MISSION STATEMENT: Mobilizing women to act boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ.
OUR PURPOSE: As a community of women created in the image of God, called to discipleship in Jesus Christ,
and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves to grow in faith, affirm our gifts,
support one another in our callings, engage in ministry and action,
and promote healing and wholeness in the church, the society, and the world.
Welcome to the Projects Page
Local Projects
“The Fifth Gospel Foundation”
One of our local projects for 2024 iis to provide funds to add to The Fifth Gospel Foundation. This is a perpetual endowment established through the ELCA Foundation and administered through the SC Synod. Disbursements from the Foundation will be used to provide funding assistance to Lutheran Seminary students and Lutheran Rostered Ministers assisting them to experience the Fifth Gospel first hand. We are aware that travel to this area is still on hold at this time, but everyone is praying and hoping that the peace and love will come!
War in this area has been going on since before Christ but there have been times of peace so we hope that peace will once again come to this area. As St Jerome stated “Five gospels record the life of Jesus. Four you will find in books and the one you will find in the land they call Holy. Read the Fifth gospel and the world of the four will open to you”. So, with our gifts to the Fifth Gospel Foundation we will assist others to experience and “read” the Fifth Gospel.
Neighbors Together is a nonprofit providing food, clothing, medical care, sheltering, job training, financial assistance , clothing, legal assistance and other vital services to our neighbors in the tri-county area of Charleston.
They also offer a weekly, socially distant, grocery distribution where their neighbors can receive fresh produce, non-perishable goods, diapers, toiletries, feminine hygiene, clothing and more! They work to be a safe, compassionate, and inviting place for all people in need.
Global Projects
A She Shed: helping Vwanji women!
Whenever I am in the fields in the South Western Diocese of Tanzania. I just shudder at the work the ladies are doing. All the farm work is done by hand. It is very hard. I often wondered what we could do to make their work easier.
Last October when I was visiting in the diocese, the General Secretary asked me if there was a way that we could help the women. This was the first time that in the 20 years that I have been going that we have been asked to help the women. Yes, we have had many projects for the women, but this was the first time on a diocesan level that we were being asked. I was told that the women needed help with the farming. They needed small farm machines to help with the tilling and the harvesting. I told them that I would bring this request back to our committee.
This year the Tanzania Mission 2023 team visited a farm near the village of Mukusi to evaluate the request for farming equipment. The team was overwhelmed with what they found.
First, we learned that their crops had changed and this was presenting a major issue in their farming practices. Tanzania had previously imported their wheat from Ukraine. With the war and the restrictions on Ukrainian exports wheat was no longer available to the Tanzanian. Unable to find another equitable source to import from the Tanzanian government mandated that the farmers had to grow their own wheat.
The ladies have planted the wheat. But the harvesting by hand has presented a real problem. It is a very tedious and cumbersome job. In fact they needed to hire paid help which took away any profit they made.
The ladies requested small tractor attachments that they could hook to borrowed motorcycles. This is not a good solution, and it is impractical to buy these machines for all the ladies.
There was a discussion between our team and the diocesan leadership. It was thought that we could design a co-op program where the village ladies would share the equipment. A small house would be built (She Shed) to store and maintain the equipment. There would be a manager for the equipment.The equipment needed would include:Tractor Plough (tiller) Harvester for wheat Harvester for potatoes A planterA trailer A thresher- free standing for hilly terrain Multi-crop thresher (wheat and rice)We found what we needed with the Massey Ferguson (MF) company. There are several MF dealers in Tanzania and places where we can get repairs if needed. It is my hope that they can direct us on what size tractor we need and one that these attachments will fit.Please help us with this important life-saving project. Make checks payable to SCWELCA. Note: “She Shed” on the check.
Cathy Milejczak
Camp Kinard BUILDING+RENEWING+BELIEVING: HOLY SPACES CAMPAIGN
Pleae consider contributing to this campaign. to the left you will see the drawings of the new Chapel to be build. The Chapel/Multi-Use Meeting Space will have seating for 180 people, and a 287 sq ft. kitchen. Fully accessible for all guests. 495 sq. ft. Lobby/Break-out and a space with scenic lake views with a wrap-around porch. Estimated cost: $1,800,000. for updates go to https://sclrc.com/campaign/.
Make your check payable to SCWELCA. Also note on the check, “Camp Kinard”. Mail to: SCWELCA, c/o Rachel Quesada, Treasurer, 520 Timber Lane, Anderson, SC 29621.
Newberry College Nursing Scholarship
In 2021, the South Carolina Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have established an endowed scholarship for nursing students at Newberry College. After our recent pandemic, we have seen the toll and devastation that occurred within our nation and the world. This fund is just a small but mighty step in assisting in the development of nurses who will provide healing and wholeness to the church, society and the world.
SCWELCA pledged to raise $10,00 by their 2022 convention to start the endowed award. On July 12, 2022, organization leaders presented Newberry College with a check for $24,785, more than doubling their initial goal! Word had gone out to congregational members, friends, and neighbors to share the dream. The response was overwhelming.
It is our hope is that this scholarship will help with the shortage of qualified nurses in South Carolina and across the country. The Palmetto State has the fourth largest shortage in the nation, with more than 10,000 nursing vacancies expected by 2030, according to the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis.
All future donations to the SC WELCA Nursing Scholarship should be mailed directly to Newberry College, 2100 College Street, Newberry, SC 29108. Please note in the memo: SC WELCA Nursing Scholarship.
