HARBOR DISTRICT UNITED METHODIST WOMEN

Transcription

1 HARBOR DISTRICT UNITED METHODIST WOMEN February 2018 President s Message United Methodist Women, 2018 has started off well for Harbor District UMW. Around eighty officers and members traveled to Wallace to attend local officer training. Wallace UMW treated us to wonderful breakfast goodies. I hoped that everyone in attendance left inspired by our DS, Edie Gleaves. Her presentation on Mission of Hope, Rotifunk, in Sierra Leone gave us many ideas about how our units could assist in this district and conference project. Wouldn t it be amazing to be able to travel to Sierra Leone with one of our mission teams. I hope that each of you received pertinent information to help you in carrying out your duties at your local churches. Remember that the District Leadership Team is always available to assist you in any way that we can. Officers who were unable to attend ALOTS will be receiving their training materials and district directory in the mail or they will be hand delivered. Last newsletter I recapped Harbor District accomplishments for Now it is time to share what we need to be doing this year. The first Harbor District UMW event that you will want to participate in is a social action event this month at Faith Harbor UMC. The Way Home: Women Talk About Race In America will be held on Saturday, February 24 th. If you didn t get a registration form at ALOTS, they are available on the Harbor District UMW website and this newsletter. The session should get us thinking and talking about how WE as UMW can do to promote racial equality. March is the month for attending one or both of our Mission Studies sessions. As I reported this summer I feel that these are three of the best mission studies UMW has offered. I recently read the UMW reading program book, Hospitable Planet, and was made even more aware of our need to actively address climate justice. The other two studies, Missionary Conferences of UMC and Living As A Covenant Community, are new this year. All three studies will be held at both Harbor UMC and Mt. Moriah UMC. Lastly please plan to attend the Conference Spiritual Day on April 21 st at Centenary UMC in Smithfield. Gypsie Murdaugh will enlighten us and the Harry Hosier UMC Mass choir will perform. Con t on page 2 He has shown you, O Mortal, what is good and what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 NIV Inside this issue: Treasurer s Notes 2 Secretary s Report 2 Around the District 3 Vice President's Report 4 Missionu 4 Missiou Registration 5 Nominations Committee 6 Spiritual Growth 6 NCUMW 2018 Spiritual Growth 7 Social Action 8 Book Review February-April Calendar 11 The Purpose of United Methodist Women The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall be a community of women whose PUR- POSE is To know God 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...

2 P A G E 2 Treasurer s Notes Greetings from your treasurer, The Lord is good and so is the Harbor District!! Our pledge to Missions for 2017 was $50,000 but we sent in $62, to our conference for missions. We have kept the pledge for 2018 at $50,000 but I am sure we can repeat our good work this year. Also, at our Annual Leader and Officer Training we recognized 61 Seven Star Members and 28 Seven Star Units. Yes, we have started a new year so our 1 st quarter remittances will be due March 1 st. 2 nd quarter will be due on June 1 st, 3 rd quarter will be due on Sept 10 and 4 th quarter will be due Dec. 1. At the training meeting, we extended Candle burning and 3 rd quarter remittance can be sent H A R B O R T I D I N G S then as well. If anyone needs forms or information, please feel free to call me at or me at janice28337@gmail.com. Best wishes for a great year with your UMW units! Janice Robbins District Treasurer Con t from page 1 Ladies, I hope that the above gives you many opportunities to GO and that I will see you as we participate in these events together to strengthen our Christian beliefs and encourage us in supporting missions. Susie Lupton slluptonnc@aol.com Hello From the HDUMW Secretary! Secretary s Report Since our last newsletter you or your President have sent in your 2018 UMW Officers to me! Thank You!! As a result, few unit officers in our directory were marked as * denotes 2017 information. Recently Wallace UMC hosted the HDUMW District Annual Officer Training (ALOTS). The 2018 HDUMW District Directory was given to each Church President or representative. During the Secretary session at ALOTS I pointed out a few changes in the 2018 directory: changes on the 2019 officer form and also the correction form. I have extra copies of both of these forms for your use. I will be happy to mail them to you at your request! If you were unable to attend the Secretary session, I would like to highlight a few items that I talked about: please include the name of your unit (church) on any officer form or communication; please include CONTACT information for your officers; please report the officers for 2019 even if your officers for 2019 do not change you need only write NO Change on the form or you may also indicate this by or a note if you do not want to use the form; if some officers stay the same for 2019 and some do not, please indicate both as such; and lastly, please send in your 2019 officers by Nov. 1, 2018, or when available. We talked about Secretarial duties as well, and this and samples of the forms are available in the Secretary packet, which your Church President or representative received at the ALOTS meeting. But for now, your UMW officers and members are in place for 2018 and your UMW gatherings and missions ready for a wonderful year! Blessings on your UMW, mary greene binney@carolina.net He said to them Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 4:19

3 F E B R U A R Y 2018 P A G E 3 The United Methodist Women of First United Methodist Church in Clinton, NC The United Methodist Women of First United Methodist Church in Clinton, NC, recently conducted a fundraiser to support local missions. Metal signs, representing the cross and flame of the United Methodist Church, were made by a local artisan and painted by the United Methodist Women. These signs which are three feet tall are prominently displayed in the yards of Methodist families. Signs may be purchased from the church at Any questions contact Marilyn St. Faith Harbor UMC Upcoming Events Feb We will be helping with the Faith Harbor Veterans Resource Fair by preparing and serving lunch. Feb. 12- A Call to Prayer and Self Denial Program. A special offering will be taken that goes entirely to support projects such as child development and after school programs, GED and ESL programs, job readiness, life skills and livelihood training and scholarships. Feb. 18- We will present a check for $4000 to Regina Hawes from the Methodist Home For Children. The UMW and the Harbor Thrift Store worked together to raise these funds that support the foster family program. Feb Faith Harbor UMW will host the Harbor District UMW for a program about racial justice. Faye Strickland, Harbor District Social Action Chair and Faith Harbor member is coordinating this event. Mar am Faith Harbor UMW is organizing a Rise Against Hunger meal-packing event that will include volunteers all over our community. The meals are sent out to be used where there is a need such as caused by a natural disaster. April 22 Faith Harbor UMW will hold a fundraiser for the Methodist Home For Children by selling Frozen Entrees and Baked Goods after the Sunday service.

4 P A G E 4 From the Vice President H A R B O R T I D I N G S Today s news shared that the ground hog had a split decision in NC. So I m hoping for warmer weather sooner! It was so great to see so many of you at the area local officers training session (ALOTS) in Wallace. What a great presentation by our District Superintendent, Edie Gleaves sharing the great work United Methodists are doing at the Rotifunk Hospital in Africa! Thank you to the ladies at Wallace UMC for your delicious breakfast, and warm welcome. As shared in the Vice President session, the major duty of the vice president is program planner for your circle, and that is usually done by the officers in a group. Your role is to keep the meeting flowing, and follow-up with your speaker with a thank you (or provide a gift of mission card) or whatever your group has decided. Plan a variety of programs utilizing the program book, inviting speakers, having social, informal get to know each other meetings. Be energetic, and set a positive tone. Provide name tags as visitors or speakers will feel more at ease if everyone knows each other. Invite your district officers to your meetings, we are always willing to come if asked. THANK YOU for your dedication to United Methodist Women. You are doing some wonderful mission work in your areas. YOU are important!!! Let me know how I can help! Martha Worsley, Vice President Living as a Covenant Community Spiritual Growth Study This study examines major covenants throughout the Bible and what they reveal about God s character and eternal love for us. It will enhance your understanding of how God works with us, in us, and through us. Climate Justice Issues Study Climate Justice: A Call to Hope and Action will deepen your understanding and awareness of climate change and its impact on God's creation. The study highlights justice, peace, and integrity of creation as important dimensions of partnering in God's mission today. It offers participants biblical, theological, and ethical insights as the basis of their advocacy on climate justice in churches and in the public sphere Missionary Conferences of The United Methodist Church in the United States Geographic Mission Study The aim of the study is to give an overview of the three missionary conferences in The United Methodist Church, the contexts out of which they grew and their current engagements: The Alaska United Methodist Conference, Red Bird Missionary Conference, and the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference are a hybrid of home and international missionary work.

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6 Page 6 H A R B O R T I D I N G S Nominations Committee NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT HARBOR DISTRICT UNITED METHODIST WOMEN The nominating committee, consisting of Janet Shew, Chair; Sherry Mewborn and Lib Pearsall met on January 25, Sherry Mewborn has accepted the position of Archives and History Coordinator, which is an appointed position. Thank you so much Sherry! We are in the process of making inquiries about someone to be the Northeast Sub-District Leader. We do still need someone to be our 39 and Under Coordinator. This person would be primarily responsible for reaching out to younger women in the district to determine their needs and interests; and help find ways to increase their participation in local and district UMW activities. We also need two more persons to be members of the nominating committee. If you are interested in, or want more information about any of these positions; or if you can recommend someone for any of them, please call: Janet Shew at Sherry Mewborn at Lib Pearsall at We would really appreciate hearing from you! Let us all work together for a great year for the Harbor District United Methodist Women. Janet Shew GO Jesus summons us go wherever He may lead, in all places and all circumstances Spiritual Growth Recently, a friend shared with me that she had discovered her daffodils had come up. She quickly got fertilizer for the bulbs and fed them so they would continue to grow. Just like plants need food to grow, so do we. Not only for physical growth but we need food for spiritual growth. This food comes from prayer, worship, meditation and study. Without these things we can t grow spiritually. As sisters in Christ, let s all make an effort to grow spiritually this year. One opportunity we have is the NCCUMW Spiritual Day Apart to be held on April 21 at 10:00 AM, Centenary UMC, Smithfield, NC. Mark this date on your calendar and plan to attend. All I hear about the speaker and the special music is VERY GOOD. Liz White Spiritual Growth Coordinator liz.white@earthlink.net

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8 SOCIAL ACTION THE WAY HOME: WOMEN TALK ABOUT RACE IN AMERICA Friends, WE are inviting you to a showing of a documentary film that means a lot to us. It is called The Way Home: Women Talk About Race in America and features diverse women talking about and across racial division in this country. WE will be listening to the stories of Indigenous, Latina, African - American, European - American, Asian, Arab, Jewish, and Multiracial women spotlighted in the film. This film is designed to raise questions rather than to answer them to be a jumping-off place for future dialogue rather than a definitive statement. It s my hope that it becomes a mirror, weather vane, lightning-rod, and catalyst to get us started on our own conversations. WE want to share this film with the Harbor District United Methodist Women, women who are sensitive to issues of social justice and who are willing to engage in examination of our own histories and prejudices, though that may not always be comfortable. It is essential that we look within for our own answers. It is equally essential that we look outside at the institutionalized violence and racism that have separated us from one another. The idea that we, as a small group of concerned individuals can begin to make a dent in this huge problem of racism excites me. You are invited to come with an open heart to add your voice to this national conversation. Please join us for a morning of listening, sharing, and reflection that I hope will be food for thought and transformation for a long time to come. The showing will take place on Saturday, February 24 at Faith Harbor UMC and we will spend some time afterward processing the issues raised in the film. Please RSVP. Sincerely, Faye Strickland Harbor District Social Action

9 Registration Form The Way Home: Women Talk About Race in America! A Women in Mission Event Saturday, February 24, :00 am-1:00 pm Faith Harbor UMC NC Hwy 50 - Surf City, NC Church Sub-district Contact Person Phone Attendees names: Child care will be available (must be pre-registered by February 19 th ) Child care needed for: Child Age Parent Child Age Parent Child Age Parent There are no fees to attend Social Action Event. A donation will be accepted to cover cost for breakfast and refreshments. Please also register all NON- UMW guests attending with you IMPORTANT: Pre-registration is very important to prepare for this event, though we do not need an EXACT count. If you are late deciding, remember you can register online or by telephone. We welcome all of you and look forward to learning and fellowshipping with you. Thank You! Please return this form by February 19, 2018 to: Faye Strickland, 101 Bermuda Circle, Hampstead, NC Or fayestr46@gmail.com

10 A Glance of Harbor District UMC 2018 ALOTS Hospitable Planet by Stephen A. Jurovics is a work of witness about our faith and the connection to God which should lead us to save and heal our planet from environment catastrophe. While reading this book, you can t help but recall all the environmental issues that we have faced in the past year: fires, mud slides, hurricanes, tornados. Based on the first five books of the Bible, the book speaks to people of faith by offering us guidelines for choosing life for the earth and all its people. Jurovics compares what needs to be done to preserve our lands and people to what Dr. King did for integration. Yes, there are some facts and figures in the book but these are overridden by the Biblical references and the truth of what is being shared. For UMW this book is a great supplement for our Mission Study: Climate Justice. This challenging book is a bonus book and counts as two books in the Social Action category.

11 We re on the Web: We re on Facebook: to-girlfriend-harbor-district-united- Methodist CALENDAR OF EVENTS HARBOR DISTRICT UNITED METHODIST WOMEN February-April 2018 President Vice President Secretary Treasurer 2018 Mission Team Mission Coordinators Education & Interpretation Membership Nurture & Outreach Social Action Susie Lupton Martha Worsley Mary Greene Janice Robbins Beverly Justice Nancy Gooding Faye Strickland Liz White Spiritual Growth Secretary of Program Resources Jo Wainright Nominations, Janet Shew Communications Bescye Burnett Archives & History, Chair Sherry Mewborn 39 & Under Vacant Conference Representative Daisy Dye Sub District Leaders Northwest-Marcia Miller Northeast vacant Southwest - Debbie Sellars Southeast Ann Carter Janet Shew Nominating Committee Sherry Mewborn Lib Pearsall If you are interested in filling any of our vacant positions, please contact a member of the nominating committee. HARBOR TIDINGS North Carolina Conference Harbor District United Methodist Women February All Month-Methodist Home for Children Sharing Sunday - local church selects date in February 2 Church Women United Human Rights Celebration St. Stephen AME Church 6 Harbor Tidings Newsletter article due to Bescye Burnett 24 HD Social Action Event Faith Harbor UMC, Surf City March 2 Church Women United World Day of Prayer Basilica Shrine of St. Mary 216 S. 5 th St., Wilmington World Day of Prayer 3 HDUMW Mission Studies Climate Justice, Living in Covenant Communities, Missionary Conferences Harbor UMC, Wilmington 10 HDUMW Mission Studies Same studies Mt. Moriah UMC, Clinton April 14 NCCUMW Leadership Team Meeting Wake Forest UMC, Wake Forest 15 Book of Reports Due to Conference Secretary 17 Harbor Tidings Newsletter article due to Bescye Burnett 21 NCCUMW Spiritual Day Centenary UMC, Smithfield 28 HDUMW Leadership Team Meeting 10 AM, Herring s Chapel UMC, Burgaw