At this year’s synod convention, the Cross-Stitch organization took a trip down memory lane along with Mrs. Sherry Duin, a member of the Florida Chapter. Her presentation, “With Your Prayers and with Your Bounties You Can Do What God Commands," brought back the earlier days of the women’s groups in our congregations. She reminded those in attendance about the honor, purpose and responsibilities that the women’s groups played in the social structure of the churches. She outlined the several functions that the groups served. They were groups of ladies that worked hard to provide the church with its necessities when the general offering could not stretch far enough. The women gathered together to raise money for both home and foreign mission work. The women left a legacy and heritage that Mrs. Duin suggested is Biblically founded, not old fashioned, but pertinent to the church’s needs today. These objectives were all served well by the presentation title: Forget Not All His Benefits.

There were reminiscences of the organizations and tasks: different ladies groups like the Ruth, Esther, Young Mothers circles; different committees that women served in such as the banner, altar, food, dinner, and property committees; and different sources of fundraising like quilting, baking, knitting, cooking and so on.

Mrs. Duin’s goal was to inspire the women of the ELS not to forget the heritage and legacy that their predecessors passed down. She said that it does not matter whether or not women today do not do the exact same thing that those ladies did before, but she encouraged our generation to stay active in the service of the church and look for ways to socialize and serve. She also entreated the churches not to forget these very important social groups in their prayers, but to encourage them to continue and do the important work that they have done for so long.

Samuel Gullixson is a student at Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary in Mankato, Minnesota.