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

Organization/Structure

LWML districts usually conform to LCMS district boundaries and are under the guidance of their LCMS district(s). Application for membership as a district is submitted to the LWML Board of Directors for approval and is subject to ratification by the LWML Presidents Assembly. Districts:

  • write their own bylaws, which must conform with LWML Bylaws regarding name, object, members, representation at LWML conventions, and parliamentary authority;
     
  • must submit bylaws and amendments to the LWML Structure Committee for approval before being presented to the district membership for adoption;
     
  • organize their member LWML groups into zones conforming to LCMS circuit lines whenever possible;
     
  • determine their own structure and method of transacting the business of the district, subject to the above restrictions; and
     
  • designate the membership of the executive committee and board of directors and determine the authority between conventions.

Officers

Districts determine the number of officers and terms of office. Generally officers are:

  • President;
  • Vice Presidents, two or more;
  • Secretary, one or more;
  • Financial officer, one or more, (who, with any other officers authorized to handle funds, are bonded); and
  • Pastoral Counselor, one or more, elected or appointed, who serve in an advisory capacity without privilege of vote.

Districts also determine:

  • Appointed officers (and whether or not they have the privilege of vote) such as:
    • Editor;
    • Meeting Manager;
    • Strategic Planner; and
    • Public Relations Director.
  • Special appointed personnel (and whether or not they have the privilege of vote) such as:
    • Archivist-Historian;
    • Assistant (Secretary) to the President; and
    • Parliamentarian.

Nominations

The purpose of the Nominating Committee is to select candidates who will provide the best leadership for the group. Unless the bylaws specify differently, the Nominating Committee should make every effort to secure as many qualified candidates for each office as possible. This allows the voting delegates the opportunity to select their leadership for the next administration from a slate of capable individuals for each office, those who will serve the organization well.

Standing Committees

Standing committees should be appointed as outlined in the district bylaws, correlate to LWML departments, and be composed of:

  • a chairman who correlates to an LWML Vice President; and
  • two or more members who may be called coordinators (or directors) and may correlate to LWML committees.

Districts may give their committees the same names as the LWML departments or choose other titles. Suggested standing committees, their makeup, and purposes include:

  • Christian Life Committee – provides materials and opportunities that nurture members’ spiritual lives and is composed of:
    • Chairman, Vice President of Christian Life;
    • Christian Events Coordinator (Director), correlating to the LWML Christian Life Committee, who plans and organizes Christian nurturing events such as retreats and prayer services and aids zones and societies to do the same; and
    • Christian Materials Coordinator (Director), roughly correlating to the LWML Christian Resources Editors, who informs members of and maintains an inventory of a variety of resources suitable for use by individual members and for use at activities and events.
       
  • Communication Committee - (Some districts may choose not to have this committee and assign duties to a Public Relations Director and/or newsletter Editor). The committee promotes and publicizes programs and events of the district and is composed of:
    • Chairman, Vice President of Communication;
    • District newsletter Editor, correlating to the Official Publication Staff, who solicits and edits news articles for the district LWML publication; and
    • Website Coordinator (Director), performing one of the duties of the LWML Vice President of Communication and maintains the district website.
       
  • Gospel Outreach Committee – promotes mission awareness and support for mission opportunities, especially for LWML mission grants, and is composed of:
    • Chairman, Vice President of Gospel Outreach;
    • Gospel Outreach Coordinator (Director), correlating to the LWML Gospel Outreach Committee, who encourages and equips women to become personally involved in sharing the Gospel with all God’s children and coordinates participation by women of the district in Gospel outreach opportunities with existing mission programs sanctioned by the district and synod; and
    • Mission Awareness Coordinator (Director), correlating to the LWML Mission Grants Committee, who promotes mission awareness and support for district and LWML grants, and develops ideas for increasing Mite Box contributions and other offerings; and
    • Mission Servants Coordinator (Director), correlating to the LWML Gospel Outreach Committee, who encourages sensitivity in women toward those who are hurting and in need, provides resources and encouragement to enable knowledgeable and biblical comfort to themselves and others, is alert to crisis situations, enlists help from members to supply provisions for those with immediate survival needs, and coordinates LWML Gifts from the Heart.
       
  • Organizational Resources Committee – provides guidance to members of the district that enables them to develop their talents, helps them build viable societies and zones, assists with keeping the bylaws current, and is composed of:
    • Chairman, Vice President of Organizational Resources;
    • Growth and Development Coordinator, correlating to the LWML Growth and Development Committee, who provides resources, ideas, and techniques for encouraging more LCMS women to participate in the mission and ministry of the LWML; to develop new LWML groups; and to assist and encourage existing groups and individual women to personally reach out with God’s love to all women;
    • Leadership Development Coordinator, correlating to the LWML Leadership Development Committee, who identifies women with special abilities and talents to serve in leadership positions in LWML and provides ideas, techniques, and resources which will enrich and encourage gifted individuals to serve in leadership positions; and
    • Structure (Bylaws) Coordinator (Director), correlating to the LWML Structure Committee, who examines and evaluates the district bylaws, proposing amendments deemed necessary; and receives and examines zone bylaws and proposed amendments, approving those not in conflict with LWML district or national bylaws.
       
  • Special Focus Ministries Committee – provides support to young women and to women of all ethnicities, encouraging their participation in the district LWML and is composed of:
    • Chairman, Vice President of Special Focus Ministries;
    • Young Women’s Coordinator (Director), correlating to the LWML Committee on Young Women, who intentionally identifies, encourages, and provides opportunities for young women to affirm their faith and develop their gifts in service to the Lord through the LWML; she also promotes the Young Woman Representative (YWR) program at the LWML level; and
    • Heart-to-Heart (H2H) Coordinator (Director), correlating to the LWML Heart-to- Heart Committee, who identifies, develops, supports, and encourages women leaders in ethnic ministries; she also identifies and coordinates cross-cultural opportunities within the district LWML, thus emphasizing the church’s rich diversity.
       

View printable PDF of this article, District Structure