The Sparkman s Mission Newsletter

Transcription

1 The Sparkman s Mission Newsletter JULY 2017 A PUBLICATION OF THE NASHVILLE DISTRICT UNITED METHODIST WOMEN OUR PURPOSE The organized unit of United Methodist Women is 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. IN THIS ISSUE Our Purpose 1 President s News 1 Mission U news 2 Answers for Puzzle 2 Membership, Nurture 3 Outreach Reading Program 3 Crievewood UMC 4 & 5 60th Anniversary Celebration District Fall Mtg. 6 Treasurer s Report 7 Reports Dues 8 Living the Vision 8 District Legacy Fund 8 Dear UMW Sisters, PRESIDENT S CORNER Nothing is as constant as change is a saying I can remember my mother saying. How true! And that thought applies to the Nashville District as in 2018 it will be integrated into two new Districts in the Cumberland River and the Red River Districts. The reality is bewildering but I firmly believe God s hand at work. I ve just finished (Not Safe for Church) a book of the 2017 UMW Reading Program. It speaks of innovation and change: Innovation disorients and disrupts it encourages and makes room for new people, new ideas, and new ways of being in community. God told Jeremiah to: uproot and tear down, to destroy and overflow to build and to plant (Jer 1:10). I feel the Nashville District is called to heed this hard message and to implement with plenty of prayer and openness to God s leading. Note this new letter focuses on our legacy as we look to 150 th birthday of United Methodist Women in Crievewood UMW celebrated its 60 th birthday in And our fall District program will focus on the legacies of many great women of our denomination namely Suzannah Wesley, Isabela Thoburn, Teresa Hoover, and Susan Angeline Collins to name a few. So in this last newsletter of The Sparkman, your District officers again faithfully lift up areas of concern and challenge. In these articles are guidelines and deadlines to fulfill our obligations to the Conference UMW. These areas are our pledge to missions, 5 Star Giving, the Reading Program, Living the Vision. God s blessings to your Unit as you continue to fulfill the UMW Mission of faith, hope, and love in action. Margaret Cornell President Crossword Puzzle 9

2 Another Mission U study opportunity to be offered by the Nashville District UMW! WHEN? Saturday, August 12, 2017 WHERE? Bellevue United Methodist Church, 7501 Old Harding Rd, Nashville WHAT TIME? 8:30 9:00 AM - Gather & light refreshments 9:00 12 Noon - Mission study 12 Noon - Dismissal (No potluck as previously announced.) WHAT STUDIES? (Study books will be available for $10.00) Living As A Covenant Communityled by Marina Rawls Missionary Conferences of the United States led by Mary Helen Marigza CHILD CARE WILL BE AVAILABLE. Reserve with Margaret Cornell HOW DO I REGISTER? Contact Margaret Cornell at mfmcornell@gmail.com DEADLINE? By Monday, August 7, so the leaders will know how to plan for handouts, etc Sparkman s Mission News is sent electronically to all active s on the District s master officer list. Paper copies are sent to the following local unit officers without President, Vice President, Treasurer, Membership-Nurture-Outreach. Presidents, please share with unit members who do not receive copies. Questions and comments about the Newsletter may be sent to: Carolyn Becker, Newsletter Editor paulbecker4@att.net

3 MEMBERSHIP, NURTURE AND OUTREACH, Marina Rawls Membership shall be open to any woman who indicates her desire to belong to and participate in the global mission of the church through United Methodist Women and its Purpose. As we strive to maintain our membership lists, we need to include on the Memorial Roll any ladies who passed away during the last year of reporting from Aug through July 2017 and report sent in Aug We also need to develop ways to attract, welcome, and maintain new and current members and to find ways to invite new people to attend meetings. Consider how to welcome newcomers and how you will invite them to participate. Create a mentor system that pairs new members with experienced ones. Use name tags when new members are present. Include time and space for women to share their concerns and experiences with one another at gatherings. Stay in touch with and support members through life's joys and struggles. Why should I join United Methodist Women? As a member you can take advantage of many opportunities, including the following: Advocacy for social justice issues, including those pertaining to the environment, domestic violence, immigration and other concerns that impact the lives of women, children and youth. Engagement in racial justice issues. In closing I would like to share from Harriett Jane Olson, General Secretary, United Methodist Women, a portion of the Responsively Yours column 2017 May Response, Participating in a community requires togetherness, connection and relationship. It also requires that the community includes space for different needs, interests and cultures and for spaces of comfort. Building a community of faith where I am honored and my traditions are reflected that stretches me and urges me toward becoming more perfect in love is complicated. It is even more complicated now with so many ways to isolate ourselves and listen only to people with whom we agree. But building this kind of community is our task and our privilege. Thanks be to God that God goes before us. May we have strength, wisdom and humility to follow. Prayer, Bible studies and spiritual retreats. Hands-on mission in local communities. Mission education experiences. Leadership development and training opportunities. Supporting work with women, children and youth. Partnership with women in mission locally and around the world. The UMW Reading Program - take advantage of the UMW web site for many resources! That address is: At that site you can find many free resources as: The Reading Program Catalog The NEW UMW Handbook U-Tube presentations on many subjects of interest to local UMW Units Mission U studies

4 Crievewood United Methodist Women Celebrate 60 th Anniversary The Crievewood United Methodist Women (UMW) turned 60 years old in Our church was established in 1956 and the women started our UMW unit shortly thereafter. To celebrate our 60 th year, we organized a fundraising event for Missions which included a Salad Luncheon and Birthday Cake after worship service along with a used book sale and greeting cards for sale that were made by one our UMW members, Mary Bryan. This was the biggest fund-raising event of the year for us. The congregation was very generous in their donations. We have been able to contribute monies to the following: Pledge to Mission, Africa University, Bethlehem Center, Open Table Nashville, Nashville Rescue Mission, Crievewood Youth Mission Project, and UMCOR Disaster Relief. We also raised monies to fund a Health Fair that was free to the Community that we held on April 1, 2017 at Crievewood United Methodist Church. Our unit is very active with three circles: Rebekah, Dorcas, and Priscilla Circles. UMW/Circle programs topics have included: Open Table Nashville with Ingrid McIntyre, Taking Care of Nature by Wild Birds Unlimited, Project Transformation, Inclement Weather and the Emergency Operations Center with Heidi Mariscal, Crieve Hall Elementary School s organic vegetable garden with a site visit and talk on how the students interact with the garden, Volunteers in Mission with Joe and Kathryn Buffler, Working with Children Who Come From Hard Places, The Challenge of Child Welfare by Patty van Eys, World Thank Offering Program, Prayer and Self-Denial Program, Response Magazine Article Program, Nashville Rescue Mission talk by Rev. Glenn Cranfield, and The Residential Water Cycle--starting at the pre-treatment stage to the finished product to the filtering and cleaning of wastewater prior to return to the river by Sonia Allman, Metro Water Services. UMW/Circle activities have included: a Soup Luncheon fund-raiser for Missions, Valentine cards sent to congregation members that were either sick or homebound, Appreciation Bags prepared for teachers at Crieve Hall Elementary School, Goody Bags assembled and delivered to our homebound congregation members, and College Students from our congregation were sent a Thinking of You card with words of encouragement. We also have a wonderful Prayer Shawl Ministry coordinated by Susan Cortner where congregation members with health issues are given a prayer shawl. New Mothers are also given a baby prayer shawl.

5 Also in 2016, two women were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the principles of UMW: Charlotte Swor and Berta Perkins. Charlotte Swor has not only held offices in our UMW unit but she volunteers at Open Table Nashville, organized our ladies to work with Project Transformation, routinely volunteers to sing with and teach songs to the children of the Day Care, is one of the coordinators for the Room in the Inn at our church, volunteers as the Choir Director in Church, plays the piano or organ on special church occasions/holidays and routinely volunteers to help with our missions. Berta Perkins was recognized at the Fall District Meeting for her work at the district and conference level and for her 15 years serving as an officer. At the Conference Level, Berta served as the Nomination s chair for two years and served as the Communication s Coordinator for four years. During her tenure as Communication s Coordinator, she streamlined the communications process by using communications thereby limiting the amount of paper communications needed. As a result of this initiative, Berta had a budget reduction and cost savings of 50%. She has served in various capacities at the District Level with the last position being that of Treasurer. Berta has served as an officer in our Crievewood United Methodist Women s unit for 25 years in the capacity of President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Circle Chair, and Program Resources. As Program Resources Coordinator, Berta established our UMW Library at the church which is an important Resource for UMW materials and Reading Program books. We have been blessed to have someone of Berta s caliber and knowledge of UMW to guide us in our local unit. The Crievewood United Methodist Women are looking forward to many more years of community service, fellowship, and worship together with God. We would love to have you visit one of our Circles or attend one of our General Meetings. Martha Justice, President Crievewood UMW

6 MARK YOUR CALENDAR The Nashville District UMW Fall Meeting When? Satur day, September 23, 2017 Where? Brentwood United Methodist Church 309 Franklin Road Brentwood, TN Time? 9:00-9:30 Gather for refreshments View/purchase books/resources 9:30-11:30 Business & program Worship Theme and program: Celebrating our UMW Legacy! Through a dramatization and song, great ladies of our legacy will be celebrated as: Isabela Thoburn, Belle Bennett Sallie Hill Sawyer Teresa Hoover Ingrid McIntyre And others..! Who should come? YOU, as UMW member s and officer s. YOUR daughters and granddaughters, teens and young adults Will there be child care? Yes! Please call the church office to register your child. There is no cost. Handicap accessible? YES! See you on Sept 23 with a young friend in

7 2017 TREASURER S REPORT Hello to all my UMW sisters. My name is Linda Smith and I am the current Treasurer for the Nashville District. I am retired from almost 30 years working in Accounts Receivable at the Metropolitan Health Department so stepping into the role of Treasurer was a pretty easy transition. Even though I live in Franklin TN with my adult son, I am a member of McKendree UMC in downtown Nashville. I serve as the Secretary/Treasurer for the McKendree UMW unit, sing in the choir and also play hand bells. In addition to my son, I have an adult daughter and two grand daughters. We enjoy getting together as often as we can. I love reading and have enjoyed so many of the books on our reading program. I think my favorite book so far has been King Peggy. I also enjoy crochet, knitting, cross stitch, jewelry making, beadwork and painting. I thank God daily for my talents and my ability to continue to do the things that I enjoy even if I have to do them using a walker. Seven years ago I developed a staph infection on my spine and had to undergo surgery to that care of the problem. The doctors did not have a lot of hope that I would walk again but God had other plans for me. I am very happy to serve as your Treasurer and hope to continue serving our District and Conference in any way that I can. Linda Smith $34,000 The Nashville District s 2017 pledge to the Tennessee Conference UMW is $34, Please send your Unit s contributions to: Linda Smith (McKendree), District Treasurer 612 Overview Lane Franklin, TN beadweavr1215@yahoo.com

8 A Reminder to send in your reports by August 15 for inclusion in Conference Annual Report Living The Vision report Send to: Mary Helen Marigza (District officer of Education & Interpretation) 1901 Wildwood Ave, Nashville Phone: Membership report (women who have died this past year for Memorial Roll) Send to: Marina Rawls (District officer of Membership, Nurture, Outreach) 2808 Dunmore Drive, Nashville Phone: Reading Program report Send to: Margaret Cornell (District president) 753 Albar Drive, Nashville Phone: Pledge money, contributions to Legacy Fund, Special Mission Recognition pin request Send to: Linda Smith (District treasurer) 612-Overview Lane, Franklin, TN Phone: Our District Legacy Fund collection via the water bottle At the District Officer Training event in February, a water bottle was given to a rep from each Unit. The purpose of the water bottle was to fill it with DIMES or 10 cents by the end of A full bottle of dimes totals around $100. Our District Treasurer, Linda Smith, is asking each Unit to empty the bottles at the bank and send her a check for the Legacy Fund before the end of Thanks for your cooperation! Living the Vision I know that many of you are working toward goals with the Living the Vision report. I have received one submitted already. Remember I need the report by August 15, but if you have planned activities that are happening later in the year 2017, go ahead and indicate them on the form. We will have the recognitions at our fall meeting. If you have questions or need another form I can you one or mail you a paper form. Contact me t mhmarigza@comcast.net or 1901 Wildwood Avenue, Nashville TN My four years in this office have gone by quickly. I want to thank all of you for working with me for Nashville district mission u studies and Living the Vision throughout my term. Mary Helen Marigza