Pleased to introduce …
Bible Study Leader for 2010 November Gathering
Barbara Martyn, Diaconal Minister
First Lutheran, Fullerton
Greetings From Hawaii -- By Juli Patten, Vice President
God is calling! Women need to listen!
One day as I was walking into church I noticed a newsletter on the bulletin board. I think it was even fluttering, maybe to catch my eye. I stopped to look at it. It was a scholarship application for the Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America annual convention in San Bernardino. Of course I immediately grabbed that paper and started to fill it out, not! I kind of wondered aloud, ?Where the heck is San Bernardino?? I spent the next week getting various answers to that question, none of them started with a beautiful seaside retreat, or a lovely resort town, or a mountain retreat, no, most people just said somewhere in the middle of California.
Well believe it or not the next Sunday once again I walked past the bulletin board and flutter, flutter, flutter. I don’t remember much wind. I reached up, made sure no one was looking and grabbed the scholarship application and put it in my purse.
I am a very faithful member of a very small church. There are maybe 20 people on an average Sunday and the only women’s group we had at the time was which two of us were in the kitchen washing up at the same time. I’d never heard of W-ELCA and had no idea how that little fluttering paper might change my life.
I took it home filled it out and popped it in the mail. I didn’t tell anyone about it, I thought they might think I was nuts. I prayed about it and left it in God’s hands. One day I received the letter that told me I had received the scholarship and would be attending my first W-ELCA event in sunny San Bernardino.
God had a hand in this as he saw me floundering in my faith and realized I needed a strong community of Lutheran women to ignite my passion for the Lord. I was nominated by Betty Flom to run for a position on the board and the rest as they say is history. I have never been stronger in my faith and I now lead a women’s Bible study at my own little church. Sometimes it’s just me and my pastor but I know in my heart I am listening to what God is calling me to do! I have loved every minute in this organization and have made life-long friends and sisters in Christ.
Watch for the fluttering of that paper on the bulletin board, some may think it is only a convention registration form, but if you listen carefully, maybe it is God calling you to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to be a bold women in Christ! We will be there when you heed the call! Come find your boldness and renew your faith! Join us for the W-ELCA November Convention…
“Best Friends… Devoted to God, the World and One Another”
Romans 12:10-11 “Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in Spirit...serve the Lord”
Pacifica Women of the ELCA Convention 2010
Location: King of Glory Lutheran Church, Fountain Valley, CA
November 5-7, 2010
I will be there, won’t you join me? When we walk together there is peace and serenity, our burdens our lighter, our hearts are open and ready to be filled with love and fellowship!
