The organization builds on the strong history of women’s missionary movements, Bible study, and service in which our foremothers engaged. Some of us recall stories from our grandmothers of how they saved “egg money” (from the sale of eggs) so they would have money to donate for support of missionaries in other countries. You may have heard how our foremothers trudged through snow for hours to get to Bible study at another woman’s house, hung their stockings on the line to dry while they studied, and then trudged home again the same day. Or you may have heard about schools and orphanages built in various parts of the world with women’s Thankofferings. Of course, that’s only part of the history.

Today, women’s lives have changed. Women enjoy access to a wide variety of careers and have greater freedom and ability to contribute to the ministries they value. Women also now have the opportunity to respond to the call to ordained ministry as well as the call to teach Sunday school. Still, embracing the world as God’s gift and God’s people as sisters and brothers, being committed to growth in faith and action, standing for justice with the poor and oppressed — these remain.

Whether Women of the ELCA is new to you or you are a current participant, you’ll find in this section of our Web site, six sample models for shaping or reshaping your unit’s ministry, how to contact the churchwide organization’s board and staff, information on ways to give, a list of synodical women’s organizations (with Web site links, if available), and links to some of our ministry partners (such as Lutheran World Relief).