History of the LWML Heart to Heart Sisters

History of the LWML Heart to Heart Sisters Program 2001 -present

Purpose Statement Heart to Heart Sisters Task Force The Heart to Heart Sisters Task Force is to be an advocate and plan programs for an ongoing effort within the LWML to ensure the participation of ethnic women of our church in mission. 2001

Seven Goals of the Heart to Heart LWML will recognize and celebrate the ministries of ethnic women leaders and introduce them to the LWML through a national convention. The LWML will also provide opportunities for leadership training in the creation and support of regional ethnic advocates. Sisters Task Force in 2001 The Heart to Heart Sisters Task Force will facilitate the creation of LWML societies within ethnic congregations of the LCMS. LWML will have an active and ongoing communication network among ethnic women of the LCMS. The Heart to Heart Sisters Task Force will be a resource for national committees, District Presidents, zones, and societies of the LWML will partner with LCMS World Mission and other Lutheran entities to sponsor the Heart to Heart Sisters program. Acknowledging the importance that LWML places on leadership training, Heart to Heart Sisters recommend that additional training be offered on a continuing basis. The Heart to Heart Sisters Task Force recommends that Heart to Heart Sisters become a permanent presence within the LWML.

Inception The Heart to Heart Sisters Task Force was formed. A mission grant proposal for $50, 000 was written, presented, and approved in 2003, at the Oklahoma City LWML Convention. The Gospel Outreach Committee planned the first Heart to Heart Preconvention Gathering, “Heart to Heart Sisters: a Cross-Cultural Experience, ” for the Oklahoma City LWML Convention.

2003 Highlights LWML not only values diversity, but intentionally makes an effort to partner with ethnic women. At the National Hispanic Conference in Los Angeles, LWML offered a breakout session about LWML and the creation of Spanish-speaking societies. 22 women leaders from Hispanic and African American ministries participated in the Oklahoma City LWML Pre-convention Gathering, “Heart to Heart Sisters: A Cross-Cultural Experience. ” Three H 2 H Sisters served on LWML national level committees. H 2 H Sisters were asked to translate articles and Bible studies into Spanish for each issue of the Lutheran Woman’s Quarterly. A Heart to Heart Sister participated in Mission-Ministry -Vision Consultant (MMV) training in St. Louis. H 2 H Sisters were featured in cover articles for the Lutheran Woman’s Quarterly. Several H 2 H Sisters provided educational presentations for districts and zones to promote ethnic inclusion.

Highlights of 2004 A simulated cross-cultural experience, Ba. Fá, was presented to LWML District Presidents and members of the Executive Committee. The Hmong Ministry and the African Immigrant Ministry each were represented by one of their women who served as a member of the Heart to Heart Sisters Task Force. LCMS World Mission contributed $15, 000 to fund the participation of 10 African Immigrant women who attended the H 2 H Pre-convention Gathering in Tampa in 2005.

2005 Highlights 40 women participated in the preconvention program at the Tampa LWML Convention. 2003 Heart to Heart Sister Jacqui Green was selected to address the convention. Heart to Heart Task Force has permanent home within Gospel Outreach Committee 17 H 2 H Sisters from 2003 attended the Leadership Luncheon to mentor new sisters. Living and Learning Heart to Heart, a multicultural resource, was introduced by LWML. 62 women attended the Heart to Heart Sisters program at the Tampa Convention. Quarterly Editor-in Chief is bilingual in English and Spanish. 5 Heart to Heart Sisters served on national LWML committees; 3 H 2 H Sisters from 2003 served as presenters at the Pre-convention Gathering. LCMS World Mission presented “Ablaze!” at the H 2 H Sisters Pre -convention Gathering.

2006 Highlights Heart to Heart Sisters informed others: Black Ministry Family Convocation, Hispanic Ministry Convention, Hmong Conference, and African Immigrant Ministries Conference Updates on goals and plans for the current biennium were shared with the LWML Exec. Committee, Bd. Of Directors, LCMS Bd. For Mission Services. H 2 H Sisters from 4 ethnicities participated in Mission-Ministry. Vision Consultant training in St. Louis. The Chairman of the Gospel Outreach Committee participated in MMV training with H 2 H Sisters trained as MMV Consultants represented the following ethnic groups: African Immigrant, Hispanic, African American, and Hmong.

2007 Sioux Falls, South Dakota Heart to Heart Sisters were the recipients of a convention offering totaling $39, 671. The H 2 H Sisters Program remained under the Gospel Outreach Committee. 15 Native American women and women of Muslim background participated in H 2 H Sisters training. 2003 H 2 H Sister Angelina Gomez spoke about the work of Heart to Heart Sisters at the 2007 Sioux Falls Convention. 8 H 2 H Sisters were named to national LWML committees and 3 served as chairmen of their committees. LCMS World Mission/Ablaze partnered with LWML, providing funding and an “Ablaze!” presentation for the Preconvention Gathering.

2009 Portland, Oregon At the 2009 LWML Convention in Portland, Oregon, the number of Heart to Heart Sisters grew to 107, as 30 more ethnic women participated in the training. 8 Heart to Heart Sisters were named to national LWML committees and 1 served as chairman of the Heart to Heart Sisters Task Force. LCMS World Mission provided $5, 000 to help fund the Heart to Heart Sisters Gathering in Portland.

2011 Peoria, Illinois The Heart to Heart Sisters Program was named a task force and later a standing committee by LWML under the leadership of President Janice Wendorf. Here she is (third from left) attending the 2011 Heart to Heart Sisters Luncheon. Also pictured from left to right are H 2 H Sisters Tomasita Spann and Maria Rios; Melissa Salomon, Task Force Chairman, 2009 -2011; Marilyn Mc. Clure, VP of Gospel Outreach; and H 2 H Task Force Member Angelina Gomez.

District Leaders 2011 Sisters The first year that LWML hosted two Heart to Heart programs 16 women were trained as H 2 H Sisters District Leaders. 19 women were trained as Heart to Heart Sisters. These women were trained to begin Heart to Heart Sisters programs in their own districts. These women were informed about the LWML and mentored to develop skills to actively participate in LWML. Other Highlights: Between 2003 – 2011 , Heart to Heart Sisters featured in cover articles of the Lutheran Woman’s Quarterly were Melissa Salomon, Cynthia Khan, and Abeba Tzeggai. Heart to Heart Sisters continued to translate articles and Bible studies into Spanish for each issue of the Quarterly. LCMS World Mission continued to provide funding for the Heart to Heart Sisters program. Heart to Heart Sisters became a standing committee through a bylaw change adopted at the Peoria LWML Convention in 2011.

Members of the 2009 -2011 H 2 H Sisters Task Force were responsible for coordinating the first District Leadership training to support the creation of H 2 H Sister programs in the districts. The Heart to Heart Sisters Task Force hosted the first Heart to Heart Sisters District Leadership Training Program at the 2011 Peoria LWML Convention. Pictured are members of the 2009 -2011 H 2 H Sisters Task Force: Sharon Rapp, Mary Smith, Abeba Tzeggai, and Angelina Gomez; missing from this photo is Melissa Salomon, Chairman of the Task Force. The LWML Heart to Heart Sisters program is committed to valuing the ministries of ethnic women throughout the LCMS.

2011 Peoria, Illinois LWML voted to make the Heart to Heart Sisters a standing committee to be under the newly named Department of Special Focus Ministries. LWML Department of Special Focus Ministries Heart to Heart Sisters Committee Ethnic Women Leaders in the LCMS

Heart to Heart Sisters National Committee 2011 -2013 Hannah Loum, Margo Dupre, Chairman Angelina Gomez, Nancy Parra, and Saron Yohannes In June 2013, in Pittsburgh, LWML hosted, for the second time, two Heart to Heart Sisters programs: • A training program for Heart to Heart Sisters District Leaders who were trained to establish programs in their own districts; • A regular H 2 H Sisters program in which women learned how to actively participate in the LWML. To date, we have served 168 women at national LWML Conventions through the Heart to Heart Sisters Program and many more throughout the districts.

The Heart to Heart Sisters Program, an intentional effort to include ethnic women in the life and work of the LWML, is now a standing committee of the LWML under the Department of Special Focus Ministries.

Acknowledgements Historical information was documented by Heart to Heart Sisters Task Force members Marilyn Mc. Clure, Vice President of Gospel Outreach; Melissa Salomon, Heart to Heart Sisters Task Force Chairman; and Angelina Gomez, first Chairman of the national Heart to Heart Sisters Committee, 2011 -2013. Power. Point created by Margo Dupre, national Committee Chairman for Heart to Heart Sisters, 2013 -2015.