Response November 2018
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36478 NOV18_r.qxp 10/4/18 2:15 PM Page 2 response in this issue response is the ofcial magazine of United Methodist Women. Its think goals are to educate for mission, to 3 | From the Editor interpret the Purpose of United Tara Barnes Methodist Women and to strength- 4 | Message From the President: en the organization. Invite Others In November 2018, Volume 50 No. 10 Shannon Priddy features EDITOR: 5 | Responsively Yours: 36 | A Bridge of Hope Tara Barnes Principles of Women in Mission Ilka Vega SPANISH EDITOR: Harriett Jane Olson Nilda Ferrari 38 | Families Belong Together 6 | How To Use This Issue KOREAN EDITOR: Mary Beth Coudal Yun Nam (Kate) Kang 6 | the r list listen SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: 40 | The Call to Be a Deaconess Paul Jeffrey MAGAZINE DESIGNER: learn Corrina Sisk-Casson 42 | 선교 헌금은 선교를 가능하게 합니다. Tanya Krawciw 8 | Bible Study: Women Offering 샌디 와일더 KOREAN PAGE DESIGNER: Community Yun Nam (Kate) Kang Glory Dharmaraj, Kelly Martini and 43 | El Evangelico de Marcos y el Michelle Okabayashi Discipulado Radical response (ISSN0034-5725) Janet Wolf Published monthly (bimonthly July-August) by United Methodist Women, 475 Riverside o live Drive #1501, New York, NY 10115. Pe- act r iodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y., and 13 | Bright Lights: other mailing offices. The response magazine 44 | World Thank Offering subscription price in the United States and pos- Interfaith Connections in Texas sessions (payable in advance): $24 a year. Sin- Ruth Bowen gle copy: $2.75, call 1-800-305-9857. Special 16 | Grassroots Bus Service Brings pray two-year rate: $45. All other countries: $30. Audio subscriptions are $24 a year. POST- Healing Touch to Inmates and 46 | Litany of Gratitude MASTER: Send address changes to response Families at [email protected] or toresponse, Emily Forman P.O. Box 395, Congers, NY 10920 rather than to Post Office. A request for change of address 20 | Supporting Housing in Baltimore must reach us at least 30 days before the date Richard Lord of issue with which it is to take effect. Duplicate copies cannot be sent to replace those unde- liverable through failure to send advance give notice. With your new address, be sure to send us the old one, enclosing, if possible, your ad- 24 | Mission Giving Makes Mission dress label from a recent copy. o Names of Possible subscribers and all money should be sent to Sandy Wilder response, P.O. Box 395, Congers, NY 10920. o All Bible verses herein are from the New Re- 26 | Shade and Fresh Water in Brazil vised Standard Version unless otherwise not- Nille Sprague, with Tara Barnes ed. o All items for publication should be direct- ed to Tara Barnes, Editor, response, 475 member support | Throughout every issue of response, this Riverside Drive, Room 1501, New York, NY symbol indicates that you are reading about a program and/or 10115. E-mail: [email protected] person supported by United Methodist Women’s Mission Giving. on the cover | Rosania Alves Dias cooks lunch for students at the Shade and Fresh Copyright 2018 by United Methodist Women Water afterschool program in Liberdade, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, a program supported by United Methodist Women. One of the first volunteers when the program came to Belo Horizante, Dias is now staff cook for Liberdade’s Shade and Fresh Water. Her son Davidson also works for the program, and her daughter Nayara is a United Methodist Global Mission Fellow. All three of her children grew up in the program. Photo by Nile Sprague. 2 response | october 2018 36478 NOV18_r.qxp 10/4/18 2:15 PM Page 3 think FROM THE EDITOR | Growing up, for communion my hometown church served little perfect squares of bread and small, plastic cups of grape juice passed around in shiny brass serving trays. I liked having my own little piece of bread and own little cup of juice. I liked holding my bread and cup and waiting for the pastor’s signal to eat or drink. “Take, eat, do this in remembrance of me,” the pastor would say, sharing Jesus’ instructions from his supper with the disciples before his death and resurrection. We’d all eat at the same time. Then, “Take, drink,” and we’d all drink together. There was magic in that anticipation and especially in eating and drinking all together. I knew it was something special, even if I didn’t really know why. Kind of like having faith. This past September I had the opportunity to speak at the Alaska Conference United Methodist Women annual gathering. One of the topics I spoke on was communion, and I’m reflecting on it now as we gear up to share a meal and give thanks, receive sustenance for our journeys from both the food and the company, maybe even invite the presence of the Holy Spirit as we remember the sacrifices that bring us our blessings. The Lord’s Table is open to all, and, if we’re doing our job, we’re intentionally inviting to communion those who aren’t currently at the table. There’s no prerequisite to receive communion in The United Methodist Church, just that you want it—and are prepared for what you may receive. The United Methodist Church calls communion a holy mystery, and it’s one of the church’s two sacraments (the other being baptism). In this act of eating and drinking together we are giving thanksgiving to God, remembering Christ’s teachings and sacrifice, inviting the Holy Spirit to be among us, gathering together in a community of faith, and experiencing a meal of God’s kin-dom, on earth as it is in heaven. United Methodist Women members are women of action. But we’re also women of communion, seeking wholeness in God while we work to make the world whole. Happy Thanksgiving. Tara Barnes | [email protected] 36478 NOV18_r.qxp 10/4/18 2:15 PM Page 4 think Message From the President Invite Others In Life is short. Life is long. Life is a circle. Life teach- whoever sows generously will also reap gener- es lessons. The life of United Methodist Women ously. Each of you should give what you have is 150 years in the making. As we enter this time decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly of counting our blessings, preparing for our Sav- or under compulsion, for God loves a cheer- ior and tying up loose ends of 2018, examine ful giver. And God is able to bless you abun- what you want to change in 2019 to honor Unit- dantly, so that in all things at all times, having ed Methodist Women’s legacy. all that you need, you will abound in every good You are going to hear a lot about pledges, work.” budgets and Mission Giving over the next few This Scripture is not only about giving tal- months and in the coming years. We will talk ents and treasures but also about giving time. about membership numbers, an aging popu- We can’t just rest on our history. We must write lation and being relevant to younger women. the present. Building community takes time, We will also talk about how we help women, effort and mutuality. It means being open to youth and children in our communities and new ideas, new challenges and change. around the world. We need to be in conver- This season, count your blessings and renew sation, actively listening to women around us your commitment to United Methodist who do not know United Methodist Women Women. Reignite the passion that brought you as the awesome, faithful community it is. to United Methodist Women the first time. This season, When deciding on budget, are conference Share your light and invite others to leadership, count your leaders talking about the myriad ways to fellowship and purpose. blessings and achieve giving and mission goals? Fundraising Expand concepts of mission through par- renew your and individual pledges on the local, district and ticipation in the global ministries of the commitment to conference level are some ways. Invite others church. Share the mission map of United United Methodist into the conversation about pledges and budg- Methodist Women. Get to know God and to Women. ets to increase giving instead of just accepting experience freedom as whole persons through declining numbers. Don’t lower your pledges Jesus Christ. Share the word of God and its to mission—open the opportunity to others, meaning in your life with a spiritual growth invite others in to the decision making and small group. Who is the woman who sits alone problem solving. in worship, or is overwhelmed with caring for In this time, it is about more than money. her children? It takes time to develop com- It is about membership, decision making and munity. Now is the time to start. building community. Women need to share the United Methodist sisters in Christ, you are tools to increase giving instead of seeing our women of action. Take this season to be in ac- numbers decline simply because we won’t tion by sharing your blessings and inviting oth- change. Leaders, the mantle of leadership is ers to faith, hope and love in action. heavy, and you may be tired. Share the load! Be present in your church. Teach leaders, in- SHANNON PRIDDY vite women to lead. It takes time and faith. President United Methodist Women 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (NIV) says, “Whoev- er sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and 4 response | november 2018 36478 NOV18_r.qxp 10/4/18 2:15 PM Page 5 think Responsively Yours Principles of Women in Mission As United Methodist Women prepares to Purpose, to undergird and energize our com- celebrate its 150th anniversary, many of us are mitment to mission.