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VOL. 15, NO. 22

NEWS

UM Women celebrate strides in mission, giving, membership

LINDA WORTHINGTON/UMCONNECTION

United Methodist Women filled the sanctuary for its annual meeting Nov. 13

Nearly 500 members of United Methodist Women packed the sanctuary and balcony at Reisterstown UMC for their annual meeting Nov. 13.

'The United Methodist Women and its predecessor organizations have made a lifetime commitment to Christ's mission in the world,' said Caroleann Myers, the group's president.

Founded 135 years ago, 'we have worked together for women, children and youth,' said Paulette Jones, vice-president. 'We banded together to make a difference in mission.'

Throughout the morning, some of the many ways United Methodist Women make a difference were lifted up.

One such contribution is the Susanna Wesley House, said Joyce McCallister, a member of the Nominations Committee. She reported that the refurbished house for women and children in transition had been open for about a year and was serving nine women and their 15 children.

'We are again an affiliated national institution,' she said, enabling the mission to receive funds from the Women's Division. She appealed to the women for greater support, especially to take advantage of matching money available until the end of the year.

The United Methodist Women also make a difference in the lives of the 21 young men and women who received $600 scholarships from the organization for the 2004-2005 academic year, said Janice Mason, president of the Board of Trustees, in her report.

Gabrielle Patrick, the treasurer, presented certificates to nine districts for the nearly 245 local church units recognized as 'five-star units.' They contributed in the past year to five areas of undesignated giving: A Pledge to Mission, Special Mission Recognition, A Gift to Mission, A Gift in Memory of Someone and the World Thank Offering. 'The Frederick District has already met its pledge for next year,' Patrick said.

Addressing the assembly for her last time as conference president, Caroleann Myers acknowledged how much the past four years had meant to her as one of the women in the units 'holding hands and dancing, supporting each other, accepting each other, loving each other ? willing to offer a cup of cold water in the name of Jesus Christ.'

'Our responses do make a difference,' Myers said. 'If we fail to hear the cry for justice from the oppressed, we are deaf. If we withhold our resources from reaching out to the hungry and the starving, we are heartless. If we fail to see the uprooted masses of refugees, the migrant, the homeless, we are blind. If we fail to speak out on behalf of the voiceless, powerless and penniless, we are mute. ? If we fail to stand up for truth, peace and reconciliation, we are infirm. ? We ought to cry out, ?God, have mercy on us.'

'A fundraiser for the church's youth to have a weekend in the mountains, purchasing carpets for the parsonage, paying the heating bills, paving the parking lot is not mission,' she said. These efforts and contributions are for the well-being of the local congregation, and they are a valid investment. 'But (they're) not mission.'

'We study the issues (and) learn about Jesus and his mandate to be in mission,' Myers said.

New officers and the Nominations Committee for 2005 were installed during the service. Five new UMW units and one reorganized unit were recognized. They are located at Bethesda Hispanic UMC, Shiloh UMC in Bryan's Road, Asbury UMC in White Marsh, John Wesley UMC in Joppa, and McKendree UMC in Cumberland. North Bethesda UMC has reorganized.

'We are a graying organization,' Myers said. 'We need to do something about this; we have to do it. We have a great story to tell and we need to share it with others.

'I challenge you that next year we will have 12 new units, not just five or six like this year,' she added.

'You have been an inspiration to us all,' said Paulette Jones, the new president of the conference UMW, to the outgoing president as she pinned Myers. The pin represented a $1,000 gift in Myers name to be used for mission.