The Tenth Triennial Gathering of the Women of the ELCA was held in July at the Minneapolis Convention Center and nearly 3,400 participants took part in the workshops, speakers, servant events, and exhibit area.  I attended Friday and Saturday, and Dorothy Grandstrand joined me on Friday.  The theme of the conference was All Anew.  Featured speakers addressed issues of social justice and challenging unjust systems, much like Martin Luther did.  I attended workshops on sex trafficking, next year’s Gather Bible study, women of the Hebrew Bible, and visitation with the dying.  I was also interested in the new social statement that will be presented before the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly for a vote.  It has to do with how women are viewed and treated in our culture and in the Bible and how this affects everyone’s lives.  I brought back some materials on this issue. 

$64,000 was given for various WELCA ministries, including Cherish All Children and Phebe Hospital in Liberia.  $19,000 was raised for ELCA health initiative Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls.  In Kind gifts were donated:  $19,000 in gift cards and 27,000 items of hygiene products, clothing, quilt kits and Days for Girls Kits.

In three years, the Triennial Gathering will be in Phoenix.