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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 15

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

SYNODICAL REPORTS 15

* Established a Consolidation Loan Program for the PCW that is
designed to recast accumulated debt at a lower rate of interest.
Participation may require the PCW to seek financial counseling.

¢ LCEF will be licensed in all but three states; thus, not all PCWs
will be able to participate in these programs. For those workers
not able to participate, funding will still be available through con-
gregations or school associations.

¢ LCEF did not implement the program that would permit the ear-
marking of interest income from LCEF investments into a “spe-
cial” fund as requested by Res. 4-03 and instead has redirected
funds from the General Loan Fund for this purpose.

To date these programs have been warmly received and have
proven to be a real blessing in the lives and ministry of the
workers and their families.

Larry L. Reinhardt, Chairman

R1-8-03
President’s Commission on Women

In August of 1998, President A. L. Barry reappointed Susan
Christian (PSW), Mary Clausen (IW), Sally Henrickson (MO),
Marilyn Herz (SD), Virginia Meyers (NID), and Sharon Sherrill
(NE) to serve a three-year term on the PCW. The commission held
its first meeting in October 1998. Mary Clausen was reappointed
chair.

After Marilyn Herz resigned, Signe Carlson (MNS) was ap-
pointed in January 2000.

The PCW met eight times between October 1998 and February
2001. Members of the commission also attended the international
LWML conventions, the Great Commission Convocation, and the
synodical youth gathering.

The PCW’s task is to continue with the directives from the pre-
vious triennium, which are as follows:

Directive 1

The primary activity of the PCW during the triennium
(1998-2001) will be to focus on those issues in our society and
culture which impact the lives of the women of our church,
using the Office of Government Information as a resource.
Such issues include
¢ sexual harassment and discrimination;

* spousal abuse;

* marital divorce, separation, death of spouse;

* sexual abuse, incest, violence against women;

¢ abortion and other “life” issues;

¢ women in the workplace and as full-time homemakers;
¢ feminism and the “women’s movement.”

The PCW spent much of the triennium working on two doctri-
nally sound booklets for abused women and pastors ministering to
abused women. The booklets are entitled “Has God Abandoned
Me? A Christian Woman’s Guide to Domestic Violence” and
“Never Will I Leave You: A Pastor’s Handbook on Domestic Vio-
lence.”

The PCW established a Web page (www.lcms.org/president/
aboutlcms/pew.asp) that has a bibliography entitled “Especially for
Women: Resources That Strengthen, Comfort, and Share God’s
Word.” This bibliography list is also available from the PCW of-
fice. Other booklets prepared by the commission are also available
from the PCW office.

Recommendations
Recommendation 1

Because our investigation of the topics covered in this directive
has revealed that there is very little material available to pastors,

other church workers, and the laity that is doctrinally sound in the
area of domestic abuse, and because this lack of good material
makes pastoral counseling difficult and leaves the victims of abuse
unaware of God’s love for them, the PCW encourages that the pas-
tors and laity use the booklets “Has God Abandoned Me? A Chris-
tian Woman’s Guide to Domestic Violence” and “Never Will I
Leave You: A Pastor’s Handbook on Domestic Violence.”

Recommendation 2

Because it is easier to respond to women in domestic abuse sit-
uations when not working in a crisis mode, and because each area
of the country has different resources available, the PCW encour-
ages that each District office compile a list of resources available to
abused women in their District.

Recommendation 3

Because it is important for women to feel comfortable and not
victimized when reporting allegations of sexual misconduct, the
PCW encourages each District in the LCMS to have a woman with
professional training to whom women would feel comfortable re-
porting allegations of sexual misconduct.

Recommendation 4

Because many women who have experienced sexual miscon-
duct did not receive any help from their congregation, and because
often these women felt that no one would listen or care, the PCW
encourages the LCMS to explore how the Stephen Ministries for-
mat of training listeners could be used by congregations to help
hurting women.

Directive 2

Strengthen the relationship between the PCW and the
LWML, utilizing the full potential of this auxiliary agency of
the LCMS.

Lines of communication have been maintained between the
PCW and the LWML. Two members of the commission staffed a
booth at the international LWML conventions in Minneapolis, MN,
and San Jose, CA. The LWML’s publications have been used by
the PCW as a source of material for bibliographies.

Directive 3

Serve as a resource to the various District Commissions on
Women.

The District Commissions on Women were sent PCW updates
and all brochures developed by the commission.

Directive 4

Encourage continued study on the service of women in the
Synod, promoting those opportunities and activities which are
consistent with the Word of God.

A cross of Christian vocations was developed to handout at dif-
ferent conventions, especially at the youth gathering.

Recommendation

Because many women in the LCMS are unaware of opportuni-
ties available to them for service in the church, and because women
want to serve God in a faithful manner, the PCW encourages the
LCMS to more effectively promote Christian vocations available
to women, such as the deaconess program, mission opportunities,
and the parish nurse program.

Directive 5

Serve as a resource to the CTCR as it completes its work on
the study of women’s service in the church.

2001 Convention Workbook