SHREVEPORT DISTRICT UNITED METHODIST WOMEN. Because we are connected to Christ, Christ can touch others through us. MAY 2014

Transcription

1 THE GRAPEVINE 1 I AM THE VINE YOU ARE THE BRANCHES SHREVEPORT DISTRICT UNITED METHODIST WOMEN THE GRAPEVINE Because we are connected to Christ, Christ can touch others through us. MAY 2014 GREETINGS FROM YOUR PRESIDENT Loretta Haskins Ladies, We have had some exciting mission study clusters so far this year. If you have not been able to attend any of them, please let Marilyn Turnley, District Education and Interpretation (turnley1@gmail.com) know that you are interested in any future events. We have had several units inform us that they are no longer meeting. We are sorry to lose such faithful members, but we understand. We will keep you and your church in our prayers. We are losing Ms. Wanda Harp, District Nomination Chair, at the end of the month. She is moving to Georgia. Thanks for all of the great memories and outstanding service to our Shreveport District United Methodist women!!! We know that Fairfield UMC is going to miss you and your family. As far as I know, only Ms. Clara Hemmings and Patty Lindsey, Shreveport FUMC, were the only members from our District who attended the Assembly 2014 in Louisville, KY. I don t know about you; but I would love to hear about the Assembly and their trip to the Assembly. At the April 5th Conference Leadership Team meeting there were a couple of items that need to be brought to your attention: #1 Not all current UMW forms are on the website. (laconfumw.org/online forms). Please be patient!! They are working on that issue!!! #2. Margery Manuel, Conference Membership, Nurture and Outreach chair, would like photos of your mission projects for a display at the LA UMC Annual Conference June 8th. Please your photos to her: lafayetteroselady@yahoo.com.. #3 Janell Ducrest has agreed to serve another year as Program Resource Chair for Mission U. We are still looking for a Conf. Program Resource Chair. If you are interested in serving on the District or Conference Leadership Team, please fill out the form and send the Talent form to a District or Conference nominations committee member. There will be several positions open at the Conference and District Annual Meetings. Also, if you would like a visit from a District Officer at your monthly meeting, please let us know. We are more than willing to come and meet with your unit!!! Mission U is July at the Wesley Center. The 2014 Mission Studies are: Spiritual Growth HOW IS IT WITH YOUR SOUL? And Social Action THE CHURCH AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES:AWARENESS, ACCESSI- BILITY AND ADVOCACY. If your unit has not purchased your books yet, check the Cokesbury bookstore at the Annual Conference June 8th. They had 2013 Mission Study material last year. Hope to see you at MISSION U!!!

2 First United Methodist Church Bossier City THE GRAPEVINE 2 Thanks to the generosity of First UMC of Bossier City, the UMW were able to present a check for $1,138 to the Shreveport Bossier Rescue Mission, the recipient of our special offering on United Methodist Women Sunday to help further their ministry with the homeless in our community. Pictured left to right are Nancy Sipe, Rev. Henry Martin, Jayne Merritt, Mary Lou Hughes, Barbara Dean Kronenberg. submitted by Jayne Merritt Below is a group picture of the Louisiana attendees to the Louisville, Kentucky UMW Conference. Some of the Shreveport district are in the picture. Submitted by Thomasas Brown Jernigan.

3 THE GRAPEVINE 3 A number of our UMW Units send Birthday cards to missionaries on our prayer calendar. We received a response (copy below) that you may wish to see and be encouraged so that other UMW units could send cards of encouragement to other missionaries.

4 THE GRAPEVINE 4 UMW SHREVEPORT DISTRICT CALENDAR JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH HAPPY NEW YEAR! 10th CWU Human Rights Celebration 15th Grapevine articles due to Jo Molnar 26th United Methodist Women Sunday 30th 2013 Membership Census to Doris McCall 1st Dist. Exec Mtg 8th Social Action 1st Methodist in Lafayette, LA. 18th - Send 1st Qtr Report to Connie Wasson 1st UMW Sunday Report to Doris McCall APRIL MAY JUNE 20th HAPPY EASTER!! 25-27th UMW Assembly in Louisville, KY. 1st National Day of Prayer 2nd Grapevine Articles due to Jo Molnar 3rd District Exec. Meeting -Zwolle 15th 2nd Qtr Treasurer Report due to Connie Wasson 1st Women in Mission Nominee due to Doris McCall 2nd -Mission Study Report due to Marilyn Turnley LA Annual Conference June 8-11 JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER 1st-Social Action Report due to Linda Resendez. 10th All local Reading Program forms due to Clara Hemming. 23rd 26th Mission U Woodworth, LA Wesley Center 1st-Send Mission Today Unit Report to Marilyn Turnley 2nd Grapevine articles due to Jo Molnar 9th District Exec Meeting place tba 15th Send your 3rd Qtr Treas Report to Connie Wasson 30th Local Units send list of new officers to Dist Secretary Lanette Butler MINI MISSION u Aug 16th OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER 4th Grapevine articles to Jo Molnar 4th Distr Exec Mtg place tba UMW Louisiana Conference Annual Meeting Baton Rouge Nov 6- District Annual Meeting with LELT Happy Thanksgiving Merry Christmas!

5 THE GRAPEVINE 5 Plain Dealing UMW members prepare tables for luncheon following UMW Sunday service. SOCIAL ACTIONS As United Methodist Women, we work together and we make a difference in lives one step and one project at a time. Our focus continues to be women and children, poverty, human trafficking, and Immigration. Linda Resendez, Shreveport District Social Action Coordinator was guest speaker for Plain Dealing UMW Sunday. She is pictured here in red with Pastor John Downs. It is just as important that we find a way to attract our younger women into this organization. Get them involved! Remember to bring them in as volunteers with a dash of responsibility. We all need to share the rewarding feeling of volunteering and helping. Please get your Annual Social Actions Reports in to me by the end of June. I need the name of your church and what you have done. Don t sell your self short! Our district always does awesome! If you have questions, call me. Linda Resendez, ( =0573

6 THE GRAPEVINE 6 UNITED METHODIST WOMEN FAITH * HOPE * LOVE IN ACTION JANUARY 19, 2014 UMW CHRIST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH SHREVEPORT The songs represented all that encompasses women of the church at Christ UMC as well as other churches. All things Bright and Beautiful : They ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love - sung by the Chancel Choir: I Love To Tell The Story and Be Still My Soul As United Methodist Women we strive to make things Bright and Beautiful in our lives and others. Showing love by supporting others, giving of our time whether it is helping in the church office, Sunday School or nursery, preparing the altar arrangements, delivering food to those who have just returned home from a hos- pital stay, coming together to prepare food for the family follow- ing a loved one s funeral, or giving graciously to our National and World Missions. We also Tell the Story. It is in our hearts and we are over- Altar Arrangement UMW Sunday January 18, 2014 joyed to share it whether we are in our small circles, socializing at our yearly salad supper event, visiting neighbors, read- ing inspirational devotionals or talking to a stranger who comes into our lives at the right time or moment to share. We begin and end our prayers of thanksgiving and contemplate on Be Still My Soul. The speakers were Cindy Hughes and Annette Rich who were two of the participants in the Mission Group to Cuba The message: The women of Cuba. The congregation was engaged by those speakers from the beginning to the end with intense looks of sadness, shaking of their heads as to the fate of the women in Cuba today and then compassion for these strong and courageous women. They have fought for equal rights and for the income equal for the position they hold as men are given. Unfortunately this comes with hardships if one is a mother. Some have degrees but choose to work close to home to take care of their families. Food and medicine are limited to each household so a woman has to be a good budgeter and save for emergencies. The monthly income may be $27 and that is considered high. Their faith is strong as they help one another and they are happy with what little they have. That is the true meaning of the song They Know We are Christians by Our Love, wouldn t you say? The presentation of The Special Mission Recognition Award was given to two recipients this year and presented by Nikie Johnson to : Carolyn Carroll and John Marrs. Carolyn has held positions in the UMW, Chancel Choir participant as well as a soloist, Sunday School Teacher, UMW Rummage Sale helper, Paint your Heart Out participant, beautifying our church grounds on scheduled weekends, remodeling the children s classrooms and many other endeavors that she is honored for. John has been engaged in all levels of the Church Board, Sunday School Classes, Men s Prayer Breakfast, family events, mission trips, Paint Your Heart Out, a Trustee of the church and so many hours of volunteering for his church he loves. Both were worthy of the recognition. The Scripture Romans 12:9-13 tells us to really love others. Honor each other and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Be ready and eager to practice hospitality to God s people who are in need, rejoice in confident hope, be patient in troubled times and keep on praying.

7 THE GRAPEVINE 7 Christ United Methodist Women s Retreat was held at Stonewall, Louisiana on Saturday April 5, Living Sacramentally, sented by our very own ans. The 16 present sentatives from all UMW Jan Rose from the Wolf from Brookwood discussion were those of ion in which the book help explain the true intended. Handouts the sharing of small you have Christian La- ways be open discussion A book review The Calling: Walking Justly was pre- UMW President, Peggy Evwere comprised of repre- Chapters and two visitors, Ruston District and Frances Baptist. The two areas of Baptism and Holy Communrelated biblical verses to meaning of each as our God helped with note taking and group discussions. When dies together, there will aland tears to follow. Peggy Evans and Mary Nell Miller The highlight was the visual reliving of the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist. Peggy, with her quiet and gentle voice, relived the moments prior to Christ baptism with each of us experiencing this wonder as a bystander seeing this moment come to life. It brought chills to all as we shared through this visualization. A time for sharing personal baptism experiences helped us as participants see each other from the first moment of christening for some, age 12 when many joined the church, or later in life when Methodism was the choice we openly committed to. Two stories were shared that were certainly heartwarming. One was shared by Diane McDonald when she was actually in the Holy Land and saw the Jordan River for the first time. She described it as a dirty riverbed but was so moved to walk in and feel the water come over her and emerge with a new conviction of life. The other was shared by another member whose family comes together for special events such as Baptism and meets at their old homestead to share in this event. The homestead is now owned by a private owner but they are allowed to do this. What amazing stories that wouldn t have been shared unless at a retreat. We may have retreated to seek his word quietly in scripture and meditation but we openly share the good news. The first covenant and the understanding of the sacrificial lamb was that of Abraham and his son Isaac. Abraham s faith was accepted by God as his promise with God. We begin to understand our faith in God began long before our lives existed. Communion with God is not to be taken lightly but earnestly and seeing truly what scripture tells us what it means to be in communion. Do not partake as told in scripture if you are hungry but that it fills your soul and you thirst not. WALK JUSTLY AND GOD PROMISES A FULL LIFE. THANKS BE TO GOD. Articles for Christ UMC submitted by Anne Auschwitz, CUMC UMW Board Secretary

8 Broadmoor United Methodist Women Shreveport THE GRAPEVINE 8 BUMW and Soul Sisters Circle hosted a Pot Luck Supper as a benefit for Gabriel s Closet on Sunday, March 9th. Helen Smith, member and volunteer at Gabriel s Closet gave an informal talk on the interdenominational charity and it s services to impoverished mothers and children of Shreveport. All members were asked to bring lightly used items of clothing for donation. The Circles collected several large bags of clothing, toys, and blankets and delivered them to Gabriel s Closet in Cedar Grove. Soul Sisters is a relatively new Circle of active women at Broadmoor and Lisa Dupree is their Leader. As a welcome gift, the Unit presented them with a one year subscription to Response Magazine. Twenty five people attended, both young and old and everyone had a great time. There is a Baby Crib kept in the hallway outside the Broadmoor UMC offices to accept donations to this charity on an ongoing basis. Article submitted by Ruby Stewart, acting President of the BUMW. Shreveport District UMW Executive Board President Loretta Haskins 3405 Pine Haven Circle Haughton, LA Vice President Thomasas Jernigan 6053 Fox Chase Trail Shreveport, LA Secretary Lanette Butler 804 E. Palmetto Ave Plain Dealing, LA Treasurer Connie Wasson 125 Rachel Lane Bossier City, LA bandchig@suddenli nk.net tcvsandy14@bellso uth.net lb804@gmail.com wasson.connie@yahoo. Spiritual Growth Jan Nelson PO Box # 98 Ida, LA Education & Interpretation Marilyn Turnley 201 Frankie St. Plain Dealing, LA janmelnel@hotmail.com turnley1@gmail.co m Membership Nurturing Outreach Mary J. Lewis 6170 Keithville/ Springridge Keithville, LA No Social Action Linda Resendez 4398 Parkridge Dr. Benton, LA Program Resources Clara Hemmings 4756 Richmond Shreveport, LA Communications Jo Molnar Heritage Dr. Shreveport, LA Nominations resendezdl@aol.co m cash42@bellsouth. net jomolnar29@yahoo SHREVEPORT DISTRICT UNITED METHODIST 7197 WOMEN.com vacant

9 THE GRAPEVINE 9 Treasurer s Report Connie Wasson Money Moments...for where your treasure is, there will be your heart also But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control: against such there is no law. May you be blessed every season with this promise. Remember the last quarter for your unit to fulfill the qualifications for the Star Awards is August 15. At that time you will also need to send information about contributions for the Mission Candle and Retired Officers. I must have your Mission Candle information by September 1st so I can get the names to the Conference Treasurer to be included in the Mission Candle Book at the Annual Meeting. Please contact me if you have a question. Unit Treasurers please remember when you send money to me: you need to send a completed Remittance Form for all Treasurers. The form says Mission Giving (1-5) and Designated Gifts (6-7). There are some blanks toward the bottom where you can write in a specific project (i.e.umcor,macdonell Children s Services, North Rampart, Dulac, etc). Please do not send a check without the completed remittance form. Write all checks to Shreveport District UMW and mail to 125 Rachel Lane, Bossier City Remember you can write one check for all your contributions. If you are ordering an SMR pin, paying your pledge, and ordering some mission cards -you can fill out the correct forms for each and send one check for the combined amount. Has your unit remembered to send their A.&M.D. (Administration and Membership Development) money? Each unit sends $1.00 per member each year. The district uses these funds for district expenses and reaching out to help units increase membership and help :new units get started. The School of Christian Mission for the conference will be held in July. Many women and young girls are able to attend for the first time because of our support of the Estelle Dameron Scholarship. Please encourage your unit to remember to support this wonderful mission. Many from our district have received this scholarship and keep going back each July for a wonderful time of study and fellowship. Young girls -our future leaders -also receive a scholarship to attend the school. Please support this scholarship program. SMR pins can only be ordered through your district treasurer. The pin that can be ordered through the Resource Center is a membership pin and does not qualify for the 5-Star Award. Enjoy the summer. Please save the date November 6th and attend the District Annual Meeting. LELT (Local Elected Leaders Training) will follow the annual meeting. Every unit treasurer needs to be in attendance for this informational meeting. In Christ s Love, Connie Wasson/ District Treasurer 125 Rachel Lane Bossier City LA

10 THE GRAPEVINE 10 Clara Hemmings Program Resources Hello again to all the churches in the Shreveport District. It has been a busy Spring. Patty Lindsey, from FUMC Shreveport, and I attended Assembly 2014 in Louisville, KY in April. There were about 40 women from the Louisiana Conference present. We joined together to worship and be inspired with up to 8,000 United Methodist Women from across the country and around the world. It was amazing! More women from the Shreveport District should plan now to attend Assembly2018 which will be held in Columbus, Ohio. It only happens every 4 years, so you have plenty to time to plan ahead. We have several important dates to talk about. First, the end is at hand for our 2014 Reading Program. Some of the books I have enjoyed most this year are The Dressmaker of Khair Khane by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon and Awake: Doing a World of Good One Person at a Time by Noel Brewer Yeatts. Try to find these books if you have not already read them. Your reading reports are due to me by July 8th at the latest. Please send them to me at: Clara Hemming, 4756 Richmond Av., Shreveport, LA Zwolle UMC was the first one to turn in their report last year. I ll be watching the mail for your report. You don t want me to have to call you, do you??? The next important date coming up for our District is Mini Mission u on August 16, Remember, this very important event is an overview of our mission studies for the year, and your chance to get your copies of the mission study books without any postage fees. What a great deal! I would appreciate it if UMW units would let me know before the middle of July, how many copies they will need of our new studies. The Church and People with Disabilities: Awareness, Accessibility and Advocacy and How is it With Your Soul? Also, if anyone still needs The Roma of Europe, I will order it for you for Mini Mission u. I believe we will again be able to pre-order our Program Books and Prayer Calendars just as we did last year. Did that work out well for everyone who ordered? Contact me via at cash42@bellsouth.net with any questions or comments you may have. Clara Hemmings Program Resources and Reading Program

11 THE GRAPEVINE 11 EDUCATION AND INTERPRETATION Marilyn Turnley Many have participated in the Roma mission study, but you still must get your reports with the follow-up to me. The sooner you do so, the sooner you can then forget it. As far as I know, much less of your units have experienced The Call Study. The book is well worth your time reading if you missed out on the study. That book will still count toward your reading list for Spiritual growth. By the time you receive this newsletter, I hope many will have taken advantage of St. Paul s invitation to The Call on May 10. Do plan to attend Mission at the Wesley Center July 23=26, For anyone attending for the first time, you may apply for a scholarship. Marilyn Turnley Frankie, Plain Dealing, LA COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR GRAPEVINE EDITOR Jo Molnar Hello everyone. As you can see, we ve had a lot going on the last 3 months. Thank you so much for your submissions. Your input makes the newsletter better. It is so much better if you can the pictures. I don t do well getting the pictures inserted if they are hard copies. I try, but they don t look as good. (Sorry about that!!) If you have any comments or suggestions for improving the Grapevine, please let me know. Have a great summer everyone! THE NEXT GRAPEVINE IS TO BE PUBLISHED IN AUGUST Please have info to me by August 2nd. Thanks!!

12 THE GRAPEVINE Shreveport District UMW Shreveport District United Methodist Church Louisiana Conference PO BOX SHREVEPORT, LA RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED THE GRAPEVINE 12 Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Shreveport, LA Permit No. 163 Save the dates MINI MISSION u August 16th Wesley UMC in Homer 8:30 12 noon Bring a sack lunch Millie Moore will lead the Disabilities Study And Shreveport District Annual Meeting - November 6th If you wish to be added to the mailing list or receive the Grapevine via , Please contact Jo Molnar