UMW Statement on Tree of Life Synagogue Mass Shooting
(Excerpted from UMW Press Release 10/29/19) With stunned hearts, United Methodist Women mourns the senseless mass shooting of Jewish worshippers at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 27. We pray for the surviving family members and for this hurting congregation...We recommend that we all read and act on “Speaking Out for Compassion and Against Hate,” #3422, The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church…
"It represents a spiritual crisis that calls for us to respond by deepening our understanding of God’s call and filling our own deep yearnings for spiritual wholeness, that can empower us to love and show compassion without giving up our responsibility to speak out for justice."
We do not want God to be further appalled. We must act boldly by turning our faith, hope and love into action for compassion and against hate.
Subscribe to response
United Methodist Women Census 2018
Local Unit Presidents: Local Unit Presidents are asked to complete the 2018 United Methodist Women census. This year is focused on gathering information that will inform the National office, Conference and District leadership on local efforts in order to plan for growth, outreach and impact. Census Submission Deadline: Saturday March 30, 2019. The United Methodist Women will never share contact information outside the organization without permission. Click link here for a video on the 2018 UMW Census
Seven Rivers Officers choose the theme this year “Walk by Faith” from 2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight” and selected hymn“They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love” in the Faith We Sing, page 2223. Click the Video Link above for a special version!
Seven Rivers Officers choose the theme this year “Walk by Faith” from 2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight” and selected hymn “They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love” in the Faith We Sing, page 2223.
Both scripture and song have very strong meanings and show the spiritual blessings of the Seven Rivers officers.
“HELP ME TO JOURNEY BEYOND THE FAMILIAR AND INTO THE UNKNOWN. GIVE ME THE FAITH TO LEAVE OLD WAYS AND BREAK FRESH GROUND WITH YOU.”
This quote from St. Brendon the Navigator was given to the UMW PNW Conference Officers at their Installation by Kenya Roberts, our National Legacy Chair from New York our guest speaker. This is very appropriate to share.
My faith journey just seems to amaze me, and I can’t thank God enough for His help, support, friends, comfort and maybe even enthusiasm. Although I had attended UMC in the many places throughout the West Coast, not until we moved to Omak 42 years ago was I truly embraced by the members here and started going to the United Methodist Women’s meetings. Talk about being nurtured in the faith and having support along the way. Without their help and encouragement, I would probably still be just sitting in the pews.
Sharing and welcoming or even just smiling goes a long way to make someone feel wanted, you never know where their talent lies until you ask. Everyone needs God and a friend, so let us keep in touch. “Walk by Faith”
Our 7 Rivers District Annual Meeting at Moses Lake UMC had 48 attendees and 58% return on the evaluations.
Evaluations were overwhelmingly positive, with 89% respondents answering “Yes, definitely” to questions about the event.
Here are a few comments that were shared: “the whole day was a great experience”; “Loved the Fellowship with the ladies & powerful message through out “; "Business meeting was quick & easy and short!!!“; “Speakers interesting”; “well paced”; “Lunch & the cupcakes - really well done - good job Moses Lake UMW !”
Suggestions for future Annual Meetings included: “Actually hand out the awards to the units during the meeting“; “Do not let the books that are purchased be taken until everybody has a chance to see them - pick up purchases towards the end of day.”
Thanks ladies for your comments - this helps us try to organize better. The next 7 Rivers District event will be at Ellensburg UMC on Sat. April 27. Watch for the Flyer and information. Our next Annual District Meeting will be at Riverview UMC: Pasco on Sat. Sept. 21.
Write these down on your calendars - hope to see you all soon. Have a Blessed Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas. Love to All, Yvonne.
So that you can receive news and resources from your District UMW team, and others can contact you, be sure your local group’s information in the 2019 Seven Rivers District UMW Directory is current!
Please email Lily Burgess your 2019 officer list. For each officer please provide their office title, name, address, phone and email. If there are no changes, please email indicating with your unit name and indicate no changes.
Any questions, contact Lily via phone 360-286-1437 or email lilithburgess@gmail.com
This has been a beautiful Fall season here in the Wenatchee Valley. Every time I drive into East Wenatchee I look over at all the orchards in color and praise God for his wonderful artwork. He has been with me through all of 2018 in my first year as District Treasurer. I also want to give thanks to all you Unit Treasurers for bearing with me in the learning process. I can’t believe the year is almost over but I am looking forward to more blessings in 2019.
Reminder: 2018 Remittance forms and paperwork for 4th quarter need to be mailed to me by Dec. 1st. THANK YOU to all of you for your commitment to giving in 2018.
I hope all units received my email in October with the 2020 pledge form enclosed. The 2020 pledges need to be returned to me by Feb. 15, 2019 so that I can complete my budgeting process for the PNW Conference. I am challenging the units to raise their pledges for 2020. A 5% increase on $500 is $25, on $1000 is $50 for example. Our pledge total for 2019 is $19,525 so if each unit would pledge an additional 5% for 2020 the 2020 total could be $20,500.
If I have an incorrect name, phone number, or address for a unit treasurer please call me to update. Feel free to call if you have any questions or need assistance.
Walk by Faith. Carol Sprague PH: 719-406-1126 email: ces0204@gmail.com
I think I have all my canning done and the beds turned so I’m ready for Winter. Hope you have had a good Summer and are getting into Fall. If you loved last years program book, you will love the new one for 2019. The programs are about the women found in the Bible and how we can make a difference no matter where we are. Share your program with those in your group. Everyone can read a Bible verse or share in a skit - we did it in our evening circle, and it was fun.
Remember to have a quiet time some time during your day just to be with Jesus, meditating, or reading from the Bible. If you do, all the rest of us will be sharing your quiet time with you and praying because we can accomplish many things this way together. The District Annual Meeting in Moses Lake was a great time. Plan to be at the Annual Meeting next year, it is our 150th year as UMW.
Greetings. I am Elsie from Goldendale, born and raised. I am a Yakama Nation Tribal member descending from the Big River bands. I am coming upon my 20th wedding anniversary next May with my husband Andrew aka Tiger. We have five children, twins Damon and Arlene, Tyrell, Johny and Molly.
Joining UMW this past spring has been quite the experience. It has moved fast and have learned plenty especially at the PNW annual conference meeting It is been great getting to know everyone in our district and meeting others across the state.
Linda Hay and I attended a meeting on October 29th in Yakima in regards to House Bill 2951. This bill is an act relating to increase the services to report and investigate missing Native American women. I’d like to ask our units to contact me about any current social action projects you are focused on that we could highlight on in a future Flame article.
Nchi kwathla = much gratitude
If you attended our District Annual meeting in Moses Lake, then you know I have challenged our district to read 20 percent more books this coming year. This past year our district read 415 books. Adding 20 percent more books will bring our total to 500 books. With 10 participating units, each unit would need to read 9 more books. Will you accept this challenge??
Now is a great time to start reading for the 2019 Reading Program!! I have included two books for you to read from Education for Mission and Leadership Development. Please encourage others to hop on board to join the Reading Program!!
As leadership changes in local units (and district offices), sometimes important documents, pictures, or other memorabilia is lost in transition. Please take care to save special pictures and stories about your unit's activities, events, and special memories for future UMW members! Google Drive is a FANTASTIC tool to help your unit do this as well as provide continuity of information for future UMW leaders.
My family uses our Shared Google Drive folders for keeping track of the kid's Christmas and Birthday wish lists, setting up schedules for activities when we all get together, compiling a collection of my grandma's precious poems, and for contact, medical information, and where to find important documents for each of us in the event of an emergency. For more information on Google Drive, click the links in this article or search You Tube for "how to use Google Drive" instructional videos!
As the holidays approach, make sure to create time enjoy your walk with God - whether sitting by a cozy fire, or tromping up a snow covered hillside, intentional time to focus on faith is the fertilizer in our lives to help us flourish and grow where God has planted us. B'Shalom, Ingrid
Linda Hay - Chair of Nominations
Wasn’t our District Annual Meeting at Moses Lake awesome?!!! The hosting ladies did a wonderful job of making us all feel welcome...and what about that lunch! Then the guest speakers, Rev. Lyda Pierce and Elsie David….outstanding!
My pastor, Joyce O’Conner-Magee, will lead the spiritual component of the PNW UMW Spiritual Retreat at Lazy F, March 22-24. She came to Goldendale UMC in July and we are so happy to have her. You will know why after you hear her speak! Several ladies from my unit have already registered and I know others will soon. This is such a wonderful quiet time away from our very busy lives, a time of renewal but with some fun thrown in as well.
Our new president, Marsha Aufenkamp, has hit the ground running and we have set the date of April 6th 2019 for Leadership Development at Ellensburg UMC. I look forward to seeing you there and visiting with you about future openings on the District Team. Please pray about it now so that I or another member of the Nominations Committee can answer any questions you may have when we are together. We truly are a “Sisterhood of Grace!”
Here's some more photos of our sisters enjoying outings, fellowship, and service opportunities together!!
We still need photos from Methow Valley, Monitor, Riverview Pasco, Sunnyside, and West Highlands! Ask another church member to come take a picture at your next event or just use the timer feature on a cell phone camera - we know someone has one :)
Bringing the Red Zone into the End Zone, Selah UMW invited the congregation to wear something red to church one Sunday and did a brief presentation on Human Trafficking. Although this year's effort marks the end of United Methodist Women's anti-human trafficking initiative (as the national organizational focus shifts its efforts and resources to its previously announced mission priorities of climate justice, economic inequality, maternal and child health and mass incarceration/ criminalization of communities of color), Selah's UMW scored big by helping to raise awareness about the modern-day sale and trafficking of human beings not only around the world but in our own communities.
For further information about the Red Zone, contact United Methodist Women Executive for Public Policy Susie Johnson: 202-488-5660 or CSADC@unitedmethodistwomen.org.
Wesley UMW hosted their Annual Craft Fair and had hours of Fellowship and Fun while raising over $6,000 for local and global Missions - way to go ladies!!
Would you like the upcoming issues of the Flame to feature more photos and articles from 7 River's District Units? So would we! We are looking for for pictures from Holiday Craft Fairs, special events, service or outreach projects you are working on, and more! Please also share any of your ideas for fun programs you have done during your monthly meeting, or something your unit is proud of... celebrating these stories can help all our district units by sharing idea templates for future meetings/events and by sparking more new ideas!
Email your unit updates to 7riversumw@gmail.com to be included in the next Flame!
PLEASE SHARE:
We encourage you to print this newsletter for members of your church you may not have access to email.
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION:
You may e-mail electronic subscription requests to: 7RiversUMW@gmail.com
For paper subscriptions to The Flame, please submit $2 for mailing costs to the return address listed below.
Ingrid Fortmeyer Communications - Seven Rivers UMW c/o Wesley United Methodist Church
14 N. 48th Ave.
Yakima, WA 98942
PNW Legacy
