Women of the ELCA carries out its purpose statement in three mission areas. These mission areas are intentionally interdependent and overlapping.

To enable each woman to value her and others as disciples created in God's image and redeemed through Jesus Christ; and to build up and celebrate relationships that are global, diverse, and interdependent.

To provide a variety of learning and growth experiences that strengthen each woman as a disciple, develop her sense of call as a child of God, and equip her for further ministry in God's world.

Mission: Action

To enable women to articulate and act upon their faith as disciples of Jesus Christ in all areas of life.

The governance for Women of the ELCA calls for the Executive Board to establish the "ends"--the vision, the goals--for the organization. The staff of the Women of the ELCA provides the "means"--the resources, opportunities, and ways in which the ends may be achieved. The ends are statements of what we, as an organization, value and the clarifying phrases are our desired outcomes. While all of the ends are important to ongoing work and continue to be addressed in various ways, the Executive Board has chosen the ends of spirituality, worship, anti-racism, and stewardship for the organization's focus in 1999-2002.

ENDS STATEMENTS AND
CLARIFYING PHRASES

Spirituality

Women freed to embrace and celebrate the relationship God offers to them.

Women living the Gospel of Jesus Christ by testifying to, witnessing to and reflecting God's love

Women, accountable to God, developing as servant leaders

Families nurtured in their faith development and in their commitment to live in harmony with one another and in the community

Women celebrating God's created diversity

Women intentionally confronting their own prejudice and racism, affirming diverse gifts and partnering with one another in God's ministry.

• Vital, healthy congregational units functioning interdependently with synodical women's organizations and the churchwide women's organization and within congregations
• A vital, healthy synodical women's organization in every synod functioning interdependently with congregational units and the churchwide women's organization and relating to its own synod
• A vital, healthy churchwide organization functioning interdependently with synodical women's organizations and congregational units and within the Evangelical Lutheran Church I America

Women recognizing that all they are and have belongs to God

Women working to change systems and structures that oppress and alienate

• Women understanding that community includes affirmation of each person's God-given worth
• Full and equal access to education for all women aware of opportunities for global ministries
• Women recognizing that education is a continuing and life-long journey for the individual and the church

Women gathering as the baptized, with worship central in their life together

A safe place where women who process issues of gender are validated in making choices which affect their own destinies

Women in community pursuing that which makes for peace