A printable PDF can be found at the end of this article.

What is the Lutheran Women's Missionary League?

The Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML) is an official auxiliary of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS).

It has as its "mission heart" thousands of volunteers who are daily dedicating their lives to making a difference in this world.

It is also “Lutheran Women in Mission,” a phrase that reflects the object of the LWML, adopted by the Board of Directors in January 1998.

It is women who are finding avenues to use their God-given talents as they meet the challenge to share the Gospel message.

It is composed of individual women and women's groups within congregations of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, on campuses, in resident homes, or in other settings.

It provides individual membership to women in LCMS congregations with or without a group affiliated with the LWML. Women may have an interest in the mission and ministry of the LWML – and wish to be part of the organization – but cannot, for a variety of reasons, be part of a local group. Individual membership is designed for these women.

It seeks to develop and maintain a greater mission consciousness among the women of the Synod through education, inspiration, and service.

It places a major emphasis on the support of mission and ministry throughout the world by means of Mite Box offerings. These Mite Box offerings have funded over 100 million dollars in mission grants since the organization’s inception in 1942.

The Mite Box

Based on the Biblical account of the widow’s mite (Luke 21:1–4), the Mite Box is intended for regular contributions of “mites” — offerings above and beyond the support given to the congregation and the Synod. Mite Box contributions amount to millions of dollars that fund district and national mission grants and implement the LWML program.

Mite Boxes are available from the district, zone, through the LWML Catalog, and/or online. They are distributed to every woman in a group, and often to each member of the congregation. Mite Boxes ideally will be located in a prominent place where all who see them will be reminded to contribute regularly and pray for the grant recipients. Some congregations display a large version of the Mite Box so those who do not attend LWML events may contribute their mites.

Mite Box offerings should be gathered at LWML functions, preferably with a prayer or a Mite Box devotion. Some resources are available as free downloads at www.lwml.org. Groups remit Mite Box contributions regularly to a designated district financial officer; individuals may send their mites to that same district financial officer.

Learn more about Mite Boxes and their history.

View printable PDF of this article, LWML Basics and The Mite Box