IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT
Dear Women of the ELCA,
Grace and peace to you all. We are in the final days before our 2022 convention and I thank God that we will be able to come together in person again after all this time apart! I’m looking forward to seeing you and being back in
fellowship with you soon. Our annual convention is a time to gather and complete the business of our organization, recognize the accomplishments of our units across the Synod, exchange ideas, and return home re-energized for another year of God’s work and ministry.
While I am filled with joy and love for this community I must tell you, there is something weighing on my heart as well. The Southeastern Synod Women of the ELCA is supported by each one of you, by each member within our WELCA units. We are not allocated funding from our congregations, the Southeastern Synod, or Churchwide Women of the ELCA; our funding and budget is made entirely of contributions from you. You support this organization and keep us here working to support our missions.
Our annual convention is designed to pay for itself with registration fees alone. The contract and hotel we are in this year (2022) was initially drawn up and signed in 2019, based on how our enrollment was in 2018. Projections for 2020 would have similar needs and turn out like 2019. When the 2020 convention was canceled due to COVID the hotel agreed to roll it forward to keep us from having to pay the 65% of total “no-show” fee. They rolled this contract forward for another year due to the pandemic. Finally, we were required to fulfill the contract in 2022 and meet the terms of the contract that was signed in 2019. We were not able to change any terms of the contract, including the number of rooms expected to be booked and the number of participants expected for meals.
Unfortunately, this year, our first convention back since the pandemic, our return to “the table” has been too low to break even. We are 70 participants shy of the 2019 contracted participation. The board has had to use all its remaining resources to meet the obligation of the 2019 Hilton contract. To be clear, all gifts from the 2022 Convention will go to their designated missions, and those that would have gone to the budget for 2023 will be used to pay for this convention. That means that we will not have sufficient funds going forward until we start receiving gifts from WELCA units meeting in their circles, and spring cluster meetings.
I am asking if you can step up and make a gift to your Southeastern Synod WELCA, to help us put money back into our account, so we can continue to plan and support you in the year to come. Please send your donations to our synodical treasurer, Diana Palma, at312 Honey Locust Court, Peachtree City, GA 30269. Thank you.
Blessings,
Shirley Connelly
President
Southeastern Synod Women of the ELCA
Grace and peace to you all. We are in the final days before our 2022 convention and I thank God that we will be able to come together in person again after all this time apart! I’m looking forward to seeing you and being back in
fellowship with you soon. Our annual convention is a time to gather and complete the business of our organization, recognize the accomplishments of our units across the Synod, exchange ideas, and return home re-energized for another year of God’s work and ministry.
While I am filled with joy and love for this community I must tell you, there is something weighing on my heart as well. The Southeastern Synod Women of the ELCA is supported by each one of you, by each member within our WELCA units. We are not allocated funding from our congregations, the Southeastern Synod, or Churchwide Women of the ELCA; our funding and budget is made entirely of contributions from you. You support this organization and keep us here working to support our missions.
Our annual convention is designed to pay for itself with registration fees alone. The contract and hotel we are in this year (2022) was initially drawn up and signed in 2019, based on how our enrollment was in 2018. Projections for 2020 would have similar needs and turn out like 2019. When the 2020 convention was canceled due to COVID the hotel agreed to roll it forward to keep us from having to pay the 65% of total “no-show” fee. They rolled this contract forward for another year due to the pandemic. Finally, we were required to fulfill the contract in 2022 and meet the terms of the contract that was signed in 2019. We were not able to change any terms of the contract, including the number of rooms expected to be booked and the number of participants expected for meals.
Unfortunately, this year, our first convention back since the pandemic, our return to “the table” has been too low to break even. We are 70 participants shy of the 2019 contracted participation. The board has had to use all its remaining resources to meet the obligation of the 2019 Hilton contract. To be clear, all gifts from the 2022 Convention will go to their designated missions, and those that would have gone to the budget for 2023 will be used to pay for this convention. That means that we will not have sufficient funds going forward until we start receiving gifts from WELCA units meeting in their circles, and spring cluster meetings.
I am asking if you can step up and make a gift to your Southeastern Synod WELCA, to help us put money back into our account, so we can continue to plan and support you in the year to come. Please send your donations to our synodical treasurer, Diana Palma, at312 Honey Locust Court, Peachtree City, GA 30269. Thank you.
Blessings,
Shirley Connelly
President
Southeastern Synod Women of the ELCA
THIRTY-FOURTH ANNUAL CONVENTION
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THEME DATES LOCATION BIBLE VERSE HYMN LOGO CHURCHWIDE REP CHAPLAIN KEYNOTE SPEAKER SPECIAL GUESTS MUSIC DIRECTOR PARLIAMENTARIAN WORSHIP SERVICES LOVE OFFERING IN-KIND GIFTS REGISTRAR HOST CLUSTER CONVENTION CHAIR BOARD LIAISON |
Together at the Table - Tasting Grace September 16-18, 2022 Hilton Atlanta/Marietta in Marietta, GA And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10 We All Are One In Mission Linda Few Joy Michalicek, President of the Churchwide Women of the ELCA Pastor Dawn Bennett Pastor Tiffany Chaney Pastor Patti Axel, Asst. to the Bishop Dana Lee Smith Jennie Mae Smith Friday evening, Sunday morning Churchwide Women of the ELCA M.U.S.T. Ministries Barbara Schwanebeck Cluster 2 Kathy Seraphine Louise Iconis |
The 2022 Bulletin of Reports and other convention information is attached below.
Please note you will need to make your hotel reservations directly with Hilton Hotels by calling 1-800-445-8667. You must mention the code SOUSCI to receive the posted rate of $129.00 per night.
Rooms will be released starting August 1 and cannot be guaranteed after August 15.
If you prefer to book your room online just click on the link below.
www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink
Rooms will be released starting August 1 and cannot be guaranteed after August 15.
If you prefer to book your room online just click on the link below.
www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink
Need help setting up a Zoom meeting for your cluster or congregational unit? Or maybe you want to hold a monthly Bible Study like Cluster 3 or start a craft workshop? Our organization has a Zoom account which is available to congregational units, clusters or synodical committees.
All you have to do to get started is fill out the Request Form attached below and send it to our ZOOM Coordinator, Christeen Yerby, at cyerby@bellsouth.net. She will set the meeting up for you and send you the link to invite others to your event. It's as simple as that!
All you have to do to get started is fill out the Request Form attached below and send it to our ZOOM Coordinator, Christeen Yerby, at cyerby@bellsouth.net. She will set the meeting up for you and send you the link to invite others to your event. It's as simple as that!
IMPORTANT DATES
Sep 16-18 34th Annual Convention - Hilton Hotel & Conference Center, Marietta, GA
Sep 25 Southeastern Synod Women of the ELCA Sunday
Nov 4-6 Fall Board Meeting - Lutheranch, Tallapoosa, GA
Jan 31, 2023 End of fiscal year - All 2022-2023 offerings must be received by this date
| reg_form.pdf |
| zoom_mtg_request.docx |
| 2022_arg_final.pdf |
| weaver_july22.pdf |
| weaver_apr22.pdf |
| weaver_dec2021.pdf |