WV-WMD Women of the ELCA

Synodical Women’s Organization 2022 Report
For WV-WMD Synod Assembly

The Synodical Women’s Organization (SWO) is part of Women of the ELCA.

The levels of organization are:

• Unit — Congregation
• Cluster — same as Conference in the ELCA; semi-annual gathering
• SWO — Synod-wide; role is to support our units and clusters
• WELCA — church-wide
  

Members of the SWO Board:

• Gail Kohlhorst — Co-Chair
• Priscilla Horner — Co-Chair
• Denise Porter — Treasurer
• Beverly McDonald — Secretary
• Linda Buckel
• Barbie Chewning
• Sara Pemberton
• Lynn Schillings
• Pat Schillings
• Stephanie Setley — Lutheran Lines editor
• Jonalee Young
  

The SWO Board continued to meet 2-3 times during COVID. We did this virtually using Zoom.

NEWS from WELCA — Church-wide

• In person 31st Convention and Gathering cancelled
• Virtual convention held August 2021
• New, updated Constitution — allows for virtual meetings, conventions, voting; changes made to membership, unit, cluster, SWO leadership requirements allowing for women from same congregations and/or clusters on SWO Board; number of executive board members required — The new constitution can be found at WELCA.org, Resources
• New executive board members elected
• Changes to staffing of WELCA executive staff

NEWS from SWO

• Convention held virtually in September 2021; previous convention was postponed due to COVID
• NEXT Convention – Sunday, September 18 – Tuesday, September 20, Noon, 2022 – Canaan Valley Resort – IN PERSON
• New WELCA constitution adopted
• New Board members elected
• The Marjorie Wolf SWO Scholarship for Seminarians was officially named. Scholarships were given to Mary Sanders and Devin Ames.
• Transition Meeting held — Fall 2021
• New life is needed for all parts of our organization
• 1st Annual Spring Fling Cluster Event — May 21, St. Paul Morgantown, 10 AM – 2PM — * Theme: Taking Back Joy through Service
• Discussion and work on service projects being done in units

The Spring Fling was held with Beverly McDonald leading the day in the absence of Priscilla Horner. Continental breakfast was prepared by SWO board members and served in the narthex of St. Paul, Morgantown. Chaplain Courtney, of WVU Campus Ministry, led the Bible study on the theme, Bringing Back Joy through Service; this was held in St. Paul sanctuary. Service projects presented were knitted or crocheted prayer shawls, hand-tied quilts for LWR, and tied, fleece blankets. At this point, the shawls are given to those who are ill or bereaved; LWR distributes quilts world-wide; fleece blankets are given to those who are experiencing homelessness across the synod. Yarn and directions were provided for prayer shawls. The attendees tied a quilt for LWR; 6 fleece blankets were completed with various churches in the synod taking one. Attendees brought non-perishable food items to take to a local food pantry; a drawing was held for this with St. John, Red House winning. Lunch was provided through SWO monies. Pictures from the event are on our Facebook page – WV-WMD Synod SWO. Other news can be found there as well. Stephanie Setley manages this page for us.

Respectfully submitted,
Priscilla Horner,
SWO Co-Chair