September November 2017 The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall be a community of women whose purpose is to know God and 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. Elizabeth River District Young Women s Retreat September 15-16, 2017 at Camp Overlook in Keezletown. Registration forms available page 10 The 45th Annual Virginia Conference of the UMW, Trinity UMC Richmond will be held on October 28, 2017. Info See page 8-9 Saturday, Sept. 23 - District UMW Annual Meeting/Lunch - Great Bridge UMC, 201 Stadium Dr., Chesapeake, VA 23322. Reservations by September 19th to 757-362-8157 Cost $5.00 Saturday, October 28 Conference UMW 45th Annual Meeting at Trinity UMC, Richmond Spiritual Life Retreat 2018 : Mark your calendar! the date for SLR 2018 April 20-22, 2018 at Eagle Eyrie Quadrennial Assembly - The Power of Bold Columbus, OH May 17 22, 2018 Up Coming Dates - Friday, Sept. 15-16 - Young Women Event at Camp Overlook, Keezletown, Harrisonburg District. See page 8-10 for more info! Saturday, Sept. 23 - District UMW Annual Meeting/Lunch at Great Bridge UMC, 201 Stadium Dr., Chesapeake, VA 23322. Reservations by September 19th to 362-8157 Cost $5.00 Saturday, October 28 Conference UMW 45th Annual Meeting at Trinity UMC, Richmond. Keynote speaker will be Bishop Sharma Lewis. See page 11 for more info Saturday, December 9 - Advent Prayer Breakfast 9:30 a.m. at Covenant UMC, 2004 Dock Landing Rd, Chesapeake, VA 23321 Speaker Rev. Lisa Meyers, Farmville District. Cost $5.00 Spiritual Life Retreat 2018 : MARK your calendars for 2018, the date for SLR 2018 has changed to April 20-22, 2018 at Eagle Eyrie Quadrennial Assembly The Power of Bold Columbus, OH May 17 22, 2018 See page 12-13 for exciting news! * Please register with the contact at the host church by the Monday before the event. Request babysitting if needed.
2 MISSION TEAM 2017 President Joann McClung 757-408-1010 joannmcclung43@gmail.com Vice President Marta Pizzeck 757-483-6491 Martapiz@verizon.net Secretary Blenda Brush 864-617-3378 jbrush2@gmail.com Treasurer Joyce Thompson 757-430-0365 paulthompson10@cox.net MISSION COORDINATORS Spiritual Growth Margaret Spencer 757-483-9361 writer714@juno.com Mission Education & Interpretation Diane Skinner-Mewborn 757-485-0993 Social Action Neola Waller 757-217-2356 wallerwn1@gmail.com Membership, Nurture & Outreach Janet Day 757-488-2673 jday216@cox.net Secretary of Program Resources Diane Sterling 757-498-9091 5sterlings@cox.net Chairperson, Committee On Nominations Carolyn Patterson 757-424-0683 nanaavon61@gmail.com Communications Coordinator Dottie Thompson 757-675-8958 datgirl1019@gmail.com Dear Ladies, Pray you have all had a blessed summer, I know I have. As the air turns a little cooler and the leaves start to turn it is time for us to get back on the mission trail. I hope all of you are working on nominations for your 2018 officers. Enclosed is a form for you to send in as soon as you have done this. The information is needed to complete our 2018 yearbook and set up e-mail accounts so you receive information. As we prepare for our Annual Meeting on September 23rd at Great Bridge UMC at 10:30am hope you turn in all your reports: Treasurer- Rainbow Giving, Candle Burning, Legacy Funds MNO - Deceased Members Education & Interpretation - Living into our purpose reports Reading Program - Readers in your unit President & Communications - officers for 2018 (as soon as Possible) I am hoping your unit has done something special for the Legacy Fund and can bring to the Annual Meeting, we as a District will then present to at the conference UMW Annual Meeting on October 28th at Trinity UMC in Richmond. (registration is enclosed in this newsletter). I am sad to report that some of our unit's have become inactive due to lack of leadership and/or members. They are Francis Asbury, Chesapeake Avenue, The Gathering at Scott Memorial, please be in prayer for these former units and for those faithful members who have promoted our Purpose and mission around the world. Also, pray that they may in the future find new leadership and continue with their mission. Many Blessings, Joann McClung
3 I am borrowing this from Melissa White, President of the York River District United Methodist Women, as she borrowed from her husband a retired pastor, Roy White. Hope she does not mind, but she says it so well. An 86 year old man was out in his field planting mango trees. He had a neighbor who took delight in harassing the old man. The neighbor told him: "By the time these mango trees grow tall enough to produce fruit you may be dead. You will be long gone away from here." The old man replied: "I am not planting them for my own enjoyment. I am planting them for my children and grandchildren and for those who follow after me." 1869-2019 Celebrate the dedication and foresight of our foremothers in mission as we lead up to our 150th anniversary in 2019. The Legacy Fund is OUR special anniversary gift to future United Methodist Women members and ministries. To pass on the legacy we have inherited. To stake out our legacy for future genera-tions. We believe in the PURPOSE of United Methodist Women and want our daughters, granddaughters, nieces and friends to share our sense of meaningful sisterhood. To be part of the joyous celebration in 2019 culminating 150 years of ministry go to http://www.unitedmethodistwomen.org/150 The old gentleman had a legacy plan. He had a noble outlook for the future...and he left a noble LEG- ACY. We, too, have a LEGACY PLAN A way for United Methodist Women today to lay ground work for our next 150 years in Mission through support of our LEGACY FUND. In June of this year, United Methodist Women announced the Legacy Fund goal of $60 million...nearly a third of that goal has been reached. One of those ways is to do a fund raiser in your unit and send in those funds to our treasurer, Joyce Thompson, to be presented at the UMW Annual Meeting in Richmond on October 28th. If we each do a small part we too can leave a few Mango trees as our legacy.
4 Elizabeth River District United Methodist Women Local Unit Officers - 2018 DEADLINE November 15, 2017 DEADLINE: November 15, 2017 Print carefully Mail to: Dottie Thompson, 1019 Copper Stone Circle, Chesapeake, VA 23320 & Joann McClung, 1619 Linden Ave., Chesapeake, VA 23325 You can fill in the form and email to, joannmcclung@cox.net, & datgirl1019@gmail.com Church: Pastor: Pastor Email: Meeting day, time, place: Board: Number on roll including pastor(s): PRESIDENT SECRETARY EDUCATION & INTERPRETATION SOCIAL ACTION PROGRAM RESOURCES COMMUNICATIONS CIRCLE LEADER VICE PRESIDENT TREASURER MEMBERSHIP, NURTER & OUTREACH SPIRITUAL GROWTH CHMN, NOMINATIONS CIRCLE LEADER CIRCLE LEADER
5 "GIRLS For LIFE We brought alot of kits for the girls! Thank you United Methodist Women. Missionaries Bishop & Mrs Maia from Brazil Shade & Fresh Water Projects A New Thing Isaiah 43:19 -- "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."
GBGM Missionaries to Taiwan Richard and Alma Navvaros and family shared their calling to mission and we were blessed by their talent! 6
Join Deaconess Emma Samson and United Methodist Women members across the country in telling the EPA to protect our children and our earth. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently proposed a two-year delay on methane regulations needed to protect the health of the earth and the most vulnerable. Join United Methodist Women in opposing this delay. As United Methodist Women, putting our faith, hope and love into action means taking seriously God s call in Genesis to be stewards of God s creation. The EPA s methane regulations passed in 2016 (New Source Procedure Standards) would lead to significant reductions in emission of toxins and greenhouse gases produced by oil and gas companies. Commonsense and reasonably priced solutions to methane emission reductions already exist. However, only a handful of oil and gas companies have implemented them. EPA s proposed delay needs to be opposed: A delay will have severe health effects, especially on pregnant women and children. Methane regulation is critical to protecting public health. Oil and gas companies release millions of metric tons of methane into the air each year. When they release methane, they also release other dangerous gases and chemicals. In the United States, over 15 million people live near toxins emitted by oil and gas companies that include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter, ozone, and radon. These substances can cause cancer, affect the nervous system, cause birth defects, increase the likelihood of COPD, leukemia and heart attacks, and are particularly harmful to children, pregnant women and the elderly. Children miss 500,000 days of school nationally each year due to ozone smog resulting from oil and gas pollution. A 2012 study reports that babies of mothers living near natural gas plants in Colorado have increased risk of congenital heart and neural tube defects. Preterm birth is the greatest contributor to infant death. A 2016 study of over 10,000 births in northern and central of Pennsylvania shows mothers in the most active fracking areas were 40 percent more likely to give birth prematurely. The EPA acknowledges that that this stay could disproportionately impact the health of children. [PDF] A two-year stay would mean that over 18,000 wells would not have methane regulations needed to protect over 200,000 people living a half mile from these wells, of whom 51,000 are children. Delay is bad stewardship of God s resources. Being faithful stewards of God s creation means conservation. Oil and gas companies can plug leaks, and low-cost ways to detect and fix leaks already exist. By fixing methane leaks in the United States, we can save about $1.5 billion worth of natural gas each year, enough to heat over 5 million American homes. Delay will harm God s earth. The methane rule would reduce methane emissions by 460,00 metric tons by 2025 this has the same climate impact as operating 11 fewer coal-fired power plants every year, or taking off 8.5 million cars off the road every year. Higher methane levels in the air will precipitously increase the intensity and duration of heat, wildfires, heavy rain and drought and result in rising sea levels, global food and water shortages and unlivable conditions for humanity. Make your voice heard! Join United Methodist Women in opposing any type of delay to the June 2016 methane regulation and urge the EPA to focus on doing what it was established to do: protect human health and the environment. Any stay on methane regulation sickens God s creation.https:// religionnews.com/2017/08/03/united-methodist-women-calls-for-epa-to-enforce-methaneregulations/? 7
8 Rev. Devon Earle Currently serving as Associate Pastor at Fairlington UMC in Arlington, she is a graduate of Randolph Macon College and received her master s of Divinity from Duke Divinity School. She has also served internships in various churches, a hospital, the Virginia Conference Office and a United Methodist Children s Home. Married to Robert, a 2 nd grade special education teacher, they have a Cairn Terrier named Myra. She enjoys new places, new people, and time outdoors hiking, sailing and walking. VIRGINIA CONFERENCE UNITED METHODIST WOMEN YOUNG WOMEN S EVENT SEPTEMBER 15-16, 2017 Encountering God in Everyday Life: Nurturing Your Relationship with God through Spiritual Practices Retreat Leader: Rev. Devon Earle Blessings Lodge, Camp Overlook Keezletown, VA 22832
9 Directions From I 81N or 81S: I 81 to Exit 257, left on Mayland Rd, (Rt 259) 370 ft, right on North Valley Pike (Rt 11) 2.1 mi, left on Martz Rd (Rt 806) 3.4 mi, right on Mountain Valley Rd (Rt 620) 1.8 mi, left on Armentrout Path (Rt 722). Details Hosted by The Virginia Conference United Methodist Women for young women ages 18 (out of high school) to 40, attendance is not predicated on membership. Bring a friend. Bring Bible, pen/pencil, alarm clock, favorite snack to share. Drinks provided. Scholarships Scholarships may be available. Contact your District UMW President or email walshpn@visuallink.com or buckrowbeach@gmail.com. Friday evening September 15-16 Young Women s Event Schedule 5:00-6:30 Check in/registration 7:00 Dinner 7:45-9:15 Group gathering 1 9:15- Fellowship (tentative) d f o r s i g h t o f o r e Saturday 8:30 Breakfast 9:15-12:00 Group gathering 2 12:15 Lunch 1:15-2:45 Group gathering 3 3:00-4:00 Worship/Communion Registration see next page
10 VIRGINIA CONFERENCE UNITED METHODIST WOMEN YOUNG WOMEN S EVENT September 15-16, 2017 Name Street City State Zip Phone Email Church District Roommate(s) Check all that apply to you: 18-22 23-29 30-35 36-40 First Time Night Owl Food allergies/limitations List: Check choice of: Friday evening lodging, dinner and Saturday breakfast & lunch, $75 Day retreater breakfast, lunch, $25 Total remitted: Checks payable to Virginia Conference United Methodist Women. Send registration form and check for total to: Joyce Winston Registration deadline: 2411 E Pembroke Ave. September 8, 2017 Hampton, VA 23664-1243 Phone: 757-851-6897 Email: buckrowbeach@gmail.com
11 Annual Meeting 2017 A Call to Community You are invited to join us October 28, 2017 for the 45th Annual Meeting of the Virginia Conference United Methodist Women, to be held at Trinity United Methodist Church in Richmond, VA! What a wonderful event we have in store! Our own Bishop Sharma Lewis will be our keynote speaker, and what a gifted and motivating speaker she is! You won t want to miss hearing her. Our time together really begins Friday evening, October 27 th at Trinity UMC, starting at 7:00PM with an evening of fun and praise, as we enjoy the music and dance of Women of Praise and Divine Grace Praise Dance and Mime Ministry, from Worship and Praise Deliverance Church. This will be followed by our traditional ice cream social, a time to contribute to Mission Giving, and most importantly, enjoy time with our sisters in UMW from all over the state. Saturday morning begins with very interesting and timely focus groups, starting at 10:00AM. You will have the opportunity to attend 2 focus groups, covering such top-ics as United Methodist Family Services, Secret Boutique, serving teens in need, Hu-man Trafficking, and How to Advocate effectively. These morning sessions will be followed by lunch and time for fellowship with UMW friends. The business portion of the Annual Meeting begins at 1:00PM, with the highlight of Bishop Lewis addressing us. We will celebrate all that we do as UMW throughout Virginia, and gain inspira-tion and direction for our work ahead. The day will conclude with worship and communion. For those of you requiring overnight accommodations, arrangements have been made with Holiday Inn Ex-press at 9933 Mayland Drive, in the Richmond Short Pump area. Reservations can be made by phone (804) 934-9300, or online at vaumw.com/events/annual-meeting where you can find the hotel online link. Be sure to indicate you are UMW attending the Annual Meeting to get the special rate of $89 plus tax. Up to 4 people may share a room. Registration for Annual Meeting can be found on our website at vaumw.com/events/annualmeeting. The reg-istration fee for the event is $15 which includes Saturday s lunch. Please send your registration by October 15. So, mark your calendar for this not-to-be-missed Annual Meeting! See you there! Karen McElfish Vice-President
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15 Here is an example of the United Methodist Women Reading Report, and the guidelines for the Reading Program. Your report is due to me by September 1, 2017 and I am hoping that you will complete the attached form and EMAIL it to me which will make it much easier for me to then complete my Reading Program report to the District. Remind all of the women in your church to READ and RECORD the books that they have read in the past year. By the end of August you will need to complete your report and submit to me. After you send your report you can begin your 2018 Reading Program log. If your unit will NOT be participating in the Reading Program for 2017, please let me know or if you have a new Secretary of Program Resources, please let me know her contact information and forward this email to her. Good luck with your report and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. ELIZABETH RIVER DISTRICT UMW READING REPORT - 2017 CHURCH NAME SECRETARY OF PROGRAM RESOURCES OR PRESIDENT - CONTACT PHONE NUMBER TOTAL NUMBER OF READERS - TOTAL NUMBER OF BOOKS READ - PERSON WHO HAS READ THE MOST BOOKS NUMBER OF BOOKS THAT PERSON READ - TOTAL NUMBER OF YOUTH READERS - TOTAL NUMBER OF SUBSCRIPTIONS TO RESPONSE - TOTAL NUMBER OF SUBSCRIPTIONS TO NEW WORLD OUTLOOK - Unit does not participate in Reading Program Yes NO Thank You COMPLETE AND RETURN BY SEPTEMBER 1, 2017 to EMAIL 5sterlings@cox.net or mail to Diane Sterling, 1268 Redwood Farm Ct., Va. Beach, VA. 23452. Questions, please call Diane at 757-498-9091 LIST THE NAMES OF READERS THAT DID NOT COMPLETE A PLAN AND THE NUMBER OF BOOKS THEY READ:
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18 Become a Rainbow Giver The Virginia Conference United Methodist Women started the Rainbow Giver Program in 2010. This is an opportunity for you, as an individual, to personally give to the 5 Channels of Mission Giving, whether or not you are a member of United Methodist Women: Your gift of $60.00 will make you a Rainbow Giver: $40.00 to give someone special a Special Mission Recognition Pin $5.00 to give a Pledge to Mission (in addition to your regular pledge) $5.00 for a Gift to Mission Card $5.00 for a Gift in Memory Card $5.00 for a gift to World Thank Offering (this can be in addition to your change box) Rainbow Giver Form RAINBOW GIVER S NAME: RAINBOW GIVER S ADDRESS: RAINBOW GIVER S PHONE: RAINBOW GIVER S CHURCH: Just fill out the form and turn in to your unit treasurer with a check for $60.00. The form and the $60.00 should be given to your treasurer at one time, not spread out over the year. On the form please specify which Gift to Mission Card you want and the name of the recipient of the Special Mission Recognition pin. This award is not to replace your Pledge and World Thank Offering, but is giving you, as an individual, an opportunity to contribute to all the areas of Mission Giving. Special Mission Recognition Pin in Honor of Name of Recipient (Please Print): Please send the pin to: Which Gift to Mission Card? Anyone can become a Rainbow Giver; this is an opportunity for church members, spouses, or friends to participate in Mission Giving. All Rainbow Givers will be recognized at your District s Annual Meeting and will receive a Rainbow Giver pin. If you have any questions, please contact your District Treasurer or the Virginia Conference Treasurer.
19 Now is the time for your unit to select one priority to work on for the next year. You may choose from the four priority justice issues named for the 2017-2020 quadrennium. They are: Climate Change Economic Inequality Criminalization of Communities of Color Maternal and Child Health All of these are timely, and much information is available from United Methodist sources as well as newspapers and Google. First, your unit should select one you are really interested in. Since these topics are very broad and complex, you should narrow the focus. You can t deal with the whole problem. Find an aspect which is manageable for your unit. Learn about your topic. Knowledge is power. If you haven t joined the resources listed below, I recommend doing so for the materials they offer. The Reading Program has books about each of these topics, and reading these books not only prepares you for the Social Action programming but also adds to your reading list. In some cases, the review of even one chapter of a book makes a really interesting program for your unit. The purpose of choosing a Social Action priority is to plan an action for your group. Actions may include letters and phone calls to elected officials, educating others about what yu have learned, and attending United Methodist Day at the General Assembly next February. All of us know of the most powerful source of support and change in our lives: prayer. Let the power of prayer support you in your actions for justice. I hope you are as excited about the Social Action program for this year as I am. United Methodist Women: www.unitedmethodistwomen.org/generalconference United Methodist Action Network: www.unitedmethodistwomen.org General Board of Church and Society: www.umc-gbcs.org The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy: www.virginiainterfaithcenter.org Neola Waller Elizabeth River District Social Action Coordinator Wallerwn1@gmail.com 757-217-2356
20 Elizabeth River District United Methodist Women P.O. Box 12654 Norfolk, VA 23541-0654 District Resource Center Located in the library of Heritage UMC 815 Baker Rd. Virginia Beach, 23462 (same building as District Office ) Contact the district office, 473-1592 to schedule a time. Newsletter articles for the next issue of The Current are due Nov. 15, 2017 NOMINATIONS Form due 11/15/17 Send WORD or JPG format - Dottie Thompson datgirl1019@gmail.com Inside this issue: Events 1 President s Message... 2-3 Nominations Form..... 4-5 Mission Encounter 6-8 Young Womens Retreat.... 9-11 Quadrennial Assembly 2018. 13-14 Reading Program..... 14-15 Fall Faire..... 16-17 Rainbow Giver... 18 Social Action... 19 www.elizabethriverdistrict.org/umw