Dear Sisters in Christ,

Your Southeastern Synod Women of the ELCA (WELCA) Board and our Host Clusters, 6 – Agape and 8 -
King, are excited to invite you to our 37 th Annual Convention to be held at the Scarritt Bennett Center, 1027 18 th
Avenue, S, Nashville, Tennessee 37212-2126 on Friday, September 19, and Saturday, September 20, 2025.
(Scarritt Bennett is about 5 minutes from Vanderbilt and about 15 minutes from Nashville’s Music Row.
Our theme is “We Will Be Known Forever by the Tracks We Leave”, a Dakota proverb. We are using the New
Testament First Nations Translation of John 13:34-35 as our theme scripture: 34 …Wisdomkeeper said, In the
same way I have loved you, you are to love each other. 35 This kind of love will be the sign for all people that
you are walking the road with me.” It is our intention to honor our indigenous sisters and brothers who occupied
this land before our ancestors.

The ladies in our Host Clusters have been very busy planning a fun and exciting event for you. So please
encourage the women in your unit to attend the convention and extend a personal invitation to the young
women (ages 14-35). We want everyone to have the opportunity to join up for worship together, study God’s
Word, attend workshops, have time for fellowship, and conduct the business of this star-filled community of
women.

This year’s business will include electing a president, treasurer, and board members for the next two years. We
will also approve the budget for fiscal year February 1, 2026, through January 31, 2027. The Churchwide
Triennial will be held in 2026 so we will also elect 3 voting members to attend the virtual convention (the
Gathering will be in Des Moines, Iowa.) If you have any other business to bring before the organization, please
consider submitting a resolution. Please contact Phyllis Wade at wade.phyllis73@gmail.com for information on
how to write a resolution.

Each congregational or special unit of the Southeastern Synod Women of the ELCA is entitled to one voting
member. It is very important that all congregations be represented as we conduct the business of our
organization because only voting members can vote on any business brought before the convention. Please
prayerfully consider “leaving your own tracks” by sharing your gifts and talents with all your WELCA sisters in
the Synod.

We have several general scholarships of $100 that may be used toward your registration fee. There is also the
Whitney Hill Memorial Fund which provides $100 for a young woman 35 or under, and the Caroline P.
Gammell Memorial Fund for a woman over the age of 65. Scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-
served basis. The deadline to apply for a scholarship is July 1, 2025. Please contact Phyllis Wade at
wade.phyllis73@gmail.com for an application. Names and information submitted for scholarships are kept
strictly confidential.

For lodging on the Scarritt Bennett property, please see page 2 of this letter. Be sure to read the information
before calling and note that you will need to pay a deposit when you reserve your room.
If you would rather stay in a hotel, there are several in the area, but we have reserved a block of rooms. You
could also book lodging through Air BnB or VRBO (Vacation Rentals by Owner). We were told when we visited
that there were some units available across the street. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to
contact me or any of the board members.

Make tracks to join us and learn ways that our footsteps will be remembered as positive ones!
Blessings on behalf of your SES WELCA Board and the ladies from our Host Clusters,

Phyllis Wade
President, Southeastern Synod WELCA
 

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