HARBOR DISTRICT UNITED METHODIST WOMEN

Transcription

1 HARBOR DISTRICT UNITED METHODIST WOMEN November 2017 He has shown you, O President s Message United Methodist Women, As the holidays are approaching and we begin getting ready to start the new year, I want to reflect on our Quadrennial Theme for 2017: Follow Jesus summons us to follow in his footsteps and to grow spiritually. He said to them Come Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 4:19. At the Harbor District Annual Meeting in October we celebrated the many achievements of UMW in the Harbor District. Again this year the Harbor District had 19 Mission Today units; with many of these units completing all of the starred tasks. For the year our district had 87 readers participate in the Reading Program and ten of the readers were awarded Plan IV certificates for reading at least twenty books. One of the Plan IV members is 94 years young! Harbor District s Reading Program received third place recognition at the Conference Annual Meeting. With thirty six of our units returning their membership information, the Harbor District reported 1400 plus members. Our website received praise at the conference level for its format and upto-date information. At the time of the District Annual Meeting, we were only $2,000 short of meeting our 2017 pledge. You have accomplished so much and I know that you will continue the hard work to support your local missions and all the missions of UMW. We are definitely fishers of men. Looking at the 2018 district calendar, there are many opportunities to be involved with UMW at both the district and the conference level. I hope to see all of you at ALOTS (officers training) on January 27 th at Wallace UMC. In addition to breaking out into training sessions for officer training, Edie Gleaves, our DS, will speak on Mission of Hope in Rotifunk, Sierra Leone, Africa. Harbor District directories will also be distributed at this meeting. Lastly, I hope that many of you will be attending UMW Assembly in Columbus, Ohio on May I have only attended two assemblies but both were so spiritually enriching. November 30 is the last date for receiving the early registration discount. I wish all of you and your families a safe and happy holiday season and thank you for all you do to support UMW. Susie Lupton slluptonnc@aol.com 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 Book Review 4 Member, Nurture & Outreach 5 Nominations Committee 6 Spiritual Growth 6 Communications North Carolina Conference UMW Calendar 2018 North Carolina Conference UMW Leadership Social Justice as a Spiritual Pursuit: Living Lives as Radical Welcome by Rev. Joan M January March Calendar The Purpose of United Methodist Women The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall be a community of women whose PURPOSE 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, Greetings from your treasurer, What a great year it has been for the Harbor District! We have now reached our pledge of $50,000 for missions to our conference. I know we will pass it because as the year ends, I am receiving remittances on a daily basis. I will have an exact figure for you in the next newsletter. Also, for the year 2016, we have 60 Seven Star Members and 40 Seven Star Units. This is very impressive for a district with approximately 55 units! The units and members will be recognized at our ALOTS meeting in January Each unit will receive a certificate and each member will receive a certificate and a pin. After November, I will know how many we have for 2017 and gave provide that number to you. Please encourage your members to spread their giving over the seven areas and we can continue to improve each year. A Seven Star member insures that the unit will be Seven Star as well. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. If I do not have the answer, I will find it for you. H A R B O R T I D I N G S I hope to see many of the local treasurers at ALOTS in January However, if you cannot make the meeting, please contact your local President. The treasurer forms are in our directory and are also on our website. Our executive team is trying hard to save on postage and Bescye does a wonderful job of making these resources available. Once again, I am only a phone call or away, so feel free to contact me. I would like to thank everyone for the support I have received in my role as district treasurer. I have learned a tremendous amount and met some wonderful people. I look forward to serving you again in Enjoy your holidays and have a Happy New Year! In Christian love, Janice Robbins Janice Robbins Secretary s Report We have entered into Autumn since our last newsletter and even some cooler temperatures! We shall not dread cold, perhaps dreary days of Winter my wish is for you to enjoy the good thingsthe upcoming holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas- worshiping and family gatherings. We shall also look forward to a new year of UMW meetings, new UMW officers and UMW spiritual events. The ALOTS (Local officer training) meeting is coming up in January (Wallace UMC, January27, 2018). I hope that all UMW Secretaries will attend. It is a great time to share ideas, receive new ideas, ask questions and have a good discussion with other secretaries. You will be able to give your input to the district as well: how can the district make your job and communications easier? Secretaries have an awesome duty to accurately record and preserve what the UMW does thank you!! Also, as a reminder: if you have not already done so, please submit any new officer information for your unit to me, the 2018 Harbor District directory will be published soon. Again, thank you for all that you do! Blessings, Mary Greene binney@carolina.net He said to them Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 4:19

3 N O V E M B E R 2017 P A G E 3 Evergreen UMW Evergreen UMW selected 4 UMCs in Port Arthur, Texas and sent cards and $50.00 per church to be used to help with relief after Hurricane Harvey. Two churches have responded with thank you cards at this time.. Common Thread won the 2017 Health Care Heroes Award by Lower Cape Fear Hospice in the Volunteers category! The nomination was made by Rose Hunt. This year there were more than 150 nominations in 11 categories. The judges, who make up sponsors and community leaders in the health care industry, deliberated and narrowed down the nominations to three finalist in each category. Health Care Heroes is an annual awards program and event organized by Greater Wilmington Business Journal. Common Thread is one of 30 other people that will be featured in the Oct. 20 Business Journal issue and honored on Nov. 11 at the Health Care Heroes event at the Country Club of Landfall. Jeanne Scott was presented with the above award. The Seaside United Methodist Women, Sunset Beach, held their "Women in Fellowship" retreat, November 3-4. The keynote speaker was Lea Turner, from Mississippi. Her message for sharing was "A life set to grace, is a life set to rest!" We were given the opportunity, through scripture and small group discussions, to fulfill our quests for a heart at rest. Wonderful meals, music, and fellowship was shared as the women prayed together and acted upon Lea's spiritual words. Blessings and Peace, Sandra Shuford Seaside UMW Faith Harbor UMC Rainbow circle women making blankets for Methodist home for children.

4 P A G E 4 H A R B O R T I D I N G S Hiding in the Light by Rifqa Bary is the story of how a young girl chose to leave Islam to follow Jesus. Rifqa recounts the details leading up to her decision to leave home and the change of events that followed. Her story will challenge you to consider what it means to sacrifice for and to ask yourself how far would you go to live out what you believe. There were seasons of real progress as well as moments when God painfully made clear to me again why popularity doesn t satisfy, why others love doesn t satisfy, why money and the things that it can buy don t satisfy, why fantasizing about a different set of circumstances doesn t satisfy. Why nothing else satisfies except Jesus and whatever I allow Him to transform in my life to reflect His loving touch on my soul. Except for her immediate family, Rifqa had a strong supporting team that helped her through her conversion and her journey to freedom. Today Rifqa lives in spiritual freedom where she is able to worship Jesus without restrain or apology. I encourage you to read this compelling book in the Education for Mission category. 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.

5 N O V E M B E R 2017 Page 5 Membership Nurture & Outreach GO TO: unitedmethodistwomen.org Members of United Methodist Women are invited to complete the following information fields; when finished you will be able to print a personalized membership card. United Methodist Women is a membership organization dedicated to mission with women, children and youth. All missionminded women within and beyond The United Methodist Church are welcome. We are an open, Christian organization with ecumenical ties and connections around the world. United Methodist Women will never share your contact information without your permission. Here are the instructions for your individual registration: Your Name Your address Your Phone# (yes or no) SUBMIT Sue Teachey, Membership, Nurture & Outreach Phone: knott1@embarqmail.com Camp United Methodist Church women are taking their church van to Assembly in Columbus, OH if any one would like to ride with us please call Martha Worsley

6 Page 6 H A R B O R T I D I N G S Nominations Committee The Harbor District UMW Nominating Committee for 2017 included Janet Shew, Sherry Mewborn, Lib Pearsall, and our District Vice-president, Martha Worsley. We are blessed to have a great group of both new and returning officers for The officers installed at our Harbor District UMW Annual Meeting at Hampstead UMC on October 21 st are: President Susie Lupton Vice-president Martha Worsley Secretary Mary Greene Treasurer Janice Robbins Education and Interpretation Beverly Justice Secretary of Program Resources Jo Wainright Nominations Chair Janet Shew Communications Coordinator Bescye Burnett Women in Mission-vacant Archives and History Coordinator-vacant Membership Nurture & Outreach Nancy Gooding Social Action Faye Strickland Spiritual Growth Liz White Sub-district leaders Ann Carter Southeast Debbie Sellers Southwest Marcia Miller Northwest Nomination Committee Sherry Mewborn Lib Pearsall Vacant Vacant-Northeast In addition to a Sub-District Leader for the Northeast, we still need a Women in Mission (39 and Under) Coordinator, an Archives and History Coordinator and one additional nominating committee member. If anyone is interested in any of these positions or would like to recommend someone, please contact Janet Shew at or janetshew@nccumc.org. The nominating committee appreciates any input and help you can give us! Thanks so much! Janet Shew GO Jesus summons us go wherever He may lead, in all places and all circumstances Spiritual Growth Dear friends, This is my last year as your Spiritual Growth leader of the Harbor District. I want to thank you for your support during the last four years. New officers were installed at the HD annual meeting November 21, 2017 at Hampstead UMC. These ladies are very talented and capable. Liz White is the new Spiritual Growth Leader. May your life, through His grace in your work make our district and churches thrive. Please go to the studies and all meetings of the conference and district and I assure you that you will be blessed and will grow spiritually. Kitsey H. Farrior, HD Spiritual Growth 507 N. Duplin St., Wallace, NC Phone: Cell phone: farriork@embarqmail.com

7 N O V E M B E R 2017 Page 7 Communications United Methodist Women Connection (from United Methodist Women actively engages social media through the use of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Flickr. We believe these tools help us fulfill our mission and purpose by enhancing our connection as a creative and supportive fellowship of women, advocating for justice and mission, and raising awareness of transformative educational and service opportunities The Summons Quadrennial Theme Quadrennial Scripture: Micah 6:8 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. NIV Quadrennial Song: The Summons - #2130 in The Faith We Sing Color: Green GO Jesus summons us go wherever He may lead, in all places and all circumstances. Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send and who will go for us? And I said, Here am I, send me! Isaiah 6:8 NRSV

8 2018 NC CONFERENCE UMW CALENDAR

9 2018 NORTH CAROLINA CONFERENCE LEADERSHIP TEAM NC Conference United Methodist Women President JoAnn Barbour Osceola Rd., Elon, NC Vice President Daisy Dye Wilderness Dr.,Rockingham, NC Secretary Hazel Hall Coolidge St., Fayetteville, NC Treasurer Sandra Creech Mendell US Hwy 13 N, Goldsboro, NC Chr., Committee Martha Caves on Nominations 4404 Burlington Rd., Roxboro, NC Communications Jin Lee Coordinator 8000 Knebford Circle, Wake Forest, NC Sec. of Program Lynn Clewis Resources 246 Country Canyon Dr., Rockingham, NC l clewis@carolina.rr.com MISSION COORDINATORS: Spiritual Growth Jerline (Sandy) Miller (c) 5216 Remington Rd., Fayetteville, NC sandymiller1947@gmail.com Membership Sherri Alford (h); (c) Nurture 1177 Persimmon Rd., Rowland, NC alfordsherrip@gmail.com & Outreach Social Action Annette Wright S. Fourth St., Mebane, NC agwright18@gmail.com Education & Doris Wade Interpretation PO Box 344, Morehead City, NC waded@ec.rr.com Conference website:

10 Social Justice as a Spiritual Pursuit: Living Lives of Radical Welcome by Rev. Joan M. Maruskin, Church World Service Immigration and Refugee Service "Is such the fast that I choose?" (Isaiah 58) As United Methodists we are called to live lives of radical welcome. Our walk with Christ, our Christian history and our Wesleyan roots call for us to spread scriptural holiness throughout the land. That holiness is based on our having been created in the image of God and our being the hands of Christ in our world. Scripturally, from the beginning through the final pages of the Bible, God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit give us instructions on responding to their love for us by showing our love for them by leading holy lives. As United Methodists, we also turn to John Wesley and the Wesleyan movement, which was a commitment to a holiness project, to learn how we can fully embrace that project. We have scripture, reason, tradition and experience to study when seeking to turn our faith into action. As people of faith, we have questions to ask as we strive to live as disciples of Christ. What does it mean to live lives of radical welcome? How are the connections between personal piety, social holiness, and action for justice as a Christian witness part of our spiritual practice? How do Isaiah 58 and Matthew 25 give us guidance for living into the world and helping it become God's kingdom on earth? How do we live our faith individually, communally and holistically? How do we address critical social concerns as a spiritual practice? How do we decide which social concern or concerns to address? How do we build radical hospitable communities? How does Matthew 5:43-48 give us guidance in doing so? Do you see yourself as a sinner or saint, and why? Scripturally, which does Christ see you as and call you to be? What does it mean to be created in the image of God? Who is the stranger, and have you ever been one? The biblical meaning and practice of hospitality was one of welcoming the stranger. In the Hebrew Bible, God cares for the exiles and strangers. In the New Testament, Jesus becomes a refugee, an asylum seeker and is undocumented at the time of his crucifixion. He also models care for strangers and sends the Holy Spirit to guide us in living lives of radical welcome. Theologically, the stranger among us may very well be God, Christ or an angel. Over the centuries the meaning of hospitality has shed the idea of welcoming the stranger and very often means welcoming friends, relatives, close neighbors and members of our particular social group. As we ponder living radical lives, we remember that we have been created in God's image. How do we live into that knowledge and partner with God to bring peace on earth and goodwill toward all? (Printed without permission from the United Methodist Women website found at

11 We re on the Web: We re on Facebook: CALENDAR OF EVENTS HARBOR DISTRICT UNITED METHODIST WOMEN January-March 2018 January President 2017 Mission Team Susie Lupton slluptonnc@aol.com Martha Worsley Mary Greene Janice Robbins Vice President Secretary Treasurer February Mission Coordinators Education & Interpretation Membership Nurture & Outreach Social Action Spiritual Growth Secretary of Program Resources Nominations, Communications Archives & History, Chair 39 & Under Conference Representative Beverly Justice Sue Teachey Bescye P. Burnett Kitsey Farrior Jo Wainright Vacant Bescye Burnett Nancy Gooding Vacant JoAnn Barbour Sub District Leaders Northwest-Marcia Miller Northeast Marjorie Brown Southwest - Debbie Sellars Southeast Ann Carter Nominating Committee Janet Shew Dallace Grady HARBOR TIDINGS North Carolina Conference Harbor District United Methodist Women All Month-Methodist Home for Children Sharing Sunday - local church selects date in February Church Women United Human Rights Celebration St. Stephen AME Church Harbor Tidings Newsletter article due to Bescye Burnett HD Social Action Event Faith Harbor UMC, Surf City March 2 3 Sherry Mewborn Lib Pearsall If you are interested in filling any of our vacant positions, please contact a member of the nominating committee. New officers resume duties. New district year Begins Church Women United Annual Mtg.-Kure Memorial Lutheran Church 117 3rd Ave. North, Kure Beach NC NCCUMW Leadership Team Meeting Retreat House, Moorhead City. District Mailing List for KEDE due to KEDE Editor from District Secretary HDUMW Leadership Team Meeting - 10 AM TBA ALOTS & Cluster Meeting -Wallace UMC, Wallace 10 Church Women United World Day of Prayer Basilica Shrine of St. Mary 216 S. 5th St., Wilmington World Day of Prayer HDUMW Mission Studies Climate Justice, Living in Covenant Communities, Missionary Conferences Harbor UMC, Wilmington HDUMW Mission Studies Same studies Mt. Moriah UMC, Clinton