 Save the Date “In God’s Hands” Florida-Bahamas Synodical Women’s Organization Fall
Gathering Lake Yale November 9,10 & 11, 2012 Only $180 for the weekend with lodging and meals included. Or commute at a reduced price. Registration forms, workshops offered, and other information will be available this summer and posted below.  Download the Save the Date flyer below that you can print and distribute to women in your church. Phyllis Wade and Diane Spicer, Co-chairs and the Planning Committee are already planning for the fall. Conference Assignments for 2012 are attached below. See the video report. for 2011.
Our theme for the SWO Fall Gathering 2011 was "Who Is Our Neighbor" based on Matthew 22:39 "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The women of the Florida-Bahamas Synod gathered at Lake Yale Conference Center near Leesburg. Congregational units each sent a voting delegate. All women of all ages participated in the worship, Bible Study, workshops, and fellowship.
Pastor Vicki Hamilton of St. John in Jacksonville was chaplain and preached at Saturday worship. Mary Delasin with World Hunger and Co-Chair of the Synod Haiti Task Force was the Bible Study Leader.
On Friday night David Weiss a theologian, writer, poet and hymnist lead us in a Hymn Sing. His poetry was set to familiar hymn tunes.
David is the author of To the Tune of a Welcoming God: Lyrical reflections on sexuality, spirituality, and the wideness of God's welcome. Copies were available for purchase and autographed on Friday and Saturday. Each conference on Saturday night presented on stage a 5-10 minute skit, dance, or presentation that portrayed various holidays of other nations. After the program refreshments from various countries were served. Many women wore cultural dress on Saturday night.
Elections were held in the business session. Linda Greilick was elected SWO President and Donna Person, secretary. Marie Clark Funk, Thelma Isaksen, Phyllis Wade, and Pat Zangmeister were elected to the Board.
The following amendments were added to the SWO Constitution to provide for board vacancies. (See Leadership page for the updated SWO Constitution).
Each amendment requires approval of the Women of the ELCA Churchwide office and was initially read during the 2009 Fall Gathering on November 13, 2009, and read and voted upon during the 2011 Fall Gathering. Both passed. Article VII, Section 4, new Item 6: At the next scheduled board meeting following the vacancy, board members may nominate any person who is a participant in a CU and a member of the ELCA to fill said vacancy, providing she has the person’s permission for nomination. A written ballot will follow and the person with the highest number of votes will be elected (rank order). A non-board member shall count the ballots and report the results to the presiding officer. Article VII, Section 6, new Item 5: At the next scheduled board meeting following the vacancy, board members may nominate any person who is a participant in a CU and a member of the ELCA to fill said vacancy, providing she has the person’s permission for nomination. A written ballot will follow and the person with the highest number of votes will be elected (rank order). A non-board member shall count the ballots and report the results to the presiding officer. Two resolutions were also passed. (See Resolutions 2011) |