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Other decisions followed quickly in these heady days. Soon came the
logo —
 the
cross and water lily, with explanation, and guidelines for its
use. Other do’s and don’ts emerged: Don’t say "Welca" or "swo" — use the whole
name so we won’t exclude people who don’t know alphabet-speak. (So strong was
the commitment to being a hospitable, welcoming organization, that a grass
roots ditty arose with the rousing refrain: "You can say "d___" if you're in
a jam, but don't say "Welca'"!) Also, call Women
of the ELCA people "participants," not "members," to broaden the ways a woman
could link herself to the community. |
Water lily logo
The symbol — with cross, water, and a white lily — identifies Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as children of God: baptized, forgiven, adopted into God’s family, full of grace and hope in eternal life. It is a reminder of the growth, beauty, and vitality that rise out of that life-giving baptismal water. It is also a reminder of the mission of the church to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). |
The first issue of Lutheran Woman Today (LWT), the organization’s magazine, was dated January 1988 and served as a beacon for the newly forming organization. It began as a digest-size monthly that women could tuck into their purses. An amalgam of two predecessor women’s magazines — Scope from the ALCW and Lutheran Women from LCW, the magazine sought to give women information and inspiration, comfort and challenge. In 2001, LWT moved to a full-sized format with full color. It now publishes 10 times a year, with combined January/February and July/August issues. Many of the articles can be read on its award-winning Web site at www.lutheranwomantoday.org
Also appearing early on was the bimonthly Women of the ELCA Newsletter for leaders and others, chock-full of helpful information on resources, events, programs, as well as devotions and timely articles. The Newsletter would go through a number of changes until it became a monthly with the title Interchange, with a Spanish-language counterpart, Intercambio.
Fast forward 20 years, to today, when Women of the ELCA has — through the grace of God — become a vibrant, creative organization, with myriad resources, events, programs, global connections, and ecumenical sisters, a host of faith and advocacy efforts, professional staff, a budget of millions of dollars, 64 strong synodical women’s organizations, and some 500,000 women taking part in its various expressions. How does one capture the history of such a bold, daring, faithful community?