Celebrating our Senior LWML District Presidents!

As you probably know 21 of our 40 LWML district presidents (DPs) are elected one biennium and 19 are elected the other biennium. This past week in St. Louis, 21 of our presidents attended their final Board of Directors Meeting as representatives of their districts. This is the year of district conventions and elections will be held and new leaders will take their places as presidents in their districts.

These “senior” DPs, as they are known, have been in office for four years. Past LWML President Kay Kreklau welcomed them to their first board meeting in January 2015. I’m sure as they look back they remember how much they didn’t know and how nervous they were. Now four years later they can look back and see how God walked with them and provided them with what they needed to do their jobs.

Those senior DPs were there to welcome me to my first Board meeting in 2016. They have been instrumental in celebrating our 75th Anniversary, welcoming a new LWML logo, and examining convention changes, restructure proposals, and financial issues for the organization. They have worked hard for the national organization besides the work they do in their districts.

As they gave their farewell last week, they presented me with a knockdown, gorgeous quilt. This quilt was made of fabric given from each district and constructed by LWML Nebraska North District President, Crystal Miller. To say it is fabulous in an understatement! In the corners, the new icon of LWML and the logo from Albuquerque convention are stitched. In the third corner is a butterfly with all their names on it. I believe there are around 400 butterflies on it either appliqued or quilted into it.

I’m going to bring it to convention in Mobile so all of you can admire it. I’m so honored to receive such a fantastic gift.

My butterfly theme, “Engage, Encourage, Equip, and Enjoy” has represented what I, personally, see as what LWML Women in Mission do. The butterfly represents God’s grace that is at the heart of our faith, our work, and our joy.

Thanks to all the senior DPs for what they have done for the Lord!

Thanks for the lovely reminder of the abundance of God’s grace! It’s overwhelming.

Love, Patti

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God    (Ephesians 2: 8).