Women of the ELCA
If you are a woman and a member of Brandon Lutheran church you are a member of WELCA too! Contact the office to get a WELCA Handbook for more specific information on our many ministry activities.
2019 Officers:
Co-Presidents - Sheila Aaker and Mary Entinger
Vice President – Nancy Pietz
Secretary – Nancy Steers-Beaird
Treasurer – Laurie Johnson
Director of Justice – Linda McCoy
Director of Discipleship – Deb Klein
Director of Stewardship – Lorraine Osheim, Marlys Byre & Diane Rollag
Work Groups
All the women of the church are divided up into 3 Work Units. These units are called upon occasionally to help provide food and workers for funerals or other special occasions. You may only get called once or twice a year – depending on the need. This way all women have a chance to serve and the more active circle members don’t get overloaded with the work load.
January Highlights for WELCA
Upcoming Events
Janaury 3,10,17,24,31: Quilting, 9:00 am, Fellowship Hall (downstairs)
January 7: Executive Board Meeting, 7:00 pm, Martin Luther Room
January 8,15,22,29: Tuesday Stitchers, 1:00 pm, Fellowship Hall (downstairs)
January 8: Prayer Shawl Ministry, 9:30 am, Nursery
January 12: WELCA Gathering - 9:30 am MLR
January 16,17: Circles Meet
WELCA Gathering – Saturday, January 12 – 9:30 AM in Martin Luther Room
Join us as we begin the new year! Our speaker will be Jamie Lennon, Development Director from Lutheran Social Services. He will highlight the current “Campaign for Hope”. Resurrecting Hope for the many individuals and families LSS serves throughout the state.
Our time will include coffee/treats served by the Executive Board, as well as a business meeting to install our new officers on the Executive Board and approve the 2019 budget.
The new 2019 WELCA Handbook will also be available.
A New Years Resolution Suggestion:
Do you make an effort to think of New Year’s Resolutions? Maybe you just ignore it or laugh it off! However, it really is a good time to take a look at your faith life and how you might make a few steps to improve your own status as well as making a difference in our community for someone else. All women of our church are members of Women of the ELCA.
Brandon WELCA would like to suggest a challenge to you: Attend or participate in one more WELCA supported activity that you have not done before. Just ONE. Here is a list of possibilities:
-Attend a WELCA Gathering/General Meeting
-Invite a friend to Circle
-Attend a Circle Meeting
-Help tie a quilt
-Make cards with Faithful Greetings card making group
-Attend a special event such as Sip and Paint
-Help the Ice Cream Social Committee or make a pie
-Help serve at a funeral
-Donate supplies for personal care kits
-Attend a Freezer Ministry cooking session
-Make a cake for the Funeral Committee
-Sign up for the prayer chain
-Volunteer to help one Sunday with Equal Exchange coffee/chocolate sales
-Donate and item to the Heritage Festival Bake Sale
-Help make food for the Heritage Festival dinner
Whatever you decide to do – KNOW that it is much appreciated, you will be warmly welcomed, and it will be good for both you and your church family.
Fundraisers help support our Benevolent Budget. Some of the Groups/ Ministres WELCA support are:
Local- within our congregation
- Bible campers
- BLC Sunday School
- Vacation Bible School
- Noah’s Ark Preschool
- BLC Debt Retirement Fund
Community Giving - (Outside our congregation)
- Lutheran Social Services
- Church on the Street, SIoux Falls
- Bethany Meadows
- Noah's Ark Preschool Scholarships
- Lutheran World Relief
- Lutherans Outdoors in SD and Shetek Lutheran Ministry
- Student Ministry Programs at SDSU, USD, Augustana
- Family Connection
- St Dysmas Prison Ministry
- Brandon Valley Food Pantry