Árdís - 01.01.1964, Page 37

Ársrit Bandalags lúterskra kvenna
35
The Lutheran Women's
League
INGIBJORG J. OLAFSSON
I have been requested to write, in a short form, the history
of the Lutheran Women’s League. The reason for that request
being the fact that there seems to be a misunderstanding about
the activities of the League. Knowing that such misunderstanding
is caused by lack of information, I am complying with that request.
The Icelandic Evangelical Lutheran Synod was organized in
the year 1885. Congregations belonging to the Synod were both in
the United States and Canada. That year and during the following
years women’s organizations were formed in various Icelandic
communities with the aim of giving assistance to the newly formed
congregations. The aim of these organizations was not confined to
giving financial aid only, our pioneer women were deeply religious
and had a strong desire to strengthen the influence of their beloved
Lutheran Church and to beautify the places of worship.
Shortly after the turn of the century voices were heard to the
effect that these women’s organizations would be able to give more
effective aid and have more strength if united in a central organi-
zation. Such a bond of union also would give added strength to
the church and bind its members closer together. With that view
in mind a meeting was called in Selkirk, June 20, 1925, with repre-
sentatives from various communities. There it was decided to form
a central organization which all Ladies Aids belonging to the Ice-
landic Lutheran Synod would be invited to join. A committee was
chosen to write out a constitution, officers were chosen as was an
executive. The name given to this central organization at that meet-
ing was “The Union of Women’s Organizations of the Icelandic
Evangelical Lutheran Synod of America.” The following year its
first convention was held at Gimli and yearly conventions have
been held since.
I wish to draw to your attention the fact that the League was
organized in 1925—seventeen years before the Synod joined the
United Lutheran Church of America in 1942.
In 1930 the name was changed to Lutheran Women’s League.