Women of the ELCA

President, Linda Pendleton    EMAIL

The Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church offer several Circles that meet once a month for Bible study, fellowship, and friendship. We have one Circle that meets every Friday (Spanish language). If you are interested in coming to a meeting, please contact the leaders. Monthly Circles meet on the first Tuesday or Wednesday of the month, except for December and May when all the women join together the first week of that month at church. Some Circles also take a hiatus in July and August for the summer. (If a meeting date falls on a holiday, some changes may be made to that meeting's time.)

All women of St. Mark's are invited to join or visit any of the circles that meet the first week of each month (except for July and August when we don't meet). We'd love you have you visit any of our circles at any of these times!

As a means of honoring Margret Feigel’s life and helping the Lynbrook children that she loved so, we are collecting kids’ sweatshirts, sweatpants, and such. There will be a collection box for the items in the narthex for this on Sundays. Thank you very much for considering this.

WELCA Board Meeting

The next St. Mark's WELCA Executive Board Meeting will be on Monday, October 21, at 7:00 PM via Zoom.

November Circle Meetings

WELCA circles will meet in October as listed below. If you are currently not a WELCA member, we invite you to join one of our circles—just show up at one of the meetings—you will be warmly welcomed. Or contact President Linda Pendleton at WELCA-MIELA@stmarks-elca.org.

Deborah – Will meet on Zoom on Wednesday, November 6 at 10:00 AM. Check the church calendar for ZOOM information. Sandy will lead the Bible study on Ephesians.

Esther – Will meet on meet Wednesday, November 6 at 9:30 AM at the Friendship House. Our program will be “Holy Places” (session 3) from the November/December 2023 Gather Magazine. Nan Ackerman will be hostess and study leader.

Martha – Will meet on Tuesday, November 12 at 10:00 AM in the lounge with available ZOOM. Linda will be hostess and CarolSue will lead the second lesson entitled “Two Invitations: Proverbs about Wisdom and Folly” from the book Proverbs Bible Study.The Zoom link can be found on the calendar entry for November 12 at St. Mark’s website. 

Tabitha – Will meet Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM at the Friendship House. They are studying the Gospel of Matthew, now in Chapter 18. They continue praying for all members’ needs, especially listening for problems and anything they can do to help.

Every month, WELCA sponsors a charitable project. Our November project is donations providing items to fill stockings for children living in poverty in Wise, Virginia and Hazzard, Kentucky. For a complete list of suggested items, see below—if you cannot attend a circle meeting, but would like to donate, please send your donation to Shanon Hardy.

2024 Christmas Stockings for Wise and Hazard Children

The congregation is invited to participate in St. Mark’s Women of the ELCA November project of in-kind gifts for children living in poverty and foster care of Wise, VA and Hazard, KY. This summer, Quilts and More made 50+ Christmas stockings. The stockings are 6”x18” (small items work best!) but other larger gifts, such as board games, are also welcome. Since a volunteer will be going down the third week in November to deliver them, please bring your donations to either the Friendship House on Tuesday mornings (9:30-12:00) or place them in the box by the church office by November 12th. If anyone wants to give dollars, we can use the funds to buy coloring books and crayons like we did last year. Please indicate on your check: Wise project. Thanks so much for supporting this effort that could possibly be the only Christmas gifts received by these children this year.

Some ideas are:

Metro DC Synodical Women’s Organization (SWO) “Welcome Back” Mini-convention
celebrating “Resilience and Hope”

… was held at St. Mark’s on Saturday, September 21st. Thanks to all the hard working volunteers and donations from our St. Mark’s women who helped to make it a success!

May Combined Circle Meeting and Salad Supper …

… was held on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall. At this semi-annual salad/dessert supper, we were treated to a myriad of delicious salads from various circle members and wonderful desserts from our hostesses! Our guest speaker was Pastor Saul Cardona, who spoke about his past and upcoming mission trips to Honduras. We helped to support his ministry with a small stipend and free-will offering. Our May project was providing summer items for the children in Wise, VA with summertime sports equipment and kids clothes, toiletries, suitcases/duffle bags, socks, shoes in good condition, and gift cards.

Thanks to everyone who attended and supported our May project and Pastor Saul’s Honduras trip.

Filled Christmas Stockings for the Angel Tree in Wise, VA

On Sunday, November 12th, Janelle Swensson and her husband came to the Friendship House to collect the Christmas stockings, toys, games, children’s warm clothing, and bags of quilts for the foster children of Wise, VA. Thanks so much to all those at St. Mark’s and Springfield Firestone who filled these stockings! Your generosity in helping the less fortunate knows no bounds. And thanks to Alice Real and St. Mark’s Youth who carried all the boxes and loaded up the two SUVs. 

Here is an extract from Janelle’s email:

I cannot begin to thank-you enough for all you have done. Having your youth to help with loading was truly a gift. Please, please thank them for us. The stockings and quilts and all the accessories are all wonderful. The generosity of the gift cards and check are just overwhelming. Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you. Do you know how many lives/children you will touch and spread great light to?? It is just amazing. ~ Janelle

Again, a great big thank you to St. Mark’s—to our congregation, our WELCA Circles, Quilts and More, and the Sunday School and Youth for opening your hearts and for being a blessing to these children!

CONGRATULATIONS TO our St. Mark’s “Bold Woman” for 2024 Sandy Lind!
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SandY …

Purpose

As a community of women
Created in the image of God
Called to discipleship in Jesus Christ
And empowered by the Holy Spirit
We commit ourselves to
Grow in faith
Affirm our gifts,
Support one another in our callings,
Engage in ministry and action,
And promote healing and wholeness
In the church, society, and the world.

Link to Metropolitan Washington D.C. Synodical Women's Group 

Link to churchwide Women of the ELCA