United Lutheran Church in America Lutheran Deaconess Motherhouse and Training School, Baltimore, Maryland

See also ULCA 61 Administrative History.

Motherhouse Tidings was published primarily as a means of communicating news within the United Lutheran Church in America's (ULCA) Lutheran Deaconess Motherhouse and Training School, Baltimore, Maryland (BMD). The first issue premiered in January 1917. Its format was a small pamphlet, 5 x 3 ± inches, that contained various news items about the deaconess community. Issues included news about deaconesses and probationers, work performed by deaconesses, activities at the motherhouse, personnel changes, lists of consecrated deaconesses and deaconess candidates; actions taken by the community's governing authority, the ULCA's Board of Deaconess Work (BDW); and news about students enrolled in courses for Christian workers. Motherhouse Tidings was first published monthly, except for August and September. The periodical kept the small pamphlet format and publishing frequency until January 1933 when the size of the publication increased to approximately 5 x 8 inches. This year also marked the beginning of a change in publishing frequency. Some issues in 1933 were bimonthly, as were most issues from 1934-1940. In 1939 the format changed slightly again with a small increase in page size, incorporation of different graphics, and an increase in the number of pages. From 1941-1947 Motherhouse Tidings was published 3 times per year. For 1948 and 1949 it appears only two issues were published. Holdings for the 1950s are very sporadic, and as a result, it is impossible to tell if issues are missing or never published. The size of the publication increased again in the 1950s to 8 ± x 11 inches. Graphics and layout for the publication also changed and there was the addition of photographs. Also between 1949 and 1951 the name of the publication changed to The Deaconess Tidings, though it is unclear when that happened. The Deaconess Tidings published until 1960 when it combined with The Deaconess Messenger, the publication of the Philadelphia Motherhouse of Deaconesses (PMD) to become The Deaconess Tidings and Messenger.