South District United Methodist Women E-News

South District United Methodist Women E-News President: Bobbie Norris September 2017 Editor: Alice Brown From South District President Hello everyone, I pray this summer has found all of you having a great monsoon season. I pray you have had wonderful vacations, travelling, visiting with friends and family. It s hard to believe that it s time for meetings and celebrations, planning for the upcoming fall, winter and spring activities. There is much to do. Mark your calendars for September which will be the beginning of early registration for Assembly 2018. I am attending and would enjoy seeing many of you there. Also, upcoming in October is the District Annual Meeting, and the Conference Annual Celebration. District s Leadership Training will be held at two separate locations in 2018. St. Marks has agreed to host the first one and the Trinity United Methodist Church in Bisbee has agreed to host the second one. Dates and times will come at a later date. I wish to take a moment here to write about all the turmoil in our world today. I understand that there is so much unrest in our world, hate and destruction are running rampant, and with the tumultuous situation between the United States and North Korea, we have no clue what is going to happen, and this is so unsettling for all of us. There is fear, anxiety and yes anger brewing in many of our people. We are seeing destruction of history, and racial issues are again raising their ugly heads. We have all been asking why. Why is this all happening, why, oh why, oh why? And, of course, I have been asked so many times, what can we do? My answer to all of these questions has been, we can pray, pray relentlessly don t stop praying. We are prayer warriors and God is listening and He is in control. The hate factor needs to be erased, replace it with Love, Peace, understanding, forgiveness, happiness and joy. Our children will be asking the same questions we are asking, and I urge each of you to be reassuring with them. Be honest with them, and teach them to pray, love, respect, forgive, and above all, not to lose faith. We adults must all remember to keep our faith strong, do not break our covenants with God and each other. May God bless each of you and may your hearts be filled with Love, Peace, Joy and Happiness. Bobbie Norris, SD President 1

Annual Meeting Information Are you ready for some FUN, FELLOWSHIP & great FOOD? Then, our SOUTH DISTRICT UNITED METHODIST WOMEN ANNUAL MEETING is the place to be! Bold Women Putting On the Armor of God Rev. Sherry Brady will be our music & song leader again. Did I say FUN! Two focus groups, INN Project & Human Trafficking Our keynote speaker, Ella Rawls, R.D., discussing Justice For Our Neighbors (JFON) Mark your calendar now for Saturday., Oct. 14 at St. Paul's UMC, 8051 E. Broadway, Tucson. See you there! Blessings, Marilyn Neal, Vice President of Programming Save the Dates Saturday, February 3, 2018 St. Mark's UMC, Tucson Leadership Development Training Saturday, February 17, 2018 Trinity UMC, Bisbee Leadership Development Training You will have a choice of two dates and locations for Leadership Development Training. This will allow our members living in the outlying areas an opportunity to attend. Also, if you can t make the one in your area then you have a second choice. Conference Annual Celebration Information Pondering Possibilities with Love and Compassion Annual Celebration October 20-21, 2017 at Gila Mountain UMC, Yuma Arizona Even though it is still summer and the temperature is often in the three digits, October will be here before we turn around. October 20 and 21 are the important dates to remember for our Conference United Methodist Women. On October 20 th we will have the opportunity to participate in an Ubuntu activity and to participate in Leadership Development. For our Ubuntu activity, we will be putting together bags for Crossroads Mission, a shelter for abused women and children in Yuma. Please bring travel size toiletries for the bags. Gila Mountain United Methodist Women will provide the bags. A few of us will have the opportunity to go to Fort Yuma UMC to learn about this mission church. Please note on your registration form if you would like to participate in this opportunity. Continued on page 3 2

Annual Celebration Article Continued: One exciting change this year is that everyone who wishes, can come to the Leadership Development event from 6:30 8:30. District and Conference officers are expected to attend, but you don t have to be an officer to join in. Dinner will be provided, at a cost of $9 (in addition to the registration fee for the Saturday Celebration). An exciting Celebration is being planned at Gila Mountain United Methodist Church. We will be hosted by the women of the local organization. They have been planning and working on this for the past year. I went to Google maps and found out that from Dayspring UMC in Tempe, it is 172 miles to Gila Mountain UMC and should take about 2 hours 29 minutes to drive there. From Shepherd of the Hills UMC in Sun City West, it is 169 miles to Gila Mountain UMC and should take about 2 hours 23 minutes to drive there. From Desert Spring UMC in Las Vegas, it is 300 miles to Gila Mountain UMC and should take about 4 hours 43 minutes to drive there. From Catalina UMC in Tucson, it is 226 miles to Gila Mountain UMC and should take 3 hours 12 minutes to drive there. Check with your District team to see if transportation has been arranged. It is always more fun to travel with friends. Many of you may remember Rev. Tweedy Sombrero Navarette from when she facilitated the Native American study at the School of Christian Mission 2008 & 2009. She is the Pastor at Trinity United Methodist Church in Yuma, and is our keynote speaker. I know that she will inspire and inform us with love and compassion. Alberta Farnsworth, Vice President South District Transportation Information for Annual Celebration Do you need transportation to the Annual Celebration in Yuma? South District United Methodist Women is offering transportation Reservations will be on a first come first served basis. You must call or email Alice Brown by October 7th to reserve a seat 2 vans will leave from Catalina UMC by 7:30 AM-Friday, Oct 20 & 1 Van will leave from St. Mark s UMC by 7:30 AM Cost: $10.00 (Cash) per person & payable on the day we leave- Friday, October 20th Call or email: Alice Brown 520-247-6972, aabrown1@comcast.net, no later than October 7th reserve your seat. 3

South District United Methodist Women Committee on Nominations Report 2017 BEING ELECTED FOR A TWO (2) YEAR TERM President: Secretary: Secretary of Program Resources: Spiritual Growth Coordinator Communications Coordinator Bobbie Norris Lillian Lovaglio Bobbie Norris Kay Hayworth Alice Brown BEING ELECTED FOR A TWO (3) YEAR TERM Committee on Nominations: Erin Fry Class of 2020 CONTINUING IN OFFICE Vice President of Programming: Treasurer: Mission Coordinators Education for Mission: Membership Care: Social Action: Marilyn Neal Patsy June Christine Maglott Christine Maglott Stephanie McCamy Committee on Nominations Members Class of 2018, Chair: Class of 2018 Class of 2019 Linda Salfen Kay Hayworth Clara Campbell A big thank you goes out to my team and the others on our district team who helped us with names and asking people they knew. Thank you again. Linda Salfen 4

Report from the Standing Rules Committee I would like to thank the standing rules committee for the time spent to bring our membership the most up to date version. By clicking on the links on the body of Mailchimp you will find the explanation sheet of the changes and the proposed revised Standing Rules for 2018. If you have any questions please call or email Alice Brown @ aabrown1@comcast.net or 247-6972. Please take the time to review these standing rules as they will be voted on at the annual meeting October 14, 2017. Mark your calendars and plan to attend United Methodist Women s 2018 Assembly in Columbus, Ohio, May 18-20, 2018. This Assembly is particularly momentous it marks both the official celebration of our 150th anniversary and a return to the location of our first Assembly in 1942. Our theme is The Power of Bold, and throughout the action-filled weekend we will revisit the journey of Mary, who boldly risked safety and security to answer yes to God s call to service. Early Registration open s September 1st. Conference UMW is offering four (4) Scholarships for first time attendees. Go to the website for all the information and application form. Plus you can help fund these scholarships by donating to the fund in memory or honor of someone of your choice. 5

Deaconess Corner By: Martha Lundgren So, what is it you do again? When I tell people I m a United Methodist deaconess, I usually have some explaining to do. Many people United Methodist or otherwise - have never heard of deaconesses (or home missioners!). Even some clergy have quite a few questions about who we are and what we do. Of course this is seldom a problem when I m talking to a member of United Methodist Women! Through United Method s generosity and commitment to Faith, Hope and Love in Action, the community of deaconesses and home missioners is growing and flourishing across the United States. One of the ways you can support our work is to notice the lay people around you who God may be calling to be a deaconess or a home missioner. Affirm their call. Tell them about upcoming discernment retreats (http://www.unitedmethodistwomen.org/dhm/events) like the one in Tempe November 17-19. Put them in touch with me or any of the deaconesses (no home missioners yet!) in our conference. And share this article with them. I ve written it for just such a purpose. So, who is a deaconess or home missioner? And what do we do? The really short version is this: Deaconesses are lay women and home missioners are lay men who are called by God to a lifetime commitment to full-time ministries of love, justice, or service. We work in a variety of settings - sometimes in agencies of the church, other times as hospital administrators, educators, community organizers, or homeless advocates. One of our deaconesses is a professional fire fighter. Another is a certified nursing assistant. The possibilities for deaconesses and home missioners are limitless. So, what is my work as a deaconess? I manage a team of technical support professionals who keep the software used by hospital laboratories running. When you re in the emergency room you want the doctors and nurses treating you to get your stat test results back STAT, right? I also do a lot of volunteer work in older adult and end of life ministries at St. Mark s. I serve on the Desert Southwest Conference Senior Ministry Team, and I was just appointed to the Discipleship Ministries Council on Older Adult Ministries. One day I hope to work full time in that ministry field but for now my information technology job pays the bills! Many people think we are clergy or that we are in training to be clergy. That s not the case. Deaconesses and home missioners are lay people who understand that God has called us as lay persons, not called to preach or lead congregations, but to serve in the world in a wide array of settings. If you'd like to learn more I've written up some answers to questions I get often in An Elder, A Deacon, and a Deaconess Walk Into A Room (http://tinyurl.com/y9ezv93r). And to keep us all straight I created a Guide to Elders, Deacons, and Deaconesses and Home Missioners(http://tinyurl.com/ y953ssz4). You can also get in touch with me at (520) 834-6015, martha@aztec506.net or on Facebook. 6

Church Women United in Tucson Corner Christmas in September Celebration! Kindle Hearts of Friendship You re invited to attend this annual Christmas in September Celebration Saturday, September 16th @ Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, 210 E. Lester Street 9:00-9:30 check-in & continental breakfast, 9:30-11:30 Celebration & followed by a catered lunch Cost: $5.00 registration fee & $5.00 for catered lunch-walkins are always welcomed but you MUST pre-register to have your lunch guaranteed To register click on link on the main MailChimp page for a copy of the registration form & flyer or see the registration form at the end of this newsletter Two charities being recognized, LoveWerks & Blessing the Streets in Jesus Name LoveWerks requests blessing bags (gallon-size Ziplock bags) filled with such items as: deodorant, shampoo, Chapstick, comb, socks, toothbrush, tooth brush, sun visor, comb, hair brush, wipes, soap, hand sanitizer, other cosmetics & hygiene items for low-income and/or homeless individuals and families. Blessing the Streets in Jesus Name is a clothing ministry that requests boots, blankets, coats, socks, gloves, umbrellas, earmuffs, etc. for the upcoming cold season. Church Women United is a racially, culturally, theologically inclusive Christian Women s Movement, celebrating unity in diversity and working for a world of peace and justice. We are agreed to differ, resolved to love, united to serve 7

SOUTH DISTRICT UNITED METHODIST WOMEN ANNUAL MEETING 2017 REGISTRATION FORM SPEAKER: Ella Rawls, J.D. WHERE: TIME: Bold Women Putting on the Armor of God Saturday, October 14, 2017 We Are One Family St. Paul s, United Methodist Church 8051 E. Broadway Blvd-Fellowship Hall Contact: Joan Meyer, 520-751-7663, cjmeyer40@aol.com 8:30 am Check-In, 9:15-10:15 Focus Groups, 10:15-3pm Meeting COST: $20.00 includes Continental Breakfast and Lunch Send one registration form per person- make copies as needed Make Check payable to: South District UMW by Deadline Date: Friday, Sept. 29 Mail to: REGISTRAR: Alice Brown, 4100 N. Romero Road Lot 204 Tucson, AZ 85705, 520-247-6972 Email: aabrown1@comcast.net Mission in Action Project items to bring for: INN Project, Men s socks all sizes Two Focus Groups: (choose one in the order you would prefer, 1 st, 2 nd 1. INN Project: Gretchen Lockey 2. Human Trafficking, Claudette Haney Direct any questions to: Marilyn Neal- Email gene21233@cs.com. Retain a copy of this registration form for your records as there will be no confirmation letter. PLEASE PRINT Name E-mail Phone Address City Zip Church First Time Attendee Yes No Emergency Contact Phone Known Food Allergies: Child Care Yes No Child s Name Age (For child care you MUST register by Sept 29 & please bring food and supplies/diapers, special toy, etc. for your child) I give permission for my photograph to be displayed/published by: UMW 8

CHURCH WOMEN UNITED IN TUCSON Registration form for: Christmas in September KINDLE HEARTS OF FRIENDSHIP When: Saturday, September 16, 2017 Where: Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, 210 E Lester Street, Tucson, AZ 87505 Time: 9:00-9:30AM- Check-in & Continental Breakfast, 9:30-11:30 Program, followed by Catered Lunch Cost: $5.00 registration fee, $5.00 catered lunch: Total cost: $10.00 Walk-in registration and payment welcomed. However, pre-registration is required by September 10, to guarantee your lunch order Recipients of Christmas in September: LoveWerks & Blessing the Streets in Jesus Name (See flyer for Mission in Action items being collected & information about our recipients) Send this REGISTRATION FORM with check made payable to: Church Women United: Mail to: Pat Hoag 660 E. River Road #B Tucson, AZ 85704 520-253-1329 Email: phoagq@comcast.net Use one registration form per person, copy as needed. (Free childcare-requests below) Please retain a copy of this registration & Information page for your records. Direct any questions to: Teena Cross-520-390-4575, Email: tvcross44@yahoo.com Name Email Phone Street City zip Local Church Denomination first time attendee Yes No Emergency Contact: (required) Name Phone Do you need childcare? Child(s) name age(s) Requests for free childcare MUST be received by September 2, 2017 I give permission for my photograph to be displayed/published by: Church Women United in Tucson Our Motto: "Agreed to Differ, Resolved to Love, United to Serve" Website: cwutucson.org 9