LWML Texas District Conventions

LWML Texas District 44^th Biennial Convention
June 11–13, 2026
Austin, Texas
DoubleTree by Hilton Austin

Convention Registration and Hotel Reservation open March 1, 2026.

Theme: Celebrate the Goodness of God
Scripture Verse: Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer (Romans 12:12).

2026 Texas District Convention

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Online Convention Registration click here.
Online Hotel Reservation click here.
Convention Registration Form
Participant Release (waiver)
Group Delegate/Alternate Certification Form
Convention Agenda
2026 Convention Offerings
2026-2028 Mission Grant Proposals
Proposed Bylaw Revisions
Slate of Candidates
On-site Servant Events
Gifts from the Heart Recipients
Keynote Speaker
Proclaimer
LWML Representative
Mites in Action Speakers
Enrichment Sessions
Humorous Interrupters

Past convention videos may be viewed on our YouTube Channel.

Convention Information

Registration

The 44^th Biennial Convention of the LWML Texas District will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Austin, 6505 North Interstate 35 Frontage Road, June 11–13, 2026. Registration opens on March 1, 2026. To take advantage of the discounted registration fee, registrations must be received via email or postmarked no later than April 30, 2026. Online registration is available at https://www.lwmltxdist.org/lwml-texas-district-conventions with payment by credit card through May 8, 2026. The registration form is available on the website to be completed, printed, and mailed/emailed to the registrar with payment (check to LWML Texas District or credit card information). No American Express credit cards will be accepted by the LWML Texas District for registration. All registrations should be either postmarked or received via email no later than May 8, 2026. Registration check-in at the DoubleTree by Hilton Austin will be open Thursday, June 11, from 7:30 a.m.–6 p.m. and Friday, June 12, from 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Please contact Registrar Peggy Turnipseed at registrar@lwmltxdist.org with questions.

Convention Agenda

The convention officially opens on Thursday, June 11, with a Divine Service with Communion at 7:30 p.m. in the Phoenix Ballroom of the DoubleTree by Hilton Austin. Plan to arrive early to participate in the many pre-convention activities. All business sessions will be held in the Phoenix Ballroom. Friday’s session will begin at 8:15 a.m. The final session will be held Saturday morning with the convention concluding at noon. The sessions will include our keynote speaker, Noemi Guerra, and two Mites in Action speakers, Steve Harris with Orphan Grain Train and Rachel Potts with Lutheran Braille Workers, recipients of mission grants during the 2024–2026 biennium. There will be Bible studies led by our pastoral counselors, enrichment sessions led by Noemi Guerra, LWML President Eden Keefe, Cheryl Wawrzyniak, Rachel Potts, and Martha the Comfort Dog with Lutheran Church Charities.

Hotel Information

The DoubleTree by Hilton Austin will accept reservations beginning March 1, 2026. The group rate for all blocked rooms is $169 plus tax and is good for one to four persons per room. The convention rate is available until 5 p.m., May 8, 2026. For online reservations please use the direct link on our website at https://www.lwmltxdist.org/lwml-texas-district-conventions. If preferred, reservations may be made by calling the DoubleTree by Hilton reservations department at (800) 866-3126 and ask for the LWML Texas District 2026 Convention room block. If you would like to come early or stay late to visit the Austin area, the convention rate is good for 3 nights before or after the convention based on availability. If you need a roommate first check within your own zone. If you need additional assistance, please contact Housing Coordinator Ann Turner at conventionhousing@lwmltxdist.org no later than May 1, 2026.

Travel

Guests flying into Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) and staying at the DoubleTree by Hilton Austin need to either use Uber, Lyft, or one of the SuperShuttle Austin services as the hotel does not have a shuttle service. If you plan to drive, you can self-park in the hotel’s on-site garage for a special rate of $10 per day for overnight stays. Valet parking is available at the prevailing rate. The entrance to the garage is located at the front of the hotel off La Posada Drive.

Meals

All meals are secured with registration only. On Friday and Saturday mornings a full breakfast buffet is available at a cost of $26. The buffet consists of fruit, a hot protein, scrambled eggs, assorted breads, water, coffee, and tea. On Thursday, a box lunch will be available for $26 and includes choice of a ham and cheddar or a roast beef sandwich served with chips, a cookie, pasta salad, and bottled water. Friday’s box lunch is included in the cost of registration for this convention. Choices for Friday’s box lunch consists of a roasted turkey sandwich or a buffalo chicken wrap served with chips, a cookie, macaroni salad, and bottled water. Vegetarian and gluten-free meals are available but must be noted on the registration form and preordered. No meal orders will be accepted after close of registration. Gratuity is included in the price of all meals.

Pastors’ Lunch

All clergy attending the convention are invited and encouraged to attend an informative lunch on Friday at 11:45 a.m. in the DeWitt room of the hotel. Pastors are asked to bring the Friday box lunch, included in the price of convention registration. Please check the box on the registration form so that we may plan accordingly.

Young Women and YWR Alumni Lunch (ages 18–40)

On Friday at 11:45 a.m., all potential, current, and former Young Woman Representatives are encouraged to pick up their Friday box lunch and bring it to the Fourth Floor Capital room and enjoy sharing of ideas, experiences, and fellowship. LWML President Eden Keefe will be joining this special group of ladies for lunch!

Special Opportunities

Arrive early and be part of the excitement! On Thursday, special pre-convention opportunities await you — exhibits, stores, servant events, and the prayer room will all be open from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. It’s the perfect time to explore, connect, and prepare your heart for the days ahead. On Friday, they will be open from 7–8:15 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.–2:15 p.m. The stores will open again Friday night from 6:30–8:30 p.m.

Prayer Room

The prayer room will be available throughout the convention in the Robertson South room. There will also be a memorial prayer book available in the prayer room for convention attendees to add the names of our LWML sisters in Christ who have passed away.

Exhibitors

Exhibitors are by invitation only and must complete the Exhibitors Registration Form sent by the convention coordinator. Exhibits will be set up in various locations in the hotel. Hours will be 10 a.m.–6 p.m. on Thursday and 7 a.m.–2:15 p.m. on Friday. Friday morning the exhibitors are encouraged to join us in the general session.

Choir

If you are interested in singing in the choir during Thursday evening’s worship service, please check the appropriate box on the registration form. Practice time will be Thursday at 1 p.m. in the Phoenix Ballroom. Music and additional details will be sent after the registration form is received.

Teen Program

We are excited to invite teen girls (ages 12–17) to the convention for a fun-filled and servant-minded experience planned just for them! Teens will get to know one another with fun, crafts, and games along with being in God’s Word with Bible studies, participate in on-site servant events, enjoy time in the pool, and will discover what the LWML is with activities geared toward their age group and interests. The teen program will begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 11. Teens will pay a special registration rate of $160 (or $185 if submitted after April 30, 2026). Friday box lunch is included with registration. Teens should purchase a Thursday box lunch option when registering and bring money for any purchase they plan to make at the stores or at the hotel (there is a Starbucks inside the hotel). NOTE: Lunches will be eaten as a teen group, but dinner/breakfast will be with parent/mentor the teen is staying with during convention. Please note, a mentor/leader must attend the convention for every 1–4 girls registered. If you need additional information, please contact Courtney Baxter at teencoordinator@lwmltxdist.org.

Zone Young Woman Representatives

Each zone is encouraged to send one or more Zone Young Woman Representative(s) (ZYWR) to the convention. A ZYWR is any mature young woman who is preferably between the ages of 22 and 35 and a member of an LCMS congregation. Information on the Committee on Young Women and the ZYWR forms are available at https://www.lwmltxdist.org/young-woman-representatives. The ZYWR program will begin 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 11, and conclude at the end of the convention on Saturday at noon. There will be opportunities for service, Bible study, fellowship, and training.

All ZYWRs will need to register for the convention. Please note the Friday box lunch is included in the convention registration cost. ZYWRs should purchase a Thursday box lunch option when registering. The ZYWR is expected to sit with her Zone President and delegation during the convention sessions on Friday and Saturday. Contact Christine Spofford at youngwomanrep@lwmltxdist.org for more information.

Mission Service Opportunities

On-site Servant Events will be available Thursday and Friday.
Decorating Tote Bags for Any Baby Can in Austin. These bags are used by staff to transport essential items from their donation pantry to home visits and gives families a fun bag to keep!
Decorating Journals for Upbring New Life Children’s Center, Canyon Lake. The center is for girls aged 11–17 that have been removed from their homes and have often experienced abuse or neglect. The journals are used by girls as personal journals as they navigate therapy and emotional healing.
Marking Bibles for offenders in the Travis County Correctional Facility in Austin.
Rolling Bandages for Global Health Ministries. Bandages are sent to mission hospitals and rural clinics around the world that often lack basic supplies, including bandages.
Pack SAFE In-Kind Kits for SAFE Alliance of Austin. SAFE stands for Stop Abuse For Everyone. Kits are given to individuals or families to provide their basic needs as they arrive at the shelter.

Gifts from the Heart IS GOING GREEN!

These QR codes are live when registration opens and will be open through the close of the convention in Austin. Use the QR codes to give to our selected GFTH recipients. Get creative on how to get your group involved! Set up giving times during your group meetings.

Gifts from the Heart Recipients:

AGE of Central Texas (ageofcentraltx.org) helps older adults and their caregivers thrive as they navigate the realities and opportunities of aging and caregiving. Donate at https://ageofcentraltx.org/index.php/get-involved/donate/ or via the QR code.

Cheyanna’s Champions 4 Children (cc4c.org) enhances the lives of children battling rare and undiagnosed conditions in Texas providing children and their families access to mental health and wellness programs, providing financial assistance, and giving them access to events and experiences that would otherwise be impossible. Donate at https://www.cc4c.org/lwml-donation or via the QR code.

Girlstart’s (girlstart.org) mission is to empower girls through STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). It is a national women-led organization, offering year-round out-of-school STEM programming for girls in grades 4-8 in Texas, California, Massachusetts, and other locations across the country. Donate at https://give.girlstart.org/LWMLTexas or via the QR code.

Spark (spark.socialwork.utexas.edu) is committed to increasing the percentage of former foster care students obtaining a bachelor's degree at The University of Texas at Austin by facilitating a seamless transition from high school through to college graduation and beyond. Donate at https://day1bags.givecloud.co/fundraising/forms/84D37ZDW or via the QR code.

Additional Shopping Option:

We will also be accepting VISA gift cards at the convention for all of the GFTH recipients and for Southwest Region Comfort Dogs. Please make sure to write the dollar ($) amount on the outside of each card. Drop off the cards at the GFTH collection location at the convention no later than Friday afternoon at 2:15 p.m.

Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry Southwest Region (comfortdogsfortworth.com/meet-the-southwest-region.html) is a human care ministry embracing the unique calming nature and skills of purebred Golden Retrievers to create opportunities to share the mercy, compassion, presence, and proclamation of Jesus Christ. Comfort Dog Ministry Martha Comfort Dog at Bethany Lutheran Church, Austin, Texas, is in this region which covers the states of Texas and Oklahoma.

Delegate Orientation

All voting members and delegates to the convention are required to attend orientation, which begins promptly at 2:30 p.m., Thursday in the Phoenix Ballroom of the hotel. Delegates will have opportunity to meet candidates and officers during this meeting.

Keynote Speaker — Noemi Guerra

Deaconess Noemí Guerra serves the Lord with a heart devoted to sharing Christ’s love and equipping His people for ministry. Born in Panama City, Panama, to missionaries Rev. Luciano Vega-Ayala and Dr. Brenda de Vega-Ayala, she was nurtured in a deep faith and lifelong commitment to the Gospel. Since 2001, she has been joyfully married to Rev. Lincon Guerra, and together they have three children.

Her ministry journey began at Christ for All Nations Lutheran Church in North Carolina (2001–2004) as a Sunday School teacher and worship coordinator. She then served at Centro Familiar Cristiano in Houston, Texas (2004–2012), as a church planter deaconess intern, and later at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Iowa (2013–2021), helping establish a mission-minded community centered on Word and Sacrament.

Since 2021, Noemí has served the Texas District of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod as Evangelist Development Director, training and mentoring evangelists statewide. She also co-hosts the Sentido Latino podcast, writes daily Spanish devotions for Lutheran Hour Ministries, and in 2025 joined the Board of Directors of Lutheran Church Charities.

Noemí earned degrees from the University of Iowa and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, where she now teaches in the Deaconess Program and Center for Hispanic Studies. Above all, she gives thanks to God for the privilege of pointing others to Christ.

La Diaconisa Noemí Guerra sirve al Señor con un corazón dedicado a compartir el amor de Cristo y a capacitar a Su pueblo para el ministerio. Nacida en Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá, hija de los misioneros Rev. Luciano Vega-Ayala y la Dra. Brenda de Vega-Ayala, fue formada en una fe profunda y un compromiso de por vida con el Evangelio. Desde 2001 está felizmente casada con el Rev. Lincon Guerra, y juntos han sido bendecidos con tres hijos.

Su camino ministerial comenzó en Christ for All Nations Lutheran Church en Carolina del Norte (2001–2004), donde sirvió como maestra de Escuela Dominical y coordinadora de alabanza. Luego continuó en Centro Familiar Cristiano en Houston, Texas (2004–2012), como pasante de diaconisa plantadora de iglesias, y más tarde en Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church en Iowa (2013–2021), ayudando a establecer una comunidad centrada en la Palabra y los Sacramentos.

Desde 2021, Noemí sirve en el Distrito de Texas de la Iglesia Luterana—Sínodo de Misuri como Directora de Desarrollo de Evangelistas, entrenando y acompañando evangelistas en todo el estado. También es coanfitriona del pódcast Sentido Latino, escribe devocionales diarios en español para Lutheran Hour Ministries y en 2025 fue nombrada miembro de la Junta Directiva de Lutheran Church Charities.

Noemí obtuvo títulos en la Universidad de Iowa y en el Seminario Concordia de San Luis, donde ahora enseña en el Programa de Diaconisas y en el Centro de Estudios Hispanos. Sobre todo, da gracias a Dios por el privilegio de señalar a otros hacia Cristo.

Mites in Action Speaker — Rachel Potts — Lutheran Braille Workers

Rachel Potts serves as Director of Strategic Partnerships and Ministry Relations with Lutheran Braille Workers. She lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with her husband and their three children.

Before joining LBW, Rachel worked as a speech-language pathologist in Tucson, Arizona, and later as Director of Enrollment at St. Paul Lutheran School in Michigan for 11 years.

Today, Rachel is part of LBW’s leadership team and considers it a blessing to share the Gospel with people who are blind or visually impaired. Outside of ministry, Rachel enjoys music, travel, gardening, youth robotics, Girl Scouts, and family time.

Mites in Action Speaker — Steve Harris — Orphan Grain Train, Houston

Steve Harris is Assistant Branch Manager of Orphan Grain Train, Houston. A native Texan and University of Houston chemistry graduate, he spent over 30 years as a Laboratory Director and now works as a consultant.

Steve and his wife, Holly, have three sons and serve together on the Lutheran Early Response Team and the Orphan Grain Train, Houston, Board. He has deployed to disaster sites in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida, and has dedicated more than 25 years to Pasadena Habitat for Humanity.

In 2018, Steve helped establish the Houston branch and oversee construction of its Pasadena warehouse. Steve and Holly look forward to continuing their service.

Wake Up with the Word

Early morning riser or just want to dig into the Word? Plan to attend the Wake Up with the Word session scheduled for Friday morning at 7 a.m. LWML Texas District Vice President of Christian Life Brianne Stahlecker will be facilitating the study.

Enrichment Sessions

Five different Enrichment Sessions have been planned for Friday during lunch at two different times, 11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m. and 1–2 p.m. Participants should bring their box lunch to whichever session they choose to attend.

It's Not a Dog Ministry — Kelly Shivertaker is a retired Emergency Manager for a major electric utility and now the Top Dog, leading the Comfort Dog ministry for Martha Comfort Dog at Bethany Lutheran Church, Austin, Texas. She has been involved in the Comfort Dog ministry since 2015, also leading the team for Abner Comfort Dog. During this time she has responded to many crises, including Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and Santa Fe High School, El Paso Walmart shooting, Midland/Odessa shooting, and Uvalde school shooting, all in Texas. The Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry uses dogs to connect with people. She will speak about work the dogs have done, both during crises and on a day-to-day basis, as well as how to start your own Comfort Dog ministry and answer any questions you may have.

Join Eden Keefe, LWML President 2023–2027, as she leads a session Be Encouraged — God’s Got This! Do you face obstacles or challenges in your LWML service? Be encouraged to move forward with both resolve and joy. God calls and equips us!

Join Noemi Guerra in her session Rejoicing in Hope: Living Out Romans 12:12. Together we’ll discover how Christ empowers Lutheran women to live with unwavering faith, overflow with hope and patience, and grow in a vibrant, steadfast life of prayer.

Sharing the Gospel Beyond Sight — Rachel Potts shares more about how Lutheran Braille Workers proclaim the Gospel of Christ through the use of large print and Braille materials for those living with visual impairments.

Local International Ministry: No Language Required Except English! — Cheryl Wawrzyniak is a retired nurse and nurse educator, a forty-year active member of her LWML group at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Austin, and has taught ESL Conversation Classes for the past three years at University Lutheran Church in Austin. Learning English is a great desire for people in the world today. Through offering English and Bible classes to meet this need, many internationals have the opportunity to hear the Gospel — some for the first time! Cheryl will share experiences and insights from her involvement in this ministry.

NEW — Fellowship Event

All convention attendees are invited to attend the optional Come and Go Game Night on Friday evening in the Magnolia room at the hotel. Bring a game or join in one and share in fellowship with new friends and old while enjoying a little relaxed, unrushed bit of fun.

Moving 4 Mites

Our event for mites will be a 45-minute chair aerobics class which will be held in the Magnolia room at the hotel. For those who want to make it more strenuous, the exercises can be modified. Moving 4 Mites will be Saturday, June 13, starting at 7 a.m. All pledges and donations will be in support of our mite goal. Pledges can be requested on a per-minute basis or for completing the class. The pledge forms will be sent to those stating YES on the registration form. There is no charge to participate. It will be a fun way to start your day while raising money for the LWML Texas District mites.

Special Needs

DUE TO COST we will NOT be offering interpreting in American Sign Language or closed captioning for our deaf and hard of hearing sisters and brothers at this convention. Please let us know of other special needs and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Childcare will not be offered at this convention due to insurance and liability constraints.

Convention T-shirts

The 2026 convention T-shirt will be a short sleeve 100% cotton tee and violet (light purple) in color. The convention logo will appear on the back of the T-shirt with the name, date, and location featured on the front top left. Please purchase T-shirts when registering for the convention. Purchase price is $15. No T-shirt orders will be accepted after the close of registration.

T-shirt Back:

T-shirt Front:

Questions?

Questions? Please contact Host Committee Chairman Laurie Bellard at austin2026@lwmltxdist.org.

This page was last updated March 2, 2026. For questions or comments on this site, email webmaster.