Gleanings. A Calling for This Time. Save the Date: Corina Esaw Executive Director of Wallace Family Life Center. Saturday, May 17 10:05 A.M.

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1 Columbia District United Methodist Women March 2014 Gleanings A Calling for This Time Saturday, May 17 10:05 A.M. Registration: 9:00am Workshops: 11:15am Lunch: 12:40 Noon Fee: $15.00 Location: First United Methodist Church 901 North Kings Highway Myrtle Beach, SC (843) Keynote Speaker: Corina Esaw Executive Director of Wallace Family Life Center Save the Date: Church Women United March 7: CWU Ecumenical World Day of Prayer, St. Martin De Porres Catholic April 5: CWU Salads, Sweets & Sisterhood, Forest Lake Presbyterian May 2: CWU May Friendship Day Celebration, Turner Memorial AME October 3: CWU Human Rights Celebration, Platt Springs UMC November 7: CWU World Community Day, Francis Burns UMC

2 Let me say Thank You to the Columbia District for allowing me to represent you as your president. For the last few months, I have been on a whirlwind of a journey that I never imagined. Loving every second it was a joy to me to see so many of you at our Officers Training at Grace United Methodist Church on January 19. Hopefully all went home with valuable information for their local units. My thanks to all the presenters for their time and dedication and helping with a successful event. An special thanks goes to the ladies at Grace UMC for being such perfect hostesses and providing the comfortable facilities and delicious refreshments for us to enjoy. For those of you who missed Advocacy Day, the day was full of excellent information and food. The rain didn t seem to matter. There were 42 ladies from the Columbia District registered. Ms. Carol Barton, Coordinator, Immigrant/Civil Rights Initiative and Executive for Community Action brought us the Immigration Overview. Our Keynote Speaker, Rev. Emily Scales-Sutton from Bethel & Philadelphia UMC. Her topic was Justice for Our Neighbors. In the coming months, the program committee and I will be working on our program for the Annual Meeting. September seems to be so far away, but when spring arrives - time just flies by! I look forward to seeing many of you at Day Apart on March 1 st and Lake Junaluska in May. In the meantime, if I could be of assistance to you or your unit, please give me a call. May you continue to receive blessings from God as you work to do his will through United Methodist Women. Love in Christ, Carole Ready Columbia District President

3 Well ladies, we have survived the holidays! Sweet Hearts day has come and gone... And Easter is fast approaching. Oh my how time keeps on moving. It has been a busy time for all of us. We had another successful Officers Training. There were 77 ladies in attendance. If you are an officer in your local unit and did not get to attend, please be sure to contact the District Officer to obtain all information that you should have for your Unit. Huge thanks to Trinity West Columbia for hosting and your welcoming spirit. I had the great opportunity to perform the installation of officer s service for Frances Burns UMW. Thank you to Mrs. Gladys Morgan-Bell, UMW President, and UMW ladies for that meaningful experience. Each officer was presented with a flower in the color of the rainbow and empowered to be faithful and committed to their duties and perform their duties to the best of their ability. Looking forward to traveling to Rehoboth Columbia on March 3 to share with their Unit. Ladies please do not hesitate to call and invite the District Executive team to your meetings and events. We are here to serve you. Also remember to advertise your events in the Gleanings. You may send your activities to Regina King, Communication Coordinator. Our Day Apart will probably be over by the time you read this message. I hope that you were able to attend. Want to thank Rev. Robin Dease for leading our ladies on this spiritual journey. Thank you to our Spiritual Growth Coordinator, Betty Bradley, for all of her efforts in planning the event. Please continue to support the Church Women United organization. Remember to add them to your list of organization you report. The calendar of events are included in the Gleanings. April 5 is the Sweets, Salads, Sisterhood luncheon and fashion show to be held at Forest Lake Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall 6500 N. Trenholm Road 11:00am 1:30pm. Tickets are $8 each. Seating is limited. So send $8 to: Mrs. JoAnn Grant 9190 Windsor Lake Blvd, Columbia, SC to reserve your seat. Absolutely no late registrations or walk-ins will be accepted. Registration deadline is March 27. Love Peace and Grace, Sandra Love Columbia District Vice President

4 PLEDGES are important. Please encourage your units to set a pledge to Mission for This money helps so many of our brothers and sisters in need. Each of you has the power to make a difference in the lives of those in need. Let s kick it up a notch this year and do all we can to support our United Methodist Women and the people we serve. You may not know or see how your dollars impact the lives of others, but God sees the results!!! Lives are changed through your dollars. I pray that we will all dig deep this year so we can meet our pledge to Mission goal. Remittances are due to me on March 15, 2014, June 15th, 2014, September 15, 2014 and December 10th, If you need forms, they can be found on the UMCSC.org website under the Ministries tab, and click on United Methodist Women and you will find lots of information, including many forms that we use. If you need forms and can t get them from the website, please let me know and I will be happy to send them to you. If you have any questions on your Mission giving or completing the forms, please contact Debra Schooler at or me at schooldeb4@aol.com. Thank you for all you do and may God bless you in powerful ways in this New Year! Yours in Christ, Debra Schooler Columbia District Treasurer Welcome to the beginning of Spring. I always look forward to the spouting of leaves, flowers, and grass. It is a renewal of life. I am in need of your assistance...remembering the Great Commission in which Jesus sent out the disciples to spread the Good News. The disciples knew what to say because they had been informed and I want all units to be informed about the happenings of the United Methodist Women. The way to be informed is by sending in the officers of your unit. This is how we know where to send information and "The Gleanings." Without this information you cannot spread the news to your units about what is happening. Please send the officers form to me as that I can make sure your units get the information. We want you to spread the news. The form is enclosed in this newsletter. To date I have received 21 lists. If you have sent yours in, thanks so much. If you have not, I hope to hear from you soon. Love in Christ, Lynda Smith Columbia District Secretary

5 Columbia District United Methodist Women Local Unit Officers For 2014 Return Form by March 15, 2014 To: District Secretary Lynda Smith 808 Buckingham Road, Cola (803) Church: President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer Social Action Education and Interpretation Nominations Chairperson Membership, Nurture, & Outreach Secretary of Program Resources Communications Coordinator Historian Spiritual Growth

6 Hello Sisters, I would like to thank all the Unit Spiritual Growth Coordinators who attended training in January. It was a pleasure meeting you and hearing about your churches. I look forward to seeing you again real soon and remember if I can help you in any way, please let me know. This has been a difficult day for me. I sat in the Hospital and listened while the Doctors ask my close friend questions about a care plan for her Husband. Questions like, if his heart should stop do we do CPR, do we attach a ventilator if necessary, do we give him an anti-biotic, and do we insert a feeding tube if needed? You see, her Husband has had Parkinson for over ten years and is now in the Hospital and very sick. It seems more and more we have to make decisions like these that our society has forced upon us in one way or the other. My heart ached for her as I watched her struggle for answers. When and if the time comes that we have to make these decisions will we be ready? Have we talked with our love ones about what they would want us to do? Do we even ask? Does doing all these things to keep people alive interfere with the natural order of death and if they do is it the right thing to do. I worry about this more and more, when I think I know what I would do, up pops another question and I am as confused as ever. There is only one place to go for help, and that is to the one who created us, who gave His Son that we may have eternal life. So today I gave my worry to my Lord and Master. When the time comes God will show me what to do and give me the strength to do it. So, how do you feel about making life and death decisions? Remember, God loves you and so do I. Betty Bradley Columbia District Spiritual Growth Coordinator

7 This past month, I actually enjoyed the snow and ice. I loved hearing the birds chirping. I even saw my favorite red birds dancing in the snow. Awesome! I hope each of you found joy and splendor in the beauty created by Mother Nature. My mother always said that the beauty of nature was God's handiwork. Even though we were snowed in, I saw my community practice love in action by helping neighbors clear the driveway and ensure that their needs were met. Now let each one of us put our faith, hope and love in action by reviewing the 2014 Conference and District Social Action goals and committing to support at least one cause this year. 1. Support public schools with increased visibility and advocate for both quality public schools and adequate funding by actively participating in the South Carolina Annual Conference March 4th Event. 2. Encourage local units to select a member as the local unit Social Action Coordinator or contact person. 3. Districts and local Units will implement the Charter for Racial Justice, to increase awareness and understanding of true racial justice, by encouraging local units to become Racial Justice Diamond Units (RJDU). Each District will increase 2014 recognized RJDU by 2%. 4. Encourage districts and local units to become informed, advocate and distribute information on at least one social action issue including but not limited to: domestic violence, environmental justice, human trafficking, immigration, health care, Children s Sabbath, racial inequality, juvenile justice, support stricter gun law regulation, Sudan, Haiti, or economic factors affecting women, children and youth. 5. Continue to inform UMW members and support efforts to pass greater consumer protection laws by contacting your state legislator. During our Officers training we discussed Human Trafficking as a Social Action Alert. CNN reported that local and federal authorities arrested 45 people during the Super Bowl for participating in a sex trafficking ring. They were able to rescue 15 young girls as part of this effort. We must continue to be the voice of the victim and advocate for their human rights. Many wonder how to find information on these Social Action causes. There are hundreds of articles on the Internet, the State Paper and the Local News which is a great place to start. WIS TV did a very interesting report on Human Sex Trafficking right here in South Carolina: I challenge you to find a cause that you are passionate about and ACT. If I can be of any assistance, please me at nfayelove@aol.com. Justice for All, Faye Love Columbia District Social Action Coordinator

8 Hello Columbia District! I pray that the beginning of 2014 has started off great for everyone and you continue to be blessed as you go through this year! A few years ago the Columbia District discovered that many of the local units were listed as active units without charter at the Office of Membership Opportunities in New York. Although, a few units requested their charter, many have not. The Columbia District is asking that if your local unit has not requested a charter to please do so by completing the Request for Charter Certificate Packet for Active Units of United Methodist Women located online: You only have to complete parts 1-3 and send to: Office of Membership Opportunities GBGM-Women s Division 475 Riverside Drive Room 1501 NY, NY or fax to If you have any questions regarding this packet, please contact CD MNO Coordinator, Erica Chalmers at or at eechalmers@bellsouth.net for assistance. Reminder! The 2013 Local Membership Census forms were due on January 30, Only a few units have reported, BUT it is not too late to complete your forms and send them in. Please do so as soon as possible. Please mail forms to Erica Chalmers, MNO Coordinator, 1224 Wash Lever Road Little Mountain, SC Thanks for all you do as UMW! Erica Chalmers Columbia District MNO Coordinator

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10 The primary focus of UMW is mission, and it's up to each of us as members to spread the word about the five missions in our state that we support. You are reading Gleanings right now, and that is a good indication that you know about these missions; but there are members in your unit who do not. We sometimes forget that. Pat and I are asking that you remember to talk about Killingsworth, Rural Mission, Wallace Family Life Center, Bethlehem Center, Spartanburg, and Bethlehem Community Center, Columbia. Educate those who don't know. The key to any organization's success is communication. We would like to have a contact person for each unit in the district. That should be the Education and Interpretation Coordinator, but your unit might not have one. In that case, please choose someone and send us that person s name, address, and phone number: jlcrawlings@att.net AND/OR pgundler@att.net. Several events are coming up that offer opportunities for education, spiritual growth, and fellowship. By the time you read this, Day Apart and Legislative Day will be over, but Assembly in Louisville, Kentucky, Spiritual Growth Retreat at Lake Junaluska, and Mission U are still ahead of us. You can find more about these events in other parts of Gleanings or by going to Calling all crafters! We need new, homemade items for the Craft Room at Mission U. All of the money made in the Craft Room goes to our five mission projects, so encourage everyone in your unit to come up with one or two items to donate. Just think what we could do with only one or two items per UMW member. Grace and Peace, Jenny Rawlings & Pat Gundler Columbia District Education and Interpretation Committee Chairs

11 Hello ladies! I am hoping that you are still reading and that you are enjoying the new books in all 5 categories. Some changes are coming with reporting the list of participants in the same year as the district meeting. This would mean that 2014 certificates are presented in 2014 and not the following year. I have asked for specifics from our conference representative about how this will work and I will let you know when I am sure how we are going to do this. Right now, I really need your reports from I will accept past-due reports until the end of March. I will attempt to contact churches who have not sent in reports that usually do, but also would like the cluster leaders to remind their churches as well. For those of you who have sent in reports, I thank you! Let's get those numbers up! So far, I have only 85 participants recorded for Last year there were 116 participants. I would also like to recommend that you read Wonder. It is written about a grammar school child who is born with congenital genetic deformities of the face. After numerous surgeries, his face still looks "like it's melted," according to some of his peers. He attempts to go to public school after being home-schooled all of his young life. The tale is about rejection and bullying, but also one about courage. The young boy shows his own personal courage, but also you see the courage of some of his young peers in facing the rejection of the popular kids in order to befriend the outcast. Jesus calls us to befriend the outcast as well even when it goes against what is popular. How well are we doing with this calling? Contact me with any questions via at: dssjones726@yahoo.com. Debbie Jones Columbia District Secretary for Program Resources

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16 You are invited to assemble kits with items needed by your conference national mission institutes: Killingsworth, Bethlehem Center in Spartanburg, and Rural Mission as a Pre-Assembly activity. You will find the wish lists below. Kit assemblies can be done locally or at the District level. Make arrangements for delivery of these kits to the institutions. Plan to stay awhile and tour while you are there. Take photos and videos of your kit assembly and send them to We also have two mission projects in our Conference that are not national mission projects under United Methodist Women National, but are near and dear to our hearts. Their wish lists are also included. Take photos of these efforts as well but send them to Tina Waters: twaters2@sc.rr.com for inclusion in the Mission Echo. KILLINGSWORTH HOME Paper Products: toilet paper, paper towels, Kleenexes in regular rectangular boxes; Cleaning Products: laundry detergent-no pods or HE, Pine Sol or Mr. Clean, Murphy s Original Oil Soap; Linen: large bath-sized towels, hand towels and wash clothes-in pale colors; Misc.: heavy duty aluminum foil, plastic wrap, gallon and quart-sized freezer baggie; Food: Rice--converted for uniformity and ease in cooking SUGAR, snack pack cereals (like we had as kids) RURAL MISSION Paper Products: plates, cups, toilet tissue, paper towels; Cleaning Products: Ivory soap-liquid and original Dawn dishwashing detergent; Institutional Utensils: Institutional pots, baking pans, coffee pot, mixing bowl, spoons, forks, colander; etc. Misc.: Bond paper, envelopes, postage stamps, janitorial supplies, Lap Top computer, (2) Printer Ink for printers COLUMBIA BETHLEHEM COMMUNITY CENTER Toiletries for Campers: toilet paper, hand soap, paper towels; Gift Cards: for Office Depot and Wal-Mart to purchase supplies needed for camps BETHLEHEM CENTER, SPARTANBURG Fully stocked book bags for all ages; Food: nonperishable pantry food WALLACE FAMILY LIFE Circular rug for children s room; Arts/Crafts: copy paper, butcher paper, arts and craft kits/books; construction paper shoe-box size storage bins and tote-able sized bins; Gift Cards: Walmart, Bi-Lo, IGA

17 Facebook Campaign for Young United Methodist Women Our Limitless, Redefine Tomorrow Team is launched a Facebook campaign. Limitless Young Women believe in Ubuntu. I am human because you are human. South Carolina Limitless Team Vision Statement: Limitless women are living in the present, preparing for the future, creating a peaceful world, building kingdom citizens, while striving to help young women expand the mission. We wish to involve more young women in our SCCUMW. We are looking for young women ages 15 to 30, throughout the SC Conference to be part of this heightened effort to include more young people. Be sure to let your UMW President know the names of anyone interested in working with the Limitless Team. Remember to connect every 2nd Saturday in Join the Facebook campaign! Like Limitless SC on Facebook. Chat with them the 2nd Saturday of every month. Join Limitless Young Women in a time of service at: Come Together, Be Together May 17, 2014

18 Columbia District UNITED METHODIST WOMEN Reporting Period November, December, January May, June, July February, March, April August, September, October Cluster: Unit (Church) President Date Spiritual Growth Activity, Advocacy, Social Action: Fellowship (include outreach activities): Donations/ Contributions: Other:

19 CALENDAR OF EVENTS December 9 Killingsworth Christmas Open House Columbia Bethlehem Center Holiday Drop-in January 11 Columbia District Officers Training, Trinity West Columbia Columbia District Executive Committee Meeting Immediately following officers training February Wallace Family Life Special Emphasis Month 18 SCCUMW Legislative Day Epworth Children s Home March April 1 Columbia District Day Apart Columbia Bethlehem Center Special Emphasis Month 15 Columbia District Executive Committee meeting Assembly, Louisville, Kentucky May 2-4 Spiritual Growth Retreat Lake Junaluska, NC 17 Come Together Be Together Christ UMC, Bennetsville, SC June South Carolina Conference of UMC Annual Meeting, Florence, SC 17 Columbia District Executive Committee Meeting, Union UMC July Rural Mission, Inc. Special Emphasis Month Mission u Spartanburg Methodist College August 9 Mission u Youth Event September Killingsworth Home Special Emphasis 20 Columbia District Annual Meeting, Union UMC, Irmo, SC October 14 Columbia District Executive Committee Meeting SCCUMW Annual meeting November Bethlehem Center-Spartanburg Special Emphasis 8 SCCUMW Training for District Officers 13 Killingsworth Holiday Gala, Seawells, Columbia, SC December Killingsworth Christmas Open House

20 Columbia District United Methodist Women 2014 Slate of Officers President... Carole Ready (Platt Springs) (H) (C) Pembrook Drive, West Columbia, SC Vice President... Sandra Love (Grace) (H) (W) (C) Hexham Circle, Irmo, SC Secretary Lynda Smith (Lebanon) (C) Buckingham Road, Cola Treasurer... Debra Schooler (Lebanon) (H) (W) (C) Meadow Lane Eastover, SC Communications Coordinator... Regina King (Francis Burns) (C) Walker Solomon Way, Columbia SC Spiritual Growth Coordinator... Betty C. Bradley (Platt Springs) (H) (C) Bel Air Drive, West Columbia, SC Social Action Coordinator... Faye Love (Bluff Road) (H) (C) Merryfield Lane, West Columbia, SC Membership Nurture & Outreach... Erica Chalmers (I.DeQuincey Newman) (H) (W) Wash Lever Road, Little Mountain, SC Education and Interpretation Coordinator...Pat Gundler & Jenny Rawlings (Chapin) Gundler: (H) (C) Greenleaf Circle Chapin, SC Rawlings: (H) (C) Water Links Dr. Chapin, SC Secretary Program Resources... Debbie Jones (Platt Springs) (H) (C) Springdale Road. West Columbia, SC Historian... Pat Hoesly (Northeast) (H) (C) Great North Rd Columbia SC Committee on Nominations Chair...Addie Mae Jones (Rehoboth) (H) Hardscrabble Road, Columbia, SC 29223

21 (2014 slate of officers continued...) Members Committee on Nominations Class of Pearl Allen (College Place) (H) Delverton Road, Columbia, SC Class of Linda Kennedy (Francis Burns) (H) Wilmette Road Columbia, SC Class of Tommie Easler (Gordon Memorial) (H) Court, Blythewood, SC Class of Addie Mae Jones (Rehoboth) (H) Hardscrabble Road, Columbia, SC Class of Lesley Lampert (Shady Grove) (H) Shady Wood Lane Irmo, SC Class of Joanne Johnson (Bluff Road) (H) Ralph Ct. Blythewood, SC Class of Judith Smith (Virginia Wingard) (H) Pine Belt Rd. Columbia, SC Cluster Leaders Cluster 1... Robin Andrews (Lexington) (C) Conner Park Lane, West Columbia, SC Cluster 2... Patricia Armstrong (Wesley) (H) Banner Hill Road, Columbia, SC Cluster 3... Mary Mason (Grace) (H) (C) Woodcross Drive Apt 208, Columbia, SC Cluster 4...Nancy Livingston (Shandon) (C) Autumn Circle, Columbia, SC Cluster 5... Tiffany Jones (Rehoboth) (H) (C) Hardscrabble Road, Columbia, SC Cluster 6... Cindy Ballengar (Gordon Memorial) (H) (C) Greenbriar Mossydale Road, Winnsboro, SC 29180

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24 Subscriptions Happy Easter Jesus is Risen, Indeed! It s time to renew your subscription to Gleanings if you are receiving a copy in your mailbox. If you would like to continue receiving a copy by US Postal service, the cost for the annual renewal is $4.00. The local unit president, secretary and communication coordinator will receive free copies. If you would like to receive a copy via at no charge, please provide an address. Please complete the subscription form below and return to: Regina King, Communication Coordinator, 2174 Walker Solomon Way, Columbia, SC OR via at reginaeking@gmail.com CHURCH: NAME: MAILING ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: Regina King, Communication Coordinator 4908 Colonial Drive Columbia, SC Non Profit Org US Postage PAID Columbia, SC Permit No. 163 Return Service Requested Shipping Address Here 555 Street Address City, State