President's Update

Dear Sisters in Christ,

I hope you had a relaxing Christmas enjoying family and friends and are looking forward to a blessed New Year! My husband and I were happy to have our youngest son, from Los Angeles, home for two weeks and our oldest son, from Iowa, for a few days. Visiting with family and friends is always a blessing, even though things may not go as planned and tempers become short. My youngest son, who is trying to break into the movie business in LA like everyone else, reminded us to be kind to each other. Thanks to Dan for reminding us to be lights for one another. God brings us his hope and light and this is discussed in “Fear not”, the December Gather magazine article.

“When the carols have been stilled, When the star-topped tree is taken down, When family and friends are gone home, When we are back to our schedules, THE WORK OF CHRISTMAS BEGINS: To welcome the refuge, to heal a broken planet, to feed the hungry, to build bridges of trust, not walls of fear, to share our gifts, to seek justice and peace for all people, to bring Christ’s light to the world.” I love this statement on Facebook by Michael Dougherty, as it seems to bring everything into perspective.

Some WELCA reminders for the New Year:

* Check out Daily Grace, a daily reflection that is an app on your phone.

* Look at the Bold Café, which is a monthly blog/article. The article for December is “Beyond Perfection”.

* Order and read the Gather magazine which has great articles, devotions and Bible studies. My circles at Grace Lutheran Church in Springfield use these for our meetings.

* Thank offerings- collect daily offerings at home for blessings you have received and then turn them into your church for WELCA in November around Thanksgiving.

* Support the ministries of the Women of the ELCA. Contact our treasurer, Lynn Smith, if you have questions.

* Give to Katie’s Fund to support leadership and training for women.

* Please read our Winter 2018 C/SIS WELCA newsletter and give us feedback and articles to put in about your churches and Circles! Send your articles and photos to Penny Madlinger @ pmadlinger@gmail.com

* Celebrate BOLD WOMEN’S DAY February 24 by writing an article about someone in your church you admire and look up to for her involvement in your church and WELCA.

* Join the WORLD DAY OF PRAYER on March 1, 2019.

* Enjoy your circles and WELCA events and come to our Biennial Convention October 11-12, 2019!

Your Sister in Christ,

Jean Scherer,

President, Central/Southern Illinois Synod Women of the ELC A