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Virginia Conference UMW Saturday October 24, 2015
Story 1: first UMW unit meeting
I was not sure what I was getting into, but I found these “old women” shared some of the same faith and real world questions that I have. Within a year they packed me off to a school of mission. I am still here, still a UMW member some 45 years later.
The 45 years have not been stagnant. Continued to attend SCM, Mission u annually, served in local unit leadership, district and conference. Each time responding to a sense of call, another call and then recalling. Just when you think you got it together, something else unfolds.
Story 2: first conference executive committee meeting; age being questioned; assured and grounded by mentors and relationships. Need to mentor so that careless criticism by others doesn’t completely discourage new members.
What is your story of being called to UMW? (pause) Who are your mentors? Who are you mentoring?
Ephesians 4: 1-7 4 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Connect our stories, Purpose to this passage, and the one from Mathew 18: 20
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
PURPOSE
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."
“Welcoming” through Call and recall, Community, and Grace
Recall your call 2
Refer to previous question: what is your story with UMW? Were you “called?” maybe event literally? Did someone call you? 4 times ? (Usually what it takes) What have you said “yes” to?
What can learn from that about how can engage others or reengage yourself today…
Deepen your call- deepen your relationship or understanding of the work of United Methodist Women:
Begin with prayer: (Women’s Missionary Association, UB) Lizzie Hoffman. Young Sunday School teacher, Dayton Ohio Prayed all night for discerning God’s call / will for her life | enlist the women of the church in mission work.
2 cents a day and a prayer | World Thank Offering
Methodist Episcopal women – circle and triangle DRAW OUT
You cannot enlarge the triangle without enlarging the circle [draw out] [circle = prayer; triangle = “money, magazines, members” (mission giving, mission education, members)
Our foremothers knew: until we go deeper
[we talk about member growth without the investment] – we need younger members \ do you want younger members \ what change will that bring?
Our Purpose
How does it begin? To know God? Lifts up Jesus Christ; creative supportive fellowship. This is the depth of who we are. Matthew 18: 20 says “where two ar three ore gathered, I am with you.” It doesn’t say, where two or three are gathered, you will have a meeting. Dig deeper. In the Message interpretation the passage Matthew 18:20, is paraphrased as
Take this most seriously: yes on earth is yes in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. It mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of t, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of m, you can be sure that I’ll be there.”
Community – local and global
Where 2 or 3 are gathered
- An amazing nearly 150 year history: 3
- Sisters sitting next to us, in the pew, out the door, across the county, around the conference, jurisdiction around the world in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean
- Our current regional missionaries
- Nearly 100 mission institutions we still support
- 100 some projects internationally
o That feed and teach children
o Protect abused women
o Teach needed skills
o Provide shelter
- [statistics]
. 25% children in poverty
. 1 in 4 women experience domestic abuse
. Enough weapon to kill everyone in the world twice
. In 2050 a UW national of a majority of minorities
UMC 90% white
Oliver Sacks, former chief rabbi in London: “hardest for us to see image of God in those who don’t look like oneself.”
How does this relate to women of welcome: we cannot always be there with every child and every mother; but we are called to learn about the needs of God’s world and challenged to response, so that God can work in our lives to call and recall us.
How does this relate to women of welcome?
- What do we talk about? Meetings or life changing bible and mission study?
o Member numbers or relationships and community?
o Can we talk about UMW without talking about meetings? Do we confuse our busyness with God’s spirit?
o Yes, we should be organized… [District leader and 3-ring binder]: UMW do get things done; we are organized for mission, but… what are we inviting people to?
o Church bulletin board, “meeting, Tuesday.” What does that mean? 4
o What happens when someone goes to Mission u or an Assembly for the first time? Often they have moved beyond their comfort zone – not because they when to a meeting or a school, but they have experience a transformative moment in their lives.
o For people to be involved – an interest needs to be stimulated – can be excitement, interest, provocation, or even irritation;
o If there are positive connections (relatiponship) at the same time, the commitment and involvement deepens;
o Or if a needs are met – time for face to face adult connections and conversation, to put one’s skills to work, discovering new competencies in oneself, common experiences, journeying through various life states – and to allow people to change and grow – and to have the flexibility to accommodate changing attitudes and growth.
o Authentic relationships are transforming; loyalty and commitment are a process and not an event. [I am who I am and can be that in this community. I can take risks, I can speak out, I am valued, and someone is listening.]
5. Grace
Our foremothers accomplished great things = such energy in a day without FB, twitter, email, long distance phone
In response to the energy of God’s grace: Belle Bennett: “Yes, Lord I will do it”
God’s grace unleashes our human potential so that the work to strive for personal and social holiness may be done.
WDP_USA – parable of the vineyard: May not be a very good business plan, but work toward the lessons of the parable: to trust God’s grace and generosity – how does grace change how we work together and how we invite and welcome others.
How do we then live in this world – to live with grace, the way we want the world to be. In UMW we have been opportunities and resources to learn and to grow spiritually (mission and spiritual growth studies, Reading Program, leadership development, seminars)
We need to live and lead the way we want the world to be - [based on various study and reading: Steven Brookfield, Angela Glover Blackwell, Parker Palmer]:
- Reflect on your own experiences: what have learned about yourself and God’s world in your journey – recall you call 5
- Support the growth of others: mentor and be mentored
- Cross boundaries
- Realize the diversity in our communities and in our families
o Culturally
o Ways of worship / church [story 3: saying “amen” out loud]
o Recognize multiple situations and experiences
- Be sensitive to the pace of others (we invited them, but they didn’t come…)
- Listen – value what you hear –even if you disagree otherwise you further isolate yourself and others.
- Balance organizational how-to’s (rules) with relationships
- Speak and work hopefully. Hope is not a remote or future only concept or just a nice phrase. Grows out of love and justice. Talk about and in ways that reflect hope.
Call and recall in the midst of God’s grace – to maturity and the full stature of Christ: to recall the biblical mandates for God’s vision and restoration n the world, where I have been – and where I need to re-open to God’s call.
Recalling our call opens us up again and again to a new community. Recalling our call can move us to advocate for the reign of God in all creation, on earth as it is in heaven, to combat racism, classism, sexism, militarism – and all the “isms” that destroy the community. Recalling our cal, urges us to invite others and ourselves again and again into this community. Rejoice in our call, be open to the unfolding call, listen to your own story, and prepare to list to stories not yet told.