CELEBRATE AND BE BOLD

Th 17th District Annual Meeting was held at Sanlando UMC on October 8th. It was the first in person meeting the district has had since the pandemic stopped us from gathering in 2020. Linda working with Phoebe and Frankie getting everyone signed in.
 

The women from Sanlando had a nice continental breakfast ready for us to enjoy.

Time to gather and talk.

About 60 women attended.

Fellowship and food is what it is all about.

After we had time to enjoy some food and talk with those at our table, we played a game to learn more about each other and meet new people.

When is your birthday? Do you sing in the shower? 

Have you been to another country? Do you hold an office in your unit?

At 10 o'clock Anne Winn, District President welcomed everyone to the district meeting.

There was a parade of units in our East Central District. Some of the units did not have anyone attending so their sign was carried by someone from another unit. MO carried a sign for Azalea Park.

United Women in Faith.

Reports were given by the leadership team.  Gillian Wolfe talked about Social Action. She had at everyone's seat a heart with an action we can do.

Phoebe Lustre talked about membership and had everyone up dancing to We Are Family. She challenged everyone to invite two  women to join their unit.

Wendy Hamlett added to the celebration by singing her report for the Reading Program. Be part of the reading plan and read 5 books next year. The reading year is from July 2022 to  the end of June 2023.

Ladye Cox

and Linda Gustafson were recognized as past presidents of our District. 

Act I of the skit. Tracey Perry, as Dorothy not sure were she is.

After skipping around the room she encounters the lion, Frankie Edwards.  The lion was scared but agreed to go with her to find help.

They met a robot whose battery was running low and needed help too. So off they went together.

Next they met the scarecrow, Mary Ann Mueller. She didn't have a brain and didn't know where they were either. They all left to see if they could find out where they were. End of Scene 1.

At each table was 2 pieces of card board and some makers. Working together we wrote up what we had as a unit to celebrate about and then write what we will do to be bold.

After a fifteen minutes each table had someone share what they celebrated and what they were going to do bold.

Lots of good sharing. 

Act 2  . Dorothy thought she was recognizing things and had been in this church before. 

Entered the bad witch, Anne Winn, she wanted to know how they had all gotten together. She had a pandemic stop them from meeting. then use zoom so they couldn't meet together. then a hurricane yet here they were together.

She was going to put a stop to this, but she was melted with them working together.

The good witch, Wendy Hamlett, came out and explained to them that they were just were they were meant to be. That they had courage, and energy and a brain and would use their talents to work together to keep  United Women in Faith growing and strong. The End or just the beginning.

After the skit there was a memorial service to remember the 17 members from units in the district that have died since the last Annual Meeting. Linda Moles and Opal McClanahan were two from our unit. 

Anne opened the business meeting. Janet Blume, secretary did a roll call. Donna Spear was the parliamentarian. 

Dottie Mathias, chair of the Committee on Nominations presented the slate of officers for 2023 through 2025.   Janet Blume, President, 

            Linda Welander Secretary, 

            Mary Ann Mueller Treasurer, 

            Wendy Hamlett Program Resources,

            Dottie Mathias, Chair, Committee on Nomination Class of 2023

                Doris Hatfield, class of 2023

                Frankie Edwards, class of 2024

                Tracey Perry, class of 2024

                Julie Weed, class of 2025

                Live Kotkin, class of 2025

        Social  Action Coordinator, Gillian Wolfe

        Membership, Nurture and Outreach, Phoebe Lustre and Doris Hatfield

The floor was open to nominations for Vice President, Communication Coordinator and Education and Interpretation Coordinator. No one stepped up, so these positions still need to be filled.

            

Donna Spears then installed all the officers. 

Anne Winn was recognized for her 8 years of service, especially the last 4 as President to our East Central District.  

The meeting was adjourned at noon.  It was a enjoyable celebration of meeting again in person and all that has been accomplished.  CELEBRATE AND BE BOLD

2022 SPIRITUAL RETREAT

The 2022 Spiritual Retreat was held at The Warren Willis Confernce Center  September 9 - 11.  The theme for the retreat was Moving Forward in Faith. 

The Haitian Choir . 

Doing some line dancing.
 

Evening of Inspiration by Edith Zewadske-Bricker and helpers.

Reading Scripture related to the excerpts Edith read from a book.

 Mimes illustrated the story.

Praise band speaker Tiffani Icaza-Willetts.

Outside activity at the labyrinth.

 Cathy D'heron, Evelyn Rose, Cathy Stone, Noelene McCall, Kathy White, Yvonne Lorah, Linda Welander and Pam Anders attended.  Enjoying meals together.

AGENCIES NEEDS

 

The Mission selection team meet in August to determine what agencies needed our support and how much to give each one. There was still $5000 in our unit that was able to be used. 

  A check was given to Linda Krupski at LoveExtension to purchase needed supplies for their clients.

$1000 was presented to Forward Paths. Receiving the check was Cristy Orput and Arlene a volunteer.  The money will be used to purchase bicycles and helmets for clients or for bike repair. 

Betty and Noelene presented a check to Linda Cowls at Anointed Community to use to purchase snacks for the after school program as needed. 

THANK YOU

 Women of God circle works on stuffing these bears during their meeting on Sunday evening. They are given to the We Care Team, the police and fire department and to South Lake Hospital.

A thank you for the bear from a grateful parent.

Diane and Noelene presented Linda a check to purchase a much needed refrigerator.

The new refrigerator.

A thank you for the money our unit donated to Anointed Community to purchase a new refrigerator. 

Thank you and update from the Neighborhood Center, previously called Faith Neighborhood. 

MISSION U 2022

Mission U was held at Warren Willis Camp and Conference Center July 11-13 and July 14-16.

 Linda Welander, Dottie Mathias, and Janet Blume attended the first session and Yvonne Lorah, Pam Anders and Evelyn Rose attended the weekend. 

 

Pamela Davis, Dean for Mission U welcomed us.

Assistant Dean, Kenya Monroe.

The Mission U leaders putting leaves on the tree, sharing who we can be together.

The evening Plenary. Stressing how important it is we stay connected and grow together.  

This song was played and song,

as the girls did an interpretative dance.

At  14 she  did a great job of answering the question Who Can We Be Together?

Her cousin at age 10 also boldly responded.

Didn't just let the youth share. A 92 year old grandmother was to answer the question, but she had a dinner date with her granddaughter.  Action speak louder then words.

Paulet Monroe led us in song.

The first Legacy Walk was introduced.

At 8 o'clock Tuesday morning we walked around the grounds.

There were Bible verses to read all along the route.

Mary McLeod Bethune statue made history on Wednesday as the first Black person to have a state-commissioned statue in the U.S. Capital's Statuary Hall. Mission U has been held at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach in years past.

Paulet Royes-Neal was Linda's, Janet's and Dottie's instructor. There were 4 classes. 

We looked at Luke 13 and talked about the parables and had good discussion about who can we be together. Some of the thoughts we came away with were: We are like a fig tree maturing at our own rate. Don't give up on people until you have given them time and tools to succeed. We are all sinners, unique and forgiven. Compassion, Judge not. Be aware of others. Take action whenever the situation calls for it. Love first.

There was a good presentation about the rebranding to United Women in Faith by Judith Pierre-Okerson.

Managing change is a process.

We are still part of UMC, our purpose statement, 5 channels of giving, organized structure, constitution and bylaws, mission focus and social justice.

Cathy Capo Stone shared about Cornerstone Family Ministry.

Started in 1892. Eliza Wolfe pleaded with the Women's Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church (UMW/UWF) to form a mission school for immigrants living in east Tampa.

The Covenant they have between the United Methodist Women, National office  and National Mission Institutions.

Cathy explained how they are funded.

They now own the property.

Ways we can support them.

Take a field trip and visit.

Each evening ended with a gorgeous full moon. Unfortunately Dottie locked herself  out of her room taking this picture.  She was very grateful to the kind staff coming to unlocking her door. 

Wednesday morning Danny Davis spoke at the closing plenary before we had communion. 

  A few stayed for Ubuntu, an afternoon of service. The edges of blankets were woven together. The blankets were blessed at the end of Mission U and presented to Cornerstone. 

Dottie has two finished.

Pam Anders, Yvonne Lorah, and Evelyn Rose at the end of Mission U standing in front of the tree full of leaves with participant's spiritual gifts written on them. A great tree can grow from a tiny, tiny mustard seed.