|
What political or social issues are most important to you? What have you done to lift your voice to bring awareness to that issue?
It feels good to read the stories of women in the ELCA. It gives me hope , understaniding and the confidence to stand up and ACT BOLDLY! For a long time I wanted to do more in the church but because of my age,I was completely over-looked or even rudely ignored. Being a woman was the least of my problems because the women that came before me made being a woman the easy part! Being a member of a small, new, and growing congregation was even harder because as people came and went trying to live out their own personal agendas, the small, unimportant "child" that I was looked past as, always somehow ended up trying to put pieces back together from the antagonists in sheeps clothing that always seemed to surface and run away with things left in disarray! I am now 22 years young, married, proud mother of one, and VERY PROUD TO BE A WOMAN OF THE ELCA! I am a part of a new generation with the motivation and love of the LORD necessary to MAKE CHRIST KNOWN and get with my sisters in Christ on our journey!
Posted by: Gloria (Erie, PA)
Posted: 10/30/2006 3:33:10 PM
Congregation: New Jerusalem
Like Linda, I was president of the women's group at 29 and served two terms on my Synod Women's board before 35. I had my share of confrontations during those times, but thankfully my youth allowed me to brush them off and keep going. Now as I approach 40 in the new year, the barriers presented by my congregation have become difficult for me to climb, and I've run out of energy to try.
As we encourage the young to speak and others to be open minded enough to listen, don't forget to support those who have been fighting all along the way. I'm tired, but willing to continue. It would be nice to have others at my side pointing out the successes of the past. Don't forget to honor the women who have been the voice of youth and thank them for their energy.
Posted by: Suzanne (Fountain Valley, CA)
Posted: 10/26/2006 4:25:12 PM
Congregation: King of Glory
One more thing -- not everything our older sisters tell us is "right". Often times in our lives, we are learning from the mistakes of our older siblings. I am also tired of older women thinking I have nothing to offer or teach them because I am young. But that's the reason I went to seminary -- to learn things they didn't know so I could teach them. I learn a lot from older women when they are willing to participate in learning events I offer. But they just don't come because they already "know it all."
Posted by: Randele (Dushore, PA)
Posted: 10/18/2006 6:29:38 PM
Congregation: Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
Being a 31 year old pastor and "younger woman" who falls into that category of which Rosemary writes, it is women who have similar opinions to Rosemary who make it EXTREMELY difficult for me to have authority as a pastor. I have more difficulties with older women in the congregation respecting me than the younger women. Yes, experience is wonderful. Yes, traditions are wonderful. But sometimes the "advice" offered by the "more experienced" borders on ignorance. They haven't been to seminary. Anbd just because I am only 31 doesn't mean I don't have life experiences that involve God and from which I have learned valuable lessons that maybe they haven't yet learned. Age isn't everything just as gender isn't everything. I am always up against both sexism AND ageism in this congregation. Just today I had one of the older women in the congregation tell me that I needed to talk less about myself in my sermons and more about God -- the problem: this woman is part of a group of women who talk all during my sermon because I am the young kid/girl pastor and have nothing important or valuable to say. So, they don't listen to the whole sermon, they only hear the parts between their conversations and snide remarks about me, so they miss the connections between the stories of daily life and the role God plays in our daily life circumstances.
Be careful, Rosemary, about the accusations you make of the younger women. The reason the younger women aren't involved in my congregation: The older women chide them constantly about the "right" way to wash and dish or serve a meal, etc,etc, that the younger women figure they just dont' need that kind of crappy attitude aimed at them in their already stressful lives. I am constantly trying to maintain a balance between the younger generations and the older generations in the congregation I serve. Yet, it happens to be the older generations who are not doing anything, or they are driving away the younger people because of all their "wrong" ideas. After that kind of "support" from their fellow women of the church, I say, "More power to them" if they take time to go to a spa, to exercise, and to keep themselves mentally and physically healthy. Maybe younger women would get more involved if older women tried some of the things the younger women like to do rather than always expecting the younger women to conform. The world is changing, and if the church doesn't do some changing, it will die -- it's called adaptation. You can preach the gospel in any setting, you just have to know the language of the audience.
Posted by: Randele (Dushore, PA)
Posted: 10/18/2006 6:11:15 PM
Congregation: Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
As a parish nurse in our congregation it has come to my attention of a serious need. A woman in our congregation needs assistance in paying for her medication. The need is urgent, necessary and life-giving. She is a breast cancer survivor. Medicare D, the prescription drug plan, has a cap on the amount of money availabe for prescription drugs. Once that has been met the participant falls into the "donut hole," and must pay for their medication out of their pocket until the catastrophic option of the plan takes over. In our congregational unit Women of the ELCA are having a bake less bake sale to raise funds and Thrivent will match them. It occured to me that if this is happening in my small town, in my congregational unit how many others are affected? How many others are without their cancer meds because they are slipping through the "donut hole?"
Posted by: Sharroll Bernahl (Fort Morgan, CO)
Posted: 10/17/2006 12:09:06 PM
Congregation: Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer
Thanks Linda P. for bringing up an excellent point. As Linda reminds us, its not just important to vote, its also important that we make informed decisions in the voting booth. A friend of mine sent me a clipping from AARP magazine (no, I'm too young to subscribe, but it's very informative!) Their campaign, "Don't Vote: Until you know where the candidates stand on the issues" (www.dontvote.com) is an easy way to access more compiled information about the candidates and where they stand on issues that are important to you. You can also look up your district by zip code.
Posted by: Beth (Chicago, IL)
Posted: 10/9/2006 11:35:39 AM
As the Clerk of a small municipality, I can assure you that voting rights are taken very seriously. States are continually updating ways to make voting available to all who are eligible. Absentee voting allows people with scheduling difficulties to place their vote. People who are hospitalized on election day have the right to request a ballot. The new HAVA (Help America Vote Act) requires municipalities to have special machines that can be used by anyone regardless of their physical limitations. There is a great deal of training involved for those who conduct elections. While I agree that voting rights are very important, we must not forget the responsibility that comes with voting. Showing up uninformed to the polls just because you can is not, in my opinion, the proper way to vote. Become informed. Learn who and what the candidates stand for. Read between the lines of those campaign ads. Citizens have a responsibility to educate themselves. Voter apathy is frightening. So is voter fraud. Our system may not be perfect, but it is still run by the people, for the people and that should never be taken lightly.
Posted by: Linda Perona (Paddock Lake, WI)
Posted: 10/6/2006 5:08:41 PM
Congregation: Christ Lutheran
Denise, I'm not judging anyone. I have been active in the church all my life. In all my adult years, I've never felt that my opinion was not valued. At 30 I was leading the adult Sunday school class and heading up my unit of Women of the ELCA. At 31 I was elected to our synodical board. At 34 I began serving on the bishop's staff. I'm 47 now and I know my opinion and contributions are still valued. I can't imagine my experience is unique -- I certainly hope it is not! Whatever the age, every person is able to bring value to a situation, and I try to honor those contributions whether the person is 10 years old or 85 years old.
Posted by: Linda Post Bushkofsky (Chicago, IL)
Posted: 10/4/2006 10:41:47 PM
Congregation: Churchwide office, Women of the ELCA
I'm "only" 45; and I SEE what Rosemary is talking about. Judge not,Linda. You haven't walked in Rosemary's shoes. My mother and mother-in-law lived it in rural ND. My congregation is decidely unfriendly for anyone born pre-baby boom. Fortunately, there are >10 ELCA congregations in a 20 mile radius. When a stalwart retired couple joins and stays, we are richer for it. I not only see it, I feel it, too. I'm prematurely retired ("workforce reductions") after 20+ years work experience; I don't have a job now so my perspectives are irrelevant, even though my children are 8 & 10 and I have served as church treasurer.
Posted by: denise (Fort Collins, CO)
Posted: 10/4/2006 9:03:50 PM
Congregation: Spirit of Joy Lutheran
Neither angry nor hurting, Linda. Just honest.
Posted by: rosemary (Trenton, NJ)
Posted: 10/4/2006 7:34:52 PM
Congregation: APLC
I really do encourage young women to be involved. In most cases it is easy to go to caucus meetings and be elected to district conventions as not that many people are invioled. Women's organization and personal skills are needed in party organizations. You can make a difference at the local level and beyond.
Posted by: Carol Sheffer (Summerfield, FL)
Posted: 10/4/2006 4:27:46 PM
Congregation: St. John
Ouch, Rosemary. Your words sound like someone who is angry or hurting. Thanks for sharing your perspective, though, since it is a different one than that shared by the authors, Amy and Audrey. I wonder if some of the differences are geographic -- NJ vs IL vs Washington DC? And to share a thought I've been saying in many places lately: just because younger women want to do something differently than was done in the past doesn't mean it is wrong. It's simply different. I'm really looking forward to reading what readers have to say in answer to the question posed here: what politcal or social issues are most important to you?
Posted by: Linda Post Bushkofsky (Chicago, IL)
Posted: 10/3/2006 7:54:29 PM
Congregation: Churchwide office, Women of the ELCA
I read both articles with interest. Funny, being a member of the now Social Security age generation, I feel that it is the YOUNGER women who get heard at congregational meetings. They want no part of the experience and wisdom of those of us who have been members of the congregation for more than 40 years. "We don't do it that way anymore - they say" This is the way it is today - you don't understand us". At one time, when I was young, it was the older people who were the advisors and mentors. Now we are ignored. As for the article on voters, I have been a member of our local League of Women Voters for many years. We are operating on almost no members - three or four of us are the ones that do the voter registration, and candidate's forums. The younger women are all "too busy" with to help. They are all "working" - like what we did for years, held jobs, went to school, and cared for families all at the same time was not work. I also serve as a poll worker, and let me tell you, except for votes to raise the school budget - again - which will price some of us out of the neighborhood, there is the lowest turn-out among the under 40 crowd. Yes, I believe it is necessary to listen to the younger women, but they also need to 1) listen to experience, 2) work to get their friends to get out and vote - and take part in the running of the local government and 3) be willing to use their free time for things other than health clubs, spas, their own exercise programs, and even some of the "quality time" with their families. Encourage their children to participate in charitable work, go to the soup kitchens with them, visit shut in and elderly people, cut the lawn or rake leaves for an older neighbor.....etc. Their is much we can learn from the younger women in the church - but they also have to be willing to listen and pay attention to their older sisters.
Posted by: rosemary (Trenton, NJ)
Posted: 10/3/2006 6:23:16 PM
Congregation: Abiding Presence Lutheran
View your post.
Top
|
