Wesley United Methodist Women 144 Years of Women in Service to Women

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1 1 Wesley United Methodist Women 144 Years of Women in Service to Women PURPOSE The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall be a community of women whose Purpose is to know God, And to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to develop a creative, supportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church. March 2014 Dear Sisters, This March is even more special with Lent starting on Ash Wednesday, March 5th. Lent is a time of preparation for the death of Christ on Good Friday and His Resurrection on Easter Sunday. It is a period of 40 days of repentance, with prayer and abstinence. What do you want to give up for lent? Easter Sunday is April 20 th and is considered the most important Christian holiday. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his death. I hope this is a time for you to renew your commitment to teaching of Christ and how he gave up his life that we may have eternal life. Remember to give your circle leaders your envelopes from our Prayer and Self-Denial. Also, remember to wear green on March 17 th for St. Patrick s Day. In God s love, Sue

2 2 JOYS: Thankful for the opportunities to learn, to help others, and to study the Word. Take time to be refreshed and renew through the experience of the Words of Christ. PRAYER CONCERNS We offer prayers for Clara Allison, Jane Barth and family, Elton Bonner, Tom Bonner and family, Sibyl Carrick, Pat Cazenas, Lee and Dixie Cook, Joyce Cregger, Minnie Crim, Robert Daniels, Mary Davis, Janet Dickson, The Douthat Family, Jean Feeney and family, Roy and Ann Marie Frederick and family, Grace Gavett, The family of Peggy Glaze, Gwenie Graichen & Family, Joan Harvey, Bob Jimeson and family, Betty Kelly, Pat Ledford, Patti Lewis, Anna Lee Nedrow, Becky Mc Keown and family, Ann Porter, Sarah Rearick, Flo Snodgrass, Charlotte & Willis Webster, Evelyn and Mike Willey, Betty Williams, Billie Williams, Hugh & Annabel Winston, Eleanor & Dale Wolfe, and all others in our hearts Call to Prayer and Self-Denial, The theme for the 2014 A Call to Prayer and Self-Denial is Sound Foundations: Sound Missions The purpose of this program is to reflect on the rich heritage of our mission institutions and through our gifts that enable the institutions to be physically sound and safe spaces for ministry by caring for present and future property needs. The envelopes (out side the Library) are stapled to a copy of the program so you can read the program at home if you desire. Please use these resources to prayerfully consider mission institutions. SUGGESTED PROGRAM FOR The MARCH program, Assembly 2014: Make It Happen! Turning Faith, Hope and Love Into Action, is on page 55. The purpose is to call women to join in Assembly so that they are empowered and encourage to go forward in mission with women, children and youth in the 21 st century. The April program is, Calling to Provide for Mission on page 61 New Adult Sunday School Class THIS SPRING April 6 th A new study will begin on Sunday, April 6 th at 9:45 am, HOW IS IT WITH YOUR SOUL. This study brings into balance the inner and outer dimensions of the Christian life. Organized around four verbs: pray, learn, mentor, and transform. The book will challenge you to become a more vibrant disciple of Christ. The price of the book is $ Contact: Sue Moulton or the church office ( ).

3 3 Book Club COME JOIN US! The next Book Club meeting will be Sunday, March 30th, after the 11o clock Worship Service The book is An Invisible Thread, by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski. It is based on a true story of an 11 year Old Panhandler, a busy sales Executive and an unlikely meeting with destiny. Schroff was a successful ad sales representative in Manhattan. Maurice was a homeless 11 year old panhandler. He asked for change; she kept walking. Then something stopped her, and she went back. She continued to go back again and again, forming a friendship that has spanned almost three decades and brought life to an overscheduled professional and hope to a desperate boy. You can check out the book from the public library if the church library does not have it on its shelf. Come join us for this meeting. Pat SOCIAL ACTION COORDINATOR PAT GOBEN This is a P.S. to your circle meeting in February on Human Trafficking. In the Fairfax County Times newspaper on January 16, 2014, there was an article entitled "New weapons to end trafficking." The Fairfax County Police Department has received a million dollar grant from the Justice Department to set up a new human trafficking unit. Sex traffickers, including local gangs, target unsuspecting and typically insecure teenage girls as young as 13 or 14 who are seeking attention and affection, law enforcement officials say. The county launched a web site to inform the public about this and ways to protect children. The Web site is to educate the public on what to look for and also to inform social workers, school officials and teachers, pastors and community leaders about what to do when someone comes to them to report a possible victim. The U.S. attorney's office in Alexandria has successfully prosecuted 24 federal cases against 50 defendants since "There are a lot of myths and misperceptions about human trafficking out there," said Detective Bill Woolf of the Fairfax County Police Department's new human trafficking unit. "We hope with this Web site to educate, and let people know that this threat is very real, right here at home, and that we need the community's help in combating it." It's encouraging to know that Fairfax County has recognized this victimizing and will be aggressively prosecuting offenders.

4 4 PROGRAM RESOUCES: PAT SAMPSON: The book, I Speak For Myself American Women on Being Muslim, by Maria M. Ebrahimji and Zahra T. Suratwala is another one of those books that can be set aside and picked up again without losing the message of its contents. This book can be checked out from the Fairfax County Library. It comes under Recommended Reading on the UMW Reading List under the Nurturing for Community category for The short essays from 40 young, well-educated Muslim women in all walks of life relate their feelings as they experienced discrimination, insulting remarks, fears, abuse, etc., after the horrifying events of 9/11 in America. Some stories tell how Muslim girls in public schools always felt on the defensive to account for their differences from the mainstream majority students even though they themselves were born in America. They carried the stigma of a different culture (Muslim), race, language, and parents into their activities, particularly sports and other teenaged activities. Those girls who choose to wear the hijab sometimes grew frustrated by explaining that yes, they could compete and compete well while seemingly being hindered by wearing clothes that covered every part of their body, or, yes they did have a strong commitment to their religion- Islam. Other girls applied themselves to academics and succeeded, even excelled, to graduate with honors and matriculate to University degrees and beyond. It was amazing to read of the accomplishments of these women in the face of adversity and how they embraced their religious convictions throughout to give them the strength and purpose to direct their lives. Perhaps by reading these stories we, as Methodists, can gain a better understanding of differences in our multi-cultural society and pass those learned behaviors to our progeny. Enjoy your reading of these fine books. Pat SAVE THESE DATES for Conference and District Events ARLINGTON DISTRICT UNITED METHODIST WOMEN RETREAT The Arlington District of United Methodist Women will hold a Retreat: "God Calls: How Will You Answer. It will be held at the Richmond Hill Retreat Center in Richmond, March 21 st and 22 nd. The speaker is Karen Booker former Alexandria UMW President. Hold this date 2014 Conference SPIRITUAL LIFE RETREAT - May 16 th - 18 th The Virginia Conference United Methodist Women 2014 Spiritual Life Retreat will be held May 16-18, at the Blackstone Conference and Retreat Center. The topic is Hearing Your True Name Beloved Child of God. The leader is Rev. Sara Pugh. She is presently on loan to the Oklahoma Conference serving as pastor to the Coweta First UMC. Registration forms are available on the Virginia Conference of United Methodist Women web site. Registration deadline: May 1, 2014 April 12: Arlington District UMW Spring Prayer Breakfast Korean UMC of the Greater Washington. There will be more information in the April Newsletter.

5 5 HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND GOD S BLESSINGS for March s Birthdays 10 June Terry 18 Connie Wax 21 Janet Dickson 26 Pat Goben 26 Connie Pence 26 Jacques Umembudi(our missionary) 26 Alexis Press 28 Charlotte Wiggs CALENDAR March 2014 Contact the church office for information regarding dates and times of circle meetings Deborah Circle WILL NOT MEET 1 - Faith Circle Church Library 10:00 am 5 - Harmony Circle - Church Library - 10:30 am 6 - Welcome Circle - Church Library - 10:00 am Arlington District UMW Spiritual Retreat at Richmond Hill Retreat, 24 - Executive Meeting Church Library 7:00 pm Never Grow Old Welcome Circle

6 6 LOOKING AHEAD April 2014 Deborah Circle TBA 2 Harmony Circle 3 Welcome Circle 5 Faith Circle 6 - Coffee Hour 12 Arlington District UMW Spring Prayer Breakfast at the Korean UMC of Greater Washington 21 Executive Board Meeting 7:00 p.m., Library 22 Never Grow Old Deborah Circle 25-27: UMW Assembly 2014, Louisville, KY May2014 Deborah TBA 1 - Welcome 3 - Faith 7 - Harmony 10 Plant Sale 12 - Executive Board Meeting 7:00 p.m., Library 14 Spring Banquet Virginia UMW Spiritual Life VUMAC, Blackstone 17 Bi-District Day Apart@TBA 20 NGO Faith Circle