Lutheran Women Celebrate 35 Years in the Ministry

By Pauline J. Chang, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Thousands of Lutheran women paid tribute to the 3,000-plus ordained women pastors in the largest American Lutheran denomination last week, as they celebrated 35 years of women in the ministry.

More than 2,100 women across the United States participated in the first time event: the 35th anniversary of the first Lutheran woman pastor in North America, the Rev. Elizabeth Platz. The July 9 celebration was also a culmination of the Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Sixth Triennial Gathering, held in San Antonio, Texas from July 5-10.

The highlight of the evening, according to ELCA news service, was a presentation about women serving in the ministry. In the presentation, several female pastors – young, old, American, Polish, Tanzanian – spoke about their experience working in the field.

One of the speakers, the Rev. Barbara J. Lund, program director for East Asia, ELCA Division for Global Mission in Chicago, said women should celebrate that nearly a quarter of ELCA’s active clergy members are now women.

According to ELCA news, the presentation concluded with a video that highlighted women in ordained and lay ministry, and paid tribute to the women “pioneers” of the church.