Women Growing in God’s Grace

Conference attendees volunteering to pack Mercy Meals with Orphan Grain Train.

What a beautiful thing it is when women come together in their churches and in their homes around the Word of God! As they study the Word and journey life together, they are moved to an outward-looking lens of how they can share the gospel with others, having an impact for the kingdom.

This is what I observed when the Lutheran Women in Mission came together for their 2025 Biennial Convention: ‘Growing in God’s Grace’ (2 Peter 3:18), on June 26–29, in Omaha, Nebraska.

Kingsley and Helen Vonow attended the LWIM Convention on behalf of LM-A

The LM-A Committee of Management invited me to attend the Convention as a representative from Lutheran Mission - Australia. Some women in LM-A had reached out to President Matt Anker, asking if LM-A had any future plans for Women’s Ministry. Leaders of the LCMS encouraged Pastor Matt to send an LM-A representative to the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) Convention to learn about the LWML’s thriving ministry: Lutheran Women in Mission. My role was to observe, listen, learn, gather information and network. Spouses were able to register for the Convention and so it was a blessing that Kingsley and I could attend together.

The four-day event was held in Omaha, Nebraska. Over 3700 Lutheran women from 40 Districts across the United States congregated for worship, study, servant activities, and to make decisions about the areas of mission they want to support over the next two years. Their two-year goal was to harness resources and funds to bring their priority areas for mission around the world to reality. They agreed to raise $2,622,270 over the next 2 years to service 33 agreed-upon mission grants.

“Over 3700 Lutheran women from 40 Districts across the United States congregated for worship, study, servant activities and to make decisions about the areas of mission...”

More than 4000 people filled the Auditorium for the Opening Service held at the CHI Centre in Omaha.

Over the last 82 years they have provided mission grants to 85+ countries all over the world; every one of these countries had their flags displayed for all to see. Multiple people approached us saying they wanted to see Australia’s flag in their future flag ceremony!

Many pastors were present to support the event, and to feed the flock in Word and Sacrament, encouraging and enabling the immeasurable work of the women. 120 pastors distributed The Lord’s Supper to 4000+ people at the Opening Service in just 30 minutes!

We engaged in the pre-convention mission service projects, walking the expansive convention centre where 10 large stations were set up for people to serve. We met Kathy, who offered insight into the Orphan Grain Train ministry, feeding hungry children across the world. We listened to the story from Lutheran Braille Workers where bibles are produced in large print and in braille, for free distribution across the world. We learnt that there are 338 million people who are fully legally blind across the world.

I also looked for someone sitting on their own, to understand why they had come to this Convention and their passion for mission. As I sat down next to a lady writing thank you cards for First Responders, I met Wilma and learnt she had become a widow at the age of 51. As we talked, I felt the Holy Spirit impress on me the importance of ministry for widows. Wilma gave testimony to the exceptional comfort she had received through some LWML devotion books written for widows. I purchased some of these devotion books to bring back to Australia.

As we entered the auditorium for dinner to be seated at tables of 9, we were welcomed as friends. Approximately 3000 people were fed that evening. I asked questions and listened to their stories. I heard their passion for sharing Jesus in their community and beyond. The women couldn’t speak more highly of their mite boxes – little cardboard boxes that collect loose change (Luke 21:1-4). This ministry has funded countless areas for mission across the world. The smallest tasks, or the smallest coin, when brought together collectively, bring about huge and amazing opportunities for mission.

Lutheran Women in Mission, LWML President Eden Keefe with Helen  

Our experience continued… We were the recipients of random acts of kindness that brought tears to my eyes. Upon hearing there were visitors from Australia, Phyllis approached us sharing that in her home church, a 94-year-old lady has a ministry for people on buses. Using her skills in craft, she makes crosses for people to give them out to people on buses. We were given a cross, and a promise of ongoing prayer, that the ministry in Australia would be blessed.

A lunch time mission speaker challenged us ‘How do we engage in mission?’ … His answer was simple: Maybe we can’t go to the place of need ourselves, but we can send someone in our place. Developing nurturing communities, that bring people together around the Word of God, fosters an outward looking lens with a common goal to share the gospel. For the Lutheran Women in Mission this is often through funding or resourcing of a mission project.

A special feature of the Convention was acknowledging the large number of Young Women Representatives aged between 18 and 35.

The greatest take away for me came from talking to women, young and old, engaged in mission at the grass roots. These conversations revealed that the heartbeat of Lutheran Women in Mission are the individual women, who come with their humble skills, talents and coins, to make a difference for the kingdom. Without the heartbeat of these beautiful women in the church, none of this missionary work would be possible. There was a sense of unity that can’t be put into words.

We know that all areas and contexts for mission needs locally, nationally and internationally are different and diverse… I believe God is stirring the hearts of some people in Lutheran Mission Australia to come together in some way to make a difference for the kingdom. Maybe this is you?

It’s a bit exciting to wonder what God has planned for LM-A’s Women’s Ministry into the future…

by Helen Vonow
Wistow Lutheran Mission (Adelaide Hills)
lmawistow@gmail.com

** Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) is now known as Lutheran Women in Mission, an auxiliary of Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS).