<> Ask the Pastor The Rev. Walter Snyder Back again? Excuse me for just a minute while I peek at the past few weeks to see what we've been talking about.... There - that's better. Sorry to seem so unprepared this morning, but I've just returned from vacation, and had to remind myself what I'd written in advance for publication while I was gone. I wrote three weeks' worth of columns in advance, then slipped quietly out of town. "Where'd you go? What did you do? What did you see?" you might ask. Well, I can't bore you with vacation pictures of the Kodak variety, so I'll try to accomplish the feat with word-pictures, instead. No - my readers are much too nice to have a family vacation inflicted on them. Instead, we'll look at a few of the religious highlights of the Snyder family's trip out of town. (I guess we could also mention Mrs. S being stung by a jellyfish at Galveston. It certainly seemed like a religious experience, perhaps of the Old Testament plague variety.) Actually much of our time out of town was not vacation, but business. We attended the 29th Biennial Convention of the Texas District of the International Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML) in College Station. Despite the preponderance of Aggies, most of the jokes were of the Lutheran variety - though some tried to produce a new Lutheran-Aggie hybrid. The LWML's support of Christian mission and ministry has been expressed for many years. So has its desire to strengthen its members through the Word of God. The latter desire was expressed in the convention's theme: "Rooted in Christ, Watered by the Word," which was taken from Jeremiah 17:8. Throughout the four days we were in College Station, speaker after speaker tended to the roots and to the watering of the one thousand plus delegates and guests. This was not, however, merely a place for Christian sisters (and a few brave brothers) to find rest and refreshment. God's Word of freedom and forgiveness has, for over fifty years, encouraged members of this auxiliary organization of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod to spread the Good News. The widow's offering of mites at the temple has been the LWML's example of giving largely, even if resources are scarce. Individual members keep "Mite Boxes" at home, filling them and then bringing them to their local societies, where they are sent to the Texas District. Some of these mites go to the International LWML's work, while the rest are designated by the district's convention for special projects. Through more than fifty years, millions of dollars have been collected in Texas alone, much in pennies, nickels, and dimes. These Mites have gone to spread the Gospel and to alleviate human suffering in Texas and around the world. Using their mites for funding, the women voted to help the mentally retarded with transportation, to assist in Spanish and Russian language translation efforts, and to provide scholarships to seminary students from the Texas District. They will also aid in sending out youth volunteer missionaries for short term construction, evangelism, and teaching projects. Guatemalan women and children will receive nutritional supplements. Unchurched children can get scholarships to Christian camps. The women also gathered special offerings, and the host area benefitted with Bibles collected for the state prison, toiletries for a women and children's shelter, and more. Being a pastor at such a gathering is a delight. My brothers and I who attended were thrilled to see what we've been preaching and teaching being lived out. It took our work out of the pew and the Bible class and into the lives of people around the world. Committed Christian women spoke and sang confidently of their trust in Christ. Their joy overflowed in their words and deeds. Stewardship was not a goal or a program, just a simple fact of life. Fellowship was spontaneous and free-flowing. As an individual pastor, I was overjoyed to see such a marvelous life beyond the pew. Members of my church in Jasper and ladies I know from around Texas and the United States gave living sermons of tremendous power and beauty. My roots were strengthened and my soul watered as the Gospel flowed in action. That's it for now. Remember to "Ask the Pastor" at P.O. Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951 or via the Internet through xrysostom@aol.com. You can also stop me on the street for a chat. Walter Snyder is the pastor of St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches, Jasper and Woodville, Texas, and coauthor of "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1996 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.