UMW Purpose: The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall be 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. November Volume 04-14 United Methodist Women Alexandria District, Virginia Conference Nancy West - District President MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT In this issue of the Bridge Builder, you will see several references to Living Into Our Purpose. Other articles in this issue will explain this new form which is attached to the Bridge Builder. We all know our PURPOSE, but what does it means to Live Into Our Purpose? To Know God: Our Prayer Calendar is a wonderful resource. Use the Prayer Calendar at all of your unit meetings. Use it for your own personal daily devotions and Bible study. Subscribe to response magazine. And not only subscribe to response, but read and study it. The articles are outstanding as they talk about UMW mission work around the world. There is also a Bible study in each issue. Attend the District and/or the Conference Spiritual Life Event. This is a time of spiritual growth as we study and pray with our UMW sisters. And don t forget the 2014-2015 Program Book, Welcomed By God --- Welcoming All. There are programs and studies that help us to know God more fully. To Experience Freedom as Whole Persons through Jesus Christ: This year implement the CHARTER FOR RACIAL JUSTICE in your units. Plan on sending at least one member from your unit to the Charter for Racial Justice Seminar, May 15-17, 2015, at the United Methodist Assembly Center (VUMAC) in Blackstone. The books on our UMW Reading Program will help to stretch your mind so that you can experience the freedom as a whole person through Jesus Christ. And again --- read response. It helps us learn who we are as United Methodist Women. To Develop a Creative, Supportive Fellowship: This is what it s all about. Supporting each other in our joys and in our sorrows. Are you inviting other women in your church to share the joys of membership in United Methodist Women? If not, why not? As our program books says, Welcomed By God, Welcoming All. Do you make younger women, new mothers, newly retired women feel welcome? Do you welcome their ideas? How about sending a young woman (or 1
two or three) from your church to the Young Women s Retreat at VUMAC next September? You will share in their joy when they return. To Expand Concepts of Mission through Participation in the Global Ministries of the Church: Mission Encounter (School of Christian Mission) which will be held at VUMAC in Blackstone July 24-26, 2015, is a great way to learn about mission opportunities all around the world. As a UMW member, we are each in mission as we make and meet our Pledge to Mission and as we participate in all five channels of Undesignated Giving. Are you a Rainbow Giver? This is still another channel of mission giving. And don t forget response magazine and the Reading Program to learn about all aspects of mission. As we, United Methodist Women of the Alexandria District, Live Into Our Purpose, we are also putting Faith Hope (and) Love into Action. Blessings of the Season, President Nancy nhggest@verizon.net 703-221-1372 Attention all organizations (units): Listing of your 2015 Officers by January 12 Please send Myrna Meling, District Secretary, a complete listing of your 2015 Officers by January 12. Please include mailing and e-mail addresses and telephone number. Each president's information will be printed in the Alexandria District Yearbook. Myrna's email is mpmeling@hotmail.com or send your listing to 8740 Arley Dr, Springfield, VA 22153. Thank you. SPIRITUAL GROWTH Self Denial or Selfish Denial ---- Which Is It for Us? We live in the hope that despite our current times of struggles, God has something good for us. As we live out our purpose as United Methodist Women, to be in a ministry of service to women, children, and youth at home and internationally, I have come to realize that I must put more action into the words Prayer and Self-Denial. Or at least the self-denial part. For several years, since my career working days, I have hoarded about a dozen suits that someone else could have been wearing. I have come to the realization that I am never going to wear sizes 10/12 again. What this means is that I must stop living in selfish denial. I must rid myself of this excess. I have read that confession is good for the soul. God has provided me with more than enough material things. I have never been homeless, naked, or hungry. I have been spiritually filled by God s love and grace. When I am fully involved in God s mission and the work of United Methodist Women, I will experience a new freedom in Jesus Christ. Make room for God s peace, hope, joy, and love this Advent season. Mary Wright Spiritual Growth Coordinator marytony3958@comcast.com 2
PROGRAM RESOURCES We have many program resources to help us Live Into Our Purpose. At Training Day on November 15 there was a packet of resource materials for your unit. If you did not have someone there to pick it up, please contact your Sub-District coordinator (see the bright green Alexandria District 2014 Yearbook) or me to arrange to get it. The new PROGRAM BOOK, Welcomed By God Welcoming All, has a program for every month from September 2014 through August 2015, plus one for Pledge to Mission and A Call to Prayer and Self -Denial. This book, as well as the PRAYER CALENDAR, RESPONSE and NEW WORLD OUTLOOK magazines, READING PROGRAM books (for five years) and catalog, and many more resources are available at www.umwmissionresources.org. The READING PROGRAM books are organized into five categories: (1) education for mission; (2) nurturing for community; (3) social action; (4) spiritual growth; and (5) leadership development. The details for the four Reading Program plans are in the Reading Program catalog and online at the link above. It is also, on the Alexandria District UMW website at www.novaumc.org/ax-umw-resources, along with the list of 2011-15 books in an Excel spreadsheet. Download it and you can sort it by title, author, category, or year to make it easy when looking for books. You will also find the 2015 Reading Program Unit Report Form there. In your Training Day packet you will find a listing of the above resources as well as a number of others, including where to find them. I will post this listing on the District UMW website as well. Please let me know if I can help you find what you need as we are Living Into Our Purpose. Marlene Dakita Secretary of Program Resources 703-370-2558 or mdakita@comcast.net District Day at St. Matthews District Day at St. Matthews 3
Save the Date QUIET DAY Alexandria District United Methodist Women Ash Wednesday Service February 18, 2015 10:00-11:00 A.M. Silverbrook UMC 8616 Silverbrook Rd Lorton, VA 22079 (703) 690 4159 4
MINI MISSION ENCOUNTER Open Invitation to All Sponsored by Alexandria District United Methodist Women March 14, 2015 9:00 AM 3:00 PM Location: Aldersgate UMC 1301 Collingwood Rd. Alexandria, VA 22308 Cost: $15.00 including Lunch Mission Studies: How Is It with Your Soul? Speaker: Darlene Runaldue - Director of Program and Adult Ministries, Grace UMC Manassas The Church and People with Disabilities Speaker: Kelly J. Buckland - Executive Director of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) Send to: Mary V. Wright, 16036 Kings Mountain Rd, Woodbridge, VA 22191-4530 You may register by e-mail at marytony3958@comcast.net and pay at the door. Name: Church: Phone: Amount Enclosed: Pay at door Choice of Study: First Choice Second Choice 5
MINI MISSION ENCOUNTER - MARCH 14, 2015 INFORMATION ON SPEAKERS How Is It with Your Soul? Authors Priscilla Pope-Levison & Jack Levison Speaker: Darlene Runaldue - Director of Program and Adult Ministries, Grace UMC Manassas Darlene coordinates church events, adult education and other aspects of faith development for all ages. Darlene has been a part of Grace UMC s staff since the early 1990 s. She is certified in Christian Education by the Virginia Conference of the UMC and a trained Stephen Ministry Leader. She earned her Bachelor s degree in Religion from the University of Mary Washington and is the proud mother of two adult children, Kristen and Nathan, who are both college students. She loves her two grand puppies, Ernie & Denver. The Church and People with Disabilities Author Peggy A. Johnson Speaker: Kelly J. Buckland - Executive Director of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL). The National Council on Independent Living is the longest-running national cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. Founded in 1982, NCIL represents thousands of organizations and individuals including: individuals with disabilities, Centers for Independent Living (CILs), Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs), and other organizations that advocate for the human and civil rights of people with disabilities throughout the United States. Kelly, wife Merle, and son Rodney are members of Del Ray UMC in Alexandria. Study Books available at www.umwmissionresources.org for $10 each plus shipping, or at www.amazon.com, Kindle Edition for $5.95. 6
MISSION GIVING As we prepare to celebrate the holidays with friends and family, don t forget the 4th quarter Mission Giving is due on December 10th, 2014. Our pledge is $90,000 and we are between $20,000 and $30,000 short of meeting our pledge. Living Into Our Purpose will help us meet our goal. If you have a surplus in your budget or extra funds, please consider increasing your 4th quarter giving. Below is a recap of both designated and undesignated giving for the 3rd quarter. 3rd Qrt 2014 Mission Giving Recap Undesignated Mission Giving Pledge to Mission $17,338.76 Gift to Mission $320.00 Gift in Memory $225.00 World Thank Offering $619.30 Special Mission Recognition Pins $620.00 Candle Burning $1,563.05 $20,686.11 Designated Giving Call to Prayer and Self Denial $150.00 Wesley Community Center $200.00 Red Bird $250.00 UMCOR--General $1,400.00 Cambodia $2,250.00 Susanna Wesley House $200.00 $4,450.00 Virginia Projects Dimes & Dollars for Blackstone (VUMAC) $366.32 Henry Fork--General $50.00 Rising Hope $762.00 Other Camp High Road $50.00 Camp Rainbow Connection $50.00 UM Family Services $100.00 Kits for Conference $259.00 $1,637.32 Rhona Alexander, Treasurer alexrhona@aol.com 7
EDUCATION AND INTERPRETATION At District Day on October 4 the following units were recognized for their Mission Today service: Gold Units: Annandale, Cameron, Cokesbury, Cranford, Good Shepherd, Rising Hope, St. John s, St. Stephen s Silver Units: Aldersgate, Del Ray, Dumfries, Fairfax, Fairlington, Lincolnia, Old Bridge, St. Matthew s, St. Paul Mission Today Units: Bethel (Fauquier), Franconia, Orlean, Sydenstricker, Woodlawn- Faith At the UMW Annual Meeting in October, the Virginia Conference UMW distributed a new form for identifying goals and objectives for fulfilling our PURPOSE as United Methodist Women. The Living Into Our Purpose form replaces the Mission Today form. Achievements will be recognized at District Day as Levels I, II and III (no longer Gold, Silver or Mission Today). This issues of The Bridge Builder includes a separate article giving more information on the new form, which will be finalized and made official after January 2015. Few changes are anticipated from the draft form in the Bridge Builder. Cozetta D. Johnson E & I Mission Coordinator for 2014 cozettaj@verizon.net DIMES AND DOLLARS FOR BLACKSTONE We can be very proud that more than $30,000 was contributed to VUMAC z9virginia United Methodist Assembly Center) through the Dimes and Dollars program in 2013. The monies received are vitally important and greatly appreciated. Sam McCracken, executive director of VUMAC, says the United Methodist Women have been outstanding in their faithful support. Did you know that forty years ago in April 1975 an estimated crowd of 700 United Methodist Women gathered for Blackstone Day to launch the Dimes and Dollars program for VUMAC. Since that time, well over one million dollars has been contributed through this program. Activities are now being planned for next year to celebrate the 40 th anniversary of this program. I am sure we will be hearing much more about this and hopefully another 700 United Methodist Women will attend this gathering. The United Methodist Women have been holding their annual meeting at VUMAC since 1972. PASS THOSE SOCKS AND SAVE DIMES AND DOLLARS FOR BLACKSTONE Jeanne Pounds VUMAC Representative jeannelbs@aol.com 8
SOCIAL ACTION LIVING INTO OUR PURPOSE The Gospel of Christ knows no religion but social, no holiness but social holiness. You cannot be holy except as you are engaged in making the world a better place. You do not become holy by keeping yourself pure and clean from the world but by plunging into ministry on behalf of the world s hurting ones. John Wesley The Virginia Conference UMW issued a new form at October s Annual Meeting to replace the Mission Today and Social Action Report forms. The Living Into Our Purpose form incorporates many elements of spiritual growth, financial giving, membership outreach and social action. This form will be a useful tool for mission teams to plan programs and activities to fulfill our UMW PURPOSE. Social action is at the heart of being a United Methodist Woman. United Methodist Women lead the way in our involvement of social issues including: homelessness, hunger, poverty, racism, illiteracy, economic justice, war and peace, health care for children, and international conflicts. United Methodist Women have been active leaders in some of our country s most notable social and humanitarian endeavors, including but not limited to civil rights, access and quality of public education, environmental concerns, and compassion for immigrant families. In 2015, the Virginia Conference and the Alexandria District will focus its social action efforts on the areas of 1) Human Trafficking and 2) Poverty. In 2016, the social action emphasis will be on Poverty. The Living Into Our Purpose form outlines several areas for social action. For example: - attending the UM General Assembly Day (Feb. 5, 2015) Registration form is included in this Bridge Builder - participating in hands-on-mission activities such as working at a food pantry or clothes closet - participating in the Campaign for Children - organizing a Children s Sabbath service - attending the Charter for Racial Justice workshop (May 15-17, 2015). Free the Girls On October 28, St. John s UMW held their Harvest Banquet and hosted Lisa Beggs to speak about Free the Girls. Free the Girls is a program that supports victims of human trafficking (www.freethegirls.com). New or gently-used bras are donated to this program. Women who have been trafficked sell these bras and thus are able to make a living wage. Lisa is the owner of the Uniform Store in Winchester, VA. Her store is the only location in Virginia that regularly accepts these bras and has arrangements to ship them to Indiana. The 9
Free the Girls program then ships them to women s groups in Mozambique, Uganda and El Salvadore. St. John s thanks the 12 UMW units in the Alexandria District who donated over 900 bras for this UMW event. St. John s UMW is continuing this effort and will be happy to receive bras in any condition. Bras that are worn and not useful for re-sale by Free the Girls are sent to BRA Bra Recycling Agency, where they are stripped and chopped up to make filler for carpets. The proceeds of this enterprise are donated to breast cancer research. We are excited to hear that other UMW units are going to do this as well! It is easy and rewarding to know that you can help a victim of human trafficking through this donation of bras. The program would also be appreciative of monetary donations for the shipping costs. For more information contact Brenda Romenius at 703-336-2831, or Lisa Beggs at The Uniform Store (540) 678-8711. I look forward to serving and working with your mission teams on social activities and programs for 2015. God Bless Brenda Romenius, Deaconess Social Action Coordinator brendaromenius@yahoo.com LIVING INTO OUR PURPOSE OUR NEW REPORTING FORM FORMERLY MISSION TODAY At the UMW Annual Meeting in October, the Virginia Conference UMW distributed a new form for identifying goals and objectives for fulfilling our PURPOSE as United Methodist Women. Living Into Our Purpose aligns our UMW heritage, its formation and organization with the UMW mission and vision. The Living Into Our Purpose form (formerly known as Mission Today ) is divided into sections: 1. Organized 2. Know God (Faith) 3. Experience Freedom as Whole Persons (Hope) 4. Develop a Creative, Supportive Fellowship (Love) 5. Expand Concepts of Mission (Love) 6. Participation in Global Ministries (In Action) At first glance, this may seem like a new form. However, those who have been members for some time will recognize many of the goals from the former Mission Today form. Last year s Social Action Report form will no longer be used. Social Action criteria are included among sections in the Living Into Our Purpose form. 10
This approach also encourages the local organizations to make this form a TEAM effort. The Living Into Our Purpose form will be a clear guiding path for our organizations and its mission teams to lead us in the activities to which we invest our efforts. It incorporates all of the elements of the UMW PURPOSE and mission. Goals for formation, spiritual growth, social action, mission focus, reading programs and financial giving are highlighted in the form. The organization s achievements will be recognized at District Day as Levels I, II and III (no longer Gold, Silver or Mission Today ) The theme of the 2014 UMW National Assembly was MAKE IT HAPPEN. Using the Living Into Our Purpose form will be a useful tool in making it happen for UMW and the lives we touch through our UMW programs and mission. God Bless Brenda Romenius, Deaconess Social Action Coordinator The 2015 elected UMW Officers Listing of the new Alexandria District UMW Mission Team will be posted at http://www.novaumc.org/ax-umw/ St. Stephen s UMC Advent Coffee Concert Saturday, December 6, 2014 @9:30 am Maranatha Singers, Candle Burning Ceremony, and Ornament Exchange. Refreshments. Everyone welcome. Contact: Suzanne Bottoms, gsbotts@verizon.net 11
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January 12 January 17 February 5 February 18 March 6-7 2015 Alexandria District UMW Calendar with Due Dates for District Forms Date Activity District Officer Contact All unit officers listing with contact information due Executive Committee Meeting Trinity Alexandria (host) & Del Ray (food) Bridge Builder deadline UMW Day at General Assembly Richmond Ash Wednesday Quiet Day Silverbrook Conference Mission Team Myrna Meling mpmeling@hotmail.com Nancy West nhggwest@verizon.net Donna Sapp donnajosapp@hotmail.com Brenda Romenius brendaromenius@yahoo.com Yvonne Robinson yarobinson@co.pg.md.us March 10 1 st Quarter Remittance Treasurers Edna Joyner e_joyner@comcast.net March 14 April 17-20 April 11 Mini Mission Encounter Aldersgate Ecumenical Advocacy Days Washington Executive Committee Meeting & Program Planning TBD Mary Wright Marytony3958@comcast.net Brenda Romenius or www.advocacydays.org Maria Ward maria.ward@gmail.com May 1-3 May 15-17 May 16 June 6 Bridge Builder Deadline Virginia Conference UMW Spiritual Life Retreat Blackstone Workshop on Charter for Racial Justice Blackstone Bi-District Day Apart Arlington District coordinators UMW Day at Ferrum College Donna Sapp Brenda Romenius Maria Ward 15
Date Activity District Officer Contact June 10 2 nd Quarter Remittance Treasurers Edna Joyner July 24-25 Weekend only! August 22 Nominations Committee accepting names for 2016 slate Virginia Conference Mission Encounter Blackstone Executive Committee Meeting & Finance Planning Prince of Peace Bridge Builder Deadline September 10 All District Reports due for FY 2015 September 12 September 18-19 3 rd Quarter Remittance (candle burning; 5/6 Star organizations; Rainbow Givers) Reading Program Living Into Our Purpose District Spiritual Life Event Good Shepherd Va. Conf. Young Women s Event VUMAC @ Blackstone September/October Wesley Learning Center Wesley Seminary, Washington October 3 Alexandria UMW District Day St. John s Alnetta McCall Netta531@yahoo.com Mary Wright Nancy West / Edna Joyner Donna Sapp Edna Joyner Marlene Dakita Mary Wright / Brenda Romenius Yvonne Robinson Rhona Alexander Nancy West October 24-25 November 14 November 14 Va. Conf. UMW Annual Meeting Blackstone District Training Day Old Bridge (host) Executive Committee Meeting (after training) Nancy West Maria Ward Nancy West Bridge Builder Deadline Donna Sapp December 10 4 th Quarter Remittance - Treasurers Edna Joyner 16
3 rd ANNUAL UNITED METHODIST DAY AT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY Thursday, February 5th, 2015 Richmond, VA Presented by The Virginia Conference Board of Church & Society & United Methodist Women Schedule of Events We invite you to join us for United Methodist Day 2015 at the General Assembly! This is our opportunity to help faith communities become empowered to serve as missionaries of justice, as well as the more traditional missionaries of mercy. United Methodist Day and other avenues of faithful advocacy help us to look beyond mercy ministry to ask: What caused this problem? What causes hunger? Global warming? By joining together and establishing relationships with our elected officials, we empower members of our congregations to wonder, How can I make a difference? How can I be a Good Samaritan in our world to its fullest sense? This event gives congregations a vehicle for reaching beyond themselves and introduces them to the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church in a meaningful way. 7:00 am - Gather at Bon Air UMC for registration & breakfast 8:00 am - Travel together to the General Assembly & Capitol Square 8:30 am - Attend committee hearings and meet with legislators* (Capitol tours available at 10:00 & 11:30) 11:00 am - Gathering in Senate Room A with Marco Grimaldo, CEO of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy Noon - Sessions of House & Senate 12:45 pm - Return to Bon Air for lunch, 2:00 pm Gathering in Sanctuary with Speakers for Discussion 3:30 pm - Adjourn *Contact your legislators Richmond offices in advance to set up an appointment. The Church should continually exert a strong ethical influence upon the state, supporting policies and programs deemed to be just and opposing policies and programs that are unjust. -Social Principles of the United Methodist Church, 2012-2016 17
UMW DAY AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY: IMPORTANT INFORMATION We strongly recommend using Online Registration! (visit the conference website www.vaumc.org) to register and pay online Early bird registration and payment of $25 per person must be received by Friday, January 16, 2015. Early Registrants will be entered into a drawing for two (2) one year subscriptions to the Virginia Advocate. Final registration date will be Friday, January 30, 2015 and will cost $35 per person. No refunds will be available. Space is limited to 300; every person MUST register and pay by January 30 th! provide an email address. We will email links to maps and directions as well as information about the Virginia General Assembly and faithful advocacy. We will be e-mailing registration confirmation again this year to reduce costs and save paper. Boxed Lunch. You will select your lunch at Bon Air UMC. Selections will be very similar to those in the past-sandwich, salad, and vegetarian options. your morning there. Be sure to view this video on how to advocate: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2euliehq9w&feature=plcp On Monday, February 2 nd at 7 PM please join other UM Day participants and the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy for a policy briefing. Together, we will learn about some of the issues and bills pending before the General Assembly and answer any questions you may have. To join, dial: (712) 432-1500 and when directed, enter 743648# as the passcode. How do I register? The $25 early bird price is available until Friday, January 16 th, 2015; the registration price increases to $35 on January 17 th. Registration includes information packet, hot breakfast, box lunch, parking, transportation to the Capitol grounds, and afternoon speakers. Online: We strongly encourage you to register online at the Virginia Conference website. Credit Card will be required at time of registration. By Mail: Complete this registration form and mail it to the address below. Make checks or money order payable to Virginia United Methodist Conference. Payment must be included with registration. Monica Sprague, 118 Diggs Dr., Hampton, VA 23666-1729 Groups: If you are registering as a group, mail one check with a completed registration for each person. Questions may be directed to Pat Shipley at 804-353-1387 or at plsrevdoc@aol.com Hotel Reservations: Rooms for February 4 th are available at the Hyatt Place. 201 Arboretum Place, Richmond, 23236, near Bon Air UMC. Rooms for our event are available for $84.00/night (single or double). Call (888) 492-8847 to make your reservation and mention United Methodist Day to receive this special room rate. The deadline for hotel reservations is Friday, January 23 rd, 2015. 2015 United Methodist Day Registration Please type or print clearly. List your name, as you would like it to appear on your nametag. Name: Address: Age: [ ] 21 & under [ ] 22-35 [ ] 56-65 Email: [ ] 36-45 [ ] over 65 Phone: [ ] 46-55 I am (check all that apply): Church: [ ] UMW [ ] UMM [ ] Clergy [ ] Lay Member [ ] BCS Member [ ] Other District: Is this your first time attending UM day? Y/N 18
LEGACY FUND From July/August 2014 response, page 5: We learned that in 2019 the United Methodist Women will be 150 years in missions. Harriett Jane Olson, our General Secretary, asks, What will our legacy be? She suggests that we gather our UMW stories from our memberships and share them with response. They may choose some of our stories to be showcased in response. So don t forget to give them your contact information! Before Assembly a group of retired deaconesses, staff and directors encouraged the United Methodist Women to establish a 5-year fundraising plan and from there a newly established endowment with the income dedicated United Methodist Women for the administration of grants, scholarships and mission which will keep us technologically updated. This is our Legacy Fund. At Assembly, May 2014, the United Methodist Women, Inc. approved the Legacy Fund. Today s UMW would like to guarantee the availability of United Methodist Women in Mission for the next 150 years. We want to be a strong and viable avenue of opportunity for the women in God s world. We do not know what challenges these women may face, but we want to provide a sound economic base for the financial concerns of our organization s future. With some financial planning on our part we can assure the continuation of our foremothers mission dream. Our Legacy Fund will provide a firm foundation for women of the 21 st and 22 nd Century. The funding of this endowment, a four-year plan, will provide the tools, resources and personnel for United Methodist Women. Our intention is to provide enough monies to secure an organization for women in mission. We realize that our organizations/units memberships are aging and the young women have different priorities at this stage of their lives. But if we wait for them to be of age, we will have missed the opportunity to make sure there is a United Methodist Women. Thus the thinking outside the box : As strong women committed to a supportive fellowship and community and living into our purpose, we will plan for their future making sure that participation in global missions is available for all women. What does this really mean? We need to invest in the future and to be committed to provide via our financial treasuries the monies necessary to accomplish this goal, to assure a women s organization led to address the needs of others via numerous vehicles of opportunities. The challenge may seem daunting, but it can be achievable. The thought is that as we approach the 150 th anniversary and celebration of the United Methodist Women, our membership would commit to donate any amount they wish each year and also commit to do so for each subsequent year until 2019. A suggestion is $18.69, which represents the year United Methodist Women began. Remember any amount would make this dream come true. We have faith that contributions could exceed $50 million and possibly 19
$60 million if each of our 800,000 members would participate, permanently sustaining our ongoing mission with women, children and youth. This is money that will free our organization to live up to the PURPOSE set forth by our foremothers in 1869. It is a gift or a calling which lets us have the foresight and the commitment to provide the resource which will ensure a regular source of support for the core expenses of the United Methodist Women - Living into our Purpose through Mission Giving and participating in global ministry. An explanation of the Legacy Fund was distributed at Training Day on November 15. Other online sites for information UMW is the largest denominational faith organization for women. Its mission is fostering spiritual growth, developing leaders and advocating for justice. Members raise up to $20 million each year for programs and projects related to women, children and youth in more than 100 countries around the world. - See more at: http://www.mtso.edu/papers-solicited-for-united-methodist-womensesquicentennial/#sthash.rpcve3kz.dpuf Harriett Jane Olson General Secretary United Methodist Women RESPONSE: JULY/AUGUST 2014 ISSUE Responsively Yours: Pass On the Legacy http://www.unitedmethodistwomen.org/news/responsively-yours-pass-on-the-legacy http://www.umwonline.org/umwonline/media/150thcelebration_legacyfund/workshop%20ha ndouts/apple_seeds_a_meditation-pdf.pdf http://www.unitedmethodistwomen.org/150th-anniversary Cozetta D. Johnson, E & I Mission Coordinator for 2014 District Day Unit Awards Presentations 20
Donna Sapp ALEXANDRIA DISTRICT UMW Communications Coordinator 15021 Alabama Ave. Woodbridge, VA 22191 donnajosapp@hotmail.com On the web at: www.novaumc.org BRIDGE BUILDER Your Newsletter of the United Methodist Women Alexandria District of the Virginia Conference 21