-05 biennium include the following:

• $75,000 to allow international expansion for the Lutheran Adoption Network;
• $100,000 for the Mission to Southeast Alaska for VBS and Bible studies in remote areas;
• $60,000 to support abandoned women and children in Latvia;
• $100,000 to provide worship services and facilities for ministry to impoverished families in Guatemala City;
• $75,000 to develop, produce and distribute materials for Lutheran Special Education;
• $50,000 to provide Heart to Heart scholarships for ethnic women wishing to attend the 2005 LWML convention;
• $100,000 as seed money to support the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod staff to provide assistance in Afghanistan;
• $60,000 to train evangelists and pastors to bring the Gospel to the people of Kazakhstan;
• $70,000 to support non-resident LCMS missionaries in high-risk areas of the Southern Philippines;
• $71,000 to establish an outreach to immigrant Afghani women and children in Lansing and Grand Rapids, MI.;
• $54,000 to support the Concordia Day Care Center in Bangkok, Thailand;
• $47,000 to respond to Mission Opportunities Short Term (MOST) ministries in a New Christians Project;
• $100,000 to provide Bibles and training to ethnic children with Partners in Mission in the Minneapolis, MN., area;
• $20,139.11 to help provide a storefront facility for the Beth El Messianic congregation in New York City.

Worshipers at the convention's opening service Thursday contributed $34,360.82 toward the new goal which will continue to grow through individual and society donations over the next two years.

The delegates elected a new President for the next four years. Linda Reiser, Grand Island NE, was chosen to represent the 250,000 member auxiliary of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the second-largest Lutheran denomination in North America. Reiser stated that she hoped to be faithful to the footprints of the past LWML presidents with current president Virginia Von Seggern included in that list. "May we be found faithful as a new Executive Committee to continue those footprints in the future for these YWR's to follow."

Other officers were selected including: Kaye Cairns, Aurora, CO, as Vice President of Human Care; Marguerite Christman, Midwest City, OK, as Vice President of Servant Resources; Louise Rickey, Turlock, CA as Treasurer; Reverend Larry A. Miller, East Helena, MT, Pastoral Counselor. Also elected on the same ballot was the next convention nominating committee, Janis McDaniels, Greensboro, NC, will serve as Chairman, with Nancy Graf Peters, Poughkeepsie, NY, Faith Richardson, Steeleville, IL, Jane Kaestner, Idaho Falls, ID, and Marlys Taege Moberg, Milwaukee, WI, rounding out the LWML nominating committee.

The women of the LWML were kept very busy with a mixture of activities. These included servant events, many keynote speakers and a special presentation by Alice Brauer, RN, who has served for the past 35 years as a medical missionary in India and Dr. Jotham Johann Jhang's presentations on his work with the Center for Asian Missions and Evangelism. The women were treated to a special Wild West show offered by Discoveryland Saturday night. The convention concluded with a worship service with the Rev. Dr. Thomas R. Zehnder, Williamsburg, VA, serving as Proclaimer. The meeting was adjourned with installation of the new LWML officers and highlight video of the convention.

The Lutheran Women's Missionary League, with a membership of over 250,000, is the official women's organization of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The LWML focuses on affirming each woman in her relationship with Christ to enable her to be in ministry among the people of the world. For 60 years the organization has been encouraging and equipping women to live out their Christian lives in active mission ministries and to financially support global missions.

 

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