July 2025
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18
“Growing in God’s Grace” was the theme of this year’s Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) – Women in Mission biannual convention which was held June 26-29, 2025 in Omaha, Nebraska.
The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League is the official women’s auxiliary of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Did you know that membership is automatic for any woman who is a member of an LCMS congregation?
The overall focus for the LWML is proclaiming Christ, supporting missions, equipping women, and serving others. The Lutheran Women’s Missionary Guild officially began in 1942. Specifically this month, as we talk about MISSIONS, it’s interesting to note that over the past 83 years, Lutheran Women in Mission have raised over $100 million for missions across the world.
Just prior to this year’s convention, NIDnews.org was able to speak with Rev. Roger Drinnon (NID LWML Junior Pastoral Counselor; Associate Pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School in Bourbonnais, Illinois), Lori Solyom (NID LWML Vice President of Communications; member at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lombard, Illinois), and Emilia Waugh (NID LWML Treasurer; member at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Belvidere, Illinois) about their experiences with LWML involvement, to learn more about the LWML Mission Grants, and to find out what they were most looking forward to at this year’s convention.
Lori has been able to attend consecutive conventions since 2015. She commented that the busyness of the convention and the “whirlwind of activity” offer several highlights for attendees. “For some, it’s the opening worship serve where thousands of Lutheran Women in Mission, pastors, and guests gather for Divine Service and receive God’s gifts. The entire event is a wonderful demonstration of unity of faith and purpose, with women coming together to select new Mission Grant recipients and hear from previous beneficiaries. We gather for inspiration, motivation, encouragement, and fellowship as sisters in Christ, from across the country – and in some cases, from around the world.”
She continued, “I personally love the Parade of Nations – the procession of flags representing different countries and mission fields where LWML supports missions and missionaries. It highlights Lutheran Women in Mission’s global reach and gospel focus. There are so many wonderful speakers and session leaders, but I’m particularly looking forward to hearing from our Northern Illinois District’s own Rev. Kris Whitby, who is one of the convention’s keynote speakers.”
Mission Grants are a large focus for these Lutheran Women in Mission. The grants are funded by the collection of “mites” since the group’s founding way back in 1942 at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church in Chicago, Illinois. At the time, those women collected all the change they could spare to support LCMS missionaries. They called the change they gathered “mites” based on the biblical accounts in Mark 12:41-44 and Luke 21:1-4 when the poor widow brought her two mites to the temple as an offering.
Modern day mite collection is a bit different. Individual churches gather mites and then move funds onward to help support local initiatives and LWML at the district level. Each district sends 25% of their mites to fund national grants and then uses the remaining 75% to primarily fund local efforts. At the LWML NID Convention, held in even years, NID Mission Grants are voted on for the biennium, and the mites gathered by congregations in that district fund those grants. At the LWML National Convention, held in odd years, the same things happens with the mite money which has been send from each of the districts. Over $2 million in mites are designated to national level Mission Grants.
The types of organizations which benefit from all of these grants include: food pantries, pregnancy care centers, prison ministries, Walcamp, Belize Mission Society, Lutheran Heritage Foundation, disaster relief efforts, LCMS seminaries, and organizations that care for widows and children, among others. In addition to the LCMS and the two LCMS seminaries, any LCMS Recognized Service Organization (RSO) is eligible to apply for an LWML grant.
Emilia’s favorite part of the conventions is to see which Mission Grants are selected. “It is a real glimpse into the work that God is doing through the LCMS, both through Synod initiatives and working through Recognized Service Organizations (RSOs). The incredibly wide impact that our mites have is astounding to see. In the past few years, I have gotten to see how God uses our mites to share His Word with communities around the world and to care for all of His people…”
Pastor Drinnon looks forward to seeing Lutheran Women in Mission come together to pray for, support, and fund mission work around the world. “Each time I attend a convention, I’m filled joy—it feels like a glimpse of eternity as we whorship together in the Divine Service. The entire experience is uplifting and deeply encouraging.”
Pastor Drinnon also shared that the Lutheran Women in Mission in the NID voted to grant funding for several missions at their 2024 district convention, including: Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne Food Co-op, the Phil’s Friends Hope Center in Kankakee, Lutheran Heritage Foundation, the Rev. Dr. William and Ella Mae Griffin Community Center Food Pantry, Food for Thought – Feeding more Children in Belize, Worship Anew, and St. John’s Lutheran Church in La Grange, Illinois. These Mission Grants from the LCMS Northern Illinois District Lutheran Women in Mission alone totaled more than $100,000!
It’s incredible to think that what seemed like such a small beginning with the spare change from some faithful women in Chicago has turned into such a movement which has been able to make a lasting impact on ministries throughout the world.
Emily commented that even though she grew up in the LCMS, she really didn’t know much about the funding of LWML Mission Grants. The women she knew had kind, giving hearts filled with love for others and a passion for service and ministry. They made quilts, visited nursing homes, and made lunch for grieving families. She shared, “At my first LWML National Convention, it was incredibly eye-opening to see the financial impact that LWML has and how God graciously lets us be a part of His work through our mites. Having known many LWML women in my life, it makes sense that the same women who I have seen fervently and relentlessly pray, recite Scripture with ease, and use their God-give gifts to care for those around them, would also do what they are able to financially support God’s work.”
Lori summed it up well: “I’m sure any woman can acknowledge that life is full of challenges. We face many challenges, and thanks to God’s grace, abundant blessings. What a joy it is to have the gift of other women who, like us, are striving to walk in the light of Christ through shadows and sunshine. For many of us, Lutheran Women in Mission has served to be a wonderful source of fellowship, support, and encouragement as we serve alongside one another, sisters in the Lord together.”
May the Lord continue to bless these faithful women, the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, and the countless ministries receiving prayers and financial support with Mission Grants.
For more information, please visit NID LWML or the National LWML.
(Please also watch for Part II of the July 2025 Ministry Theme: Missions, as we learn more about mission trips to Seine Bight, Belize. Expected publication date: July 15, 2025)
WITNESS: Encouraging personal witnessing, congregational engagement with their community, support of our NID partnerships and missions, and sharing in a world mission field together.