BRIDGES TO HEALING THROUGH FAITH

28 women were on the East Central District zoom Spiritual Retreat meeting on Saturday, March 26. It was the first meeting as United Women in Faith. Anne Winn welcomed everyone and introduced the speaker. 

Emily Sterling Strongman, the pastor from First United Methodist Church, Orlando. The theme of the meeting was Bridges to Healing through Faith. The hymn Women in the Night, was shown being sung  by a choir at a church in Chicago. The words were so meaningful and great pictures were shown. This song is in the Methodist Hymnal but not sung often. Emily suggested looking at other songs in the hymnal and the messages the words tell. 

The scripture Emily chose to highlight was from  Luke 13. It was read and then read slowly again while we stood stooped over and the eighteen years counted one by one to help the scripture come alive.

She then talked about our prayers for healing may not always be answered the way we want them to be.  Healing may not come or even a person may die. Healing comes in different ways and shapes. We have to surrender, accept, grieve sometimes to get better. Jesus meets us there. He meets us where we are every time.  

We then read verses 14 - 17. where the leaders were angry at Jesus for healing the woman on the Sabbath.  "Not the way we do it" is often heard in churches. Jesus set us free from rigid customs.

Visualizing the Scripture in pictures. 

There was good discussion about the different paintings.

 Emily suggested you do a google search for pictures that relate to a scripture. It helps you connect with the scripture and would be a  good  idea for a  devotion. 

There were breakout groups focusing on how stress in our lives affects our physical bodies. Two activities to help reduce the stress were done.  One was by intentional breathing and the other by drawing and writing about what is causing the stress.  

The meeting ended with communion and prayer. 

 

SWINGING INTO SPRING

 The 13 Annual Spring Luncheon and Fashion Show was held on March 19,2022.

The theme was Swinging into Spring. The tables were beautifully set and ready for over 300 women, and a few men,  to attend.

There were many lovely items tor women to bid on at the Silent Auction.

Margaret Lay, Andrea Beaver, Carol Lane, Pat Herring, Jan Becherer and Sandy Gravil-Ries worked several months getting about 50 beautiful opportunity baskets created.

The hardest part for those attending was what bag you wanted to put a ticket in,  the best thing to do was buy more tickets.

The lunch was a variety of  delicious salads.

Table 36 remembered their friend Linda Moles, who always had a table at the luncheon. She was missed.

A special thanks was given to Jim and Betty Johnson, owners of the Village Goldsmith in Clermont which has now been closed.  Jim has been a strong supporter of UMW for many years, and also to many other organizations in the area. His concern for others is amazing. Customer satisfaction was the hallmark of the establishment. For the ladies, your spirits were lifted as you were handed a carnation at the conclusion of your business. Jim will be sorely missed and we wish him and Ms.Betty good health and many blessings as they embark on this new phase of life. 

Betty was the very efficient chair person of this luncheon. Time to relax with a picture at the photo booth.

Dottie was glad all the luncheon tickets had been sold and people were ready to come.

Janet and friends from Well of Hope enjoying dressing up from the items at the photo booth and having a picture taken to remember the time spent together.

The volunteers praying together and getting last minute instructions before the doors opened to guest at 10:30.

The room was full of talking and laughter.

 Many beautiful opportunity baskets to try and win.

At 11:30 Diane welcomed everyone.

She introduced two of the recipient organizations that will benefit from the money raised this year.

Pastor Broadway shared about Find, Feed and Restore.  Their mission is for housing for all people at all times.  A video was shown that highlighted the program of providing a home for a homeless family with children. Giving them a place to live till they can obtain self-sufficiency. Feed, Find and Restore  have recently purchased property, Restore Lake. It will  house more individuals and have a Women's Domestic Violence Shelter.

Pastor Michael has Well Of Hope Food Bank in the Four Corners Area. He told of their connection with the Methodist church since working with his church to help house some individuals that had been displaced by Hurricane Katrina, and for the past few years members from our church who help at the Food Bank.

Pastor Dawn expressed her gratitude that the luncheon was being held. She said the blessing and then everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch.

Before the fashion show began Jan announced the winning ticket for some of the opportunity baskets. Shouts of joy and hands were waved as women realized they were the winner.

Maxine from Fashion Labels in Leesburg put on the fashion show. There were seven models, all  members from our circles or from the recipient organizations. They modeled three sets of clothing. The first set of clothes were casual attire. 

Sherry Pilon

Kathy Werner

Shannon Herrera

Lorna Broersma

Mavis Sonaram

Betty Johnson

Sandy Osten-Sacken

Diane also wore an outfit from Fashion Lablels. 

 The next set of outfits were more dressy.

Sherry

Shannon

Lorna

Mavis

Betty

Sandy

The last set was getting dressed for a special occassion, like a cruise.

Sherry

Kathy

Shannon

Lorna

Mavis

Betty

Sandy

All the opportunity baskets were given out and women were informed if they had won an item at the silent auction. Then the  winner of the dine around town gift card tree was announce. The grateful winner was Marilyn, a lady who works with Faith Neighborhood. There were over $400 worth of gift cards and it raised over $900.

 We are thankful to the many people and businesses that donated gift cards and items to make this a very profitable and fun event. We appreciate that so many women attended, purchased opportunity tickets and bid on the silent auction items.  Many people will be helped by everyone's generosity.