The 62nd Biennial Convention of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML) South Dakota District was held June 3 and 4 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Yankton. Here, they celebrated 50 years of The Puppet Place at the South Dakota State Fair with a puppet show by Pastor Andrew Utecht and family while also celebrating the 80th year of being Lutheran Women in Mission. Among the over 240 attendees from across the state were Florence Powers, Sandy Brandt and Lyla Brandt of Avon. The theme for the event, "Walk in Love" based on the Bible verse "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 4:32-5:2.

Jan Wendorf, 16th president (2007-2011) of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League, was the Keynote Speaker. Greetings from LWML were given by Marie Chow, LWML Vice President of Organizational Resources. Our humorous interrupter was Katy Gifford, past LWML Nebraska South District President, from Wheaton, MN.

Convention Offerings: 2022-2024 Mission Grant Goal $3,166.49 and The Puppet Place $2,875.91.

Those attending the convention participated in the following Servant Events: tied 31 fleece blankets for the Orphan Grain Train; collected 692 pairs of eyeglasses for the Mission Opportunities Short Term (MOST) Ministries and 80 witness bracelets. Finger puppets (456) and Cross in my Pocket (212) were made for The Puppet Place at the SD State Fair. Gifts from the Heart: River City Crisis Center received $885 for meal coupons and 1,527 donated items and $775 was collected for ZoeCare, both organizations are in Yankton.

Delegates selected 12 mission grants totaling $55,000, to be funded during the 2022-2024 biennium:

1) Black Hills Pregnancy Center Earn While you Learn Program, Rapid City - $5,000.

2) Financial Assistance for Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, IN Food and Clothing Coop - $5,000.

3) Feeding Haitian Children Physically and Spiritually - $5,000.

4) International Students Making Jesus Known to the World, Concordia Seminary - $5,000.

5) Faith Lutheran Daycare and Preschool Playground Area Upgrade - $5,000.

6) Luther's Small Catechism for African Missions, LHF - $5,000.

7) Mozambique Sewing Project, LCMS International Mission Africa Region - $5,000.

8) Faith and Hope Center, Siberia LCMS Office of International Mission Eurasia Region - $5,000.

9) Spanish Braille Bibles for Central and South America, LBW - $5,000. 10) Soldiers of the Cross,

10) Soldiers of the Cross, LCMS - $5,000.

11a) Jesus Door 2 Door - $1,000.

11b) Teachers to the World, MOST Ministries - $4,000 (partial).

Officers were also selected to four-year terms.