Sioux Falls Convention Highlights -- a report from Carolyn Blum. 

Those of you who were privileged to attend the 2007 national LWML convention in Sioux Falls know what a treat it was!

The convention was filled with singing, fellowship, Bible study, elections, joy...and most importantly, MISSIONS! We heard from missionaries in the field, voted on mission grants, were entertained in song by a young lady from Africa, contributed to mites through our offerings and mission pledge walk, prayed for missionaries, interacted with missionaries in the LCMS World Mission exhibit, shopped for mission articles in the LWML store and the CPH store, discussed missions while we waited in lunch lines....shall I go on and on??!!

Our District was highly involved with various aspects of the convention:

• One of the grants submitted by women in our district, for our deaf brothers and sisters, was voted to receive funding (see the national website www.lwml.org for a complete listing of grants chosen);  
• Jan Wendorf, a member of our SWD from Grafton, was elected to serve as national president for the next four years. She is the very first of our 16 national presidents in the LWML's 65-year history to be from South Wisconsin! Please keep her and the other officers in your prayers; 
• Our "Friends Into Serving Him" (teen LWML) group from the Neenah-Menasha area, under the direction of Deb Kinne, presented a skit "FISH on the Rocks" at the Friday night talent show and did a wonderful job;    
• Our 27 zone delegates voted on mission grants, officers and bylaws;  
• Our two Young Women Reps, Paula Duveneck (Haven) and Cindi Gill (Lyndon Station), represented us well while performing servant events, interacting with other young women from all over the United States, carrying a banner representing the country of Chile in the Saturday opening procession, and accompanying me as I carried our beautiful district banner in the Friday morning procession;   
• Many in our district delegation raised mite money at the mission pledge walk (a total of over $82,000 was donated by walkers from all the districts, with pledges still coming in!). The funds will be applied to the new $1,700,000 national mite goal for the 07-09 biennium; and   
• Many of our district women sang in the convention choir.

Our district, along with the North Wisconsin and Northern Illinois districts, made a bid to host the 2015 national convention in Milwaukee. Iowa East and Iowa West made a bid for Des Moines. God wanted the convention to be held in Des Moines, as with a 32-vote difference (out of about 600 votes), the convention delegates awarded the bid to the Iowans. Some SWD LWMLers have expressed disappointment, which is understandable, as we would have been very willing to host that event. However, we need to remember that God will be in Des Moines, too! And we will attend, be uplifted, vote for new officers and new mission grants...and have a great time. (Plus, we will not need to do any of the work!) We will have another opportunity to make a bid for the 2023 national convention.

Pictures from the convention are available to view; click here to see them.
Also, be sure to check out the pictures and stories on the national LWML website at www.lwml.org . You'll see Jan's picture, with outgoing president Linda Reiser, on the home page (and many other places, too). In the pictures from Thursday evening's communion service, there is one of a woman wearing a purple SWD ID on her shoulder. Can someone identify her? Her back is toward the camera, so it's hard to determine! (And I just discovered that the next picture on that page shows me (bright pink dress) waiting in line for communion...what an awesome experience to commune with over 5,000 of my LWML sisters! And if you look on the Friday pictures, you'll see a photo of the teen FISH group performing their skit.

Be sure to ask your delegate about her experiences at convention. Hopefully you will be able to attend when she speaks to your zone.

Make plans now to the next national LWML convention to be held in Portland, Oregon on June 25-28, 2009. Many convention attendees will agree with me: This was the seventh national convention I've attended, and each one is better than the last!

Praise to God for safe travel back and forth to South Dakota, for giving us the privilege to participate in His mission work and to enjoy the wonderful fellowship of our sisters in Christ from all over the United States. To God be the Glory!

Carolyn Blum, President
South Wisconsin District LWML