This week, we celebrate a ministry that has existed for more than 75 years. The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League(LWML). This organization is, simply put, the women of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, working together to share the Good News of Jesus around the world.
In the local congregation, the women of LWML work together to encourage and support women of faith. Think of it as a classic women’s ministry where people are there to support one another and celebrate with one another in life’s ups and downs. Like any ministry in the church, the primary gift given to each other is Jesus. The women gather and pray, encourage and support, study the word of God and challenge each other to live out the faith.
The Motto of the LWML is from Psalm 100:2 “Serve the Lord with gladness.” Throughout the last 75 years, the LWML has become most recognized for their global mission support. It all started with a widow’s offering in the Book of Mark where a poor widow puts what today would total about $0.55 in the offering plate.
Jesus, who saw this action of the widow, stood up and celebrated her action of faith. The LWML has taken this account as inspiration and for 75 years has collected change in “Mite Boxes” to be given to missionaries around the globe. This collection of change has led to over $100 Million collected and given directly to missionaries.
This week, we will celebrate God’s work through the LWML and encourage one another that every little bit given in faith does more than we can ever imagine. I am certain that those women who founded the LWML 75 years ago had no idea that it would persist to accomplish all that it has. When we take our gifts to the Lord in faith, we can be sure God will multiply it and accomplish everything He desires both for the gift and for us!
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” Ephesians 3:20-21
