Mildred Carter Conference President

 

August 2010 - Conference Gram:  How great it was to see many of you at our Spiritual Growth Retreat and the School of Christian Mission. I look forward to greeting you at our Annual Meeting in just a few weeks.

At the end of March, about 150 United Methodist Women from the Western North Carolina Conference traveled to St. Louis, MO, for Assembly. It was great to worship with approximately 6,500 UMW from all around the world. Tonya Lanier and the Program Committee are “bringing the Assembly home” to share with everyone at Annual Meeting. This issue of the Conference Gram will tell you that we have a great event planned with wonderful speakers and music leaders. Annual Meeting is also our business meeting of the year. Officers will be elected, the budget adopted, and we will celebrate the accomplishments of the districts for 2009. We will have opportunities to live out our PURPOSE with periods of worship and opportunities to expand our concepts of mission. One highlight of Annual Meeting is honoring our missionaries and deaconesses. We will also have fun on Saturday morning as we present “funny business.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every local unit had a representative at Annual Meeting? Each local unit may have at least one voting delegate to vote on business matters of the Conference. If you have not made your reservation, it’s not too late.

This is a good time of year to check the progress of your local unit in several areas. The Mission Today criteria is good to use to measure your progress. Has your unit given in all five channels of mission giving? Has your unit invited a District or Conference officer to a unit meeting or event? Has your unit participated in a hands-on mission project? Do you have members participating in the Reading Program? If the answer is “no” to any of the above, you still have time to complete the requirements to help your unit become a Mission Today Unit in 2010.

I want to encourage all local unit officers to attend their District training event this fall. When you say “Yes” to your Committee on Nominations and accept a leadership role, there are opportunities to learn about your responsibilities, as well as many available resources to help you. This training will make you and your unit stronger. Also, please let your Conference and District Teams know how we can help. We are always ready to provide support.

YOU make mission possible as your Faith in God and Hope in God’s promises result in many Actions of Love. Thank you! May God bless each of you as you continue to minister to God’s people through United Methodist Women.

Mildred Carter, Conference President
United Methodist Women
Western North Carolina Conference

June 2010 - Conference Gram:  Our Purpose statement continues:  The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall be a community of women whose purpose is to expand concepts of mission…

How do we expand our concepts of mission? We have many opportunities for mission education. We learn through participating in our Reading Program and by reading Response magazine. The best way we expand our concepts of mission is by attending the School of Christian Mission each summer. It is four days packed with learning opportunities. For those of you who may not be able to attend for the entire weekend, make plans to participate in the one-day overview sessions on Friday or Saturday.

The first time I attended School of Christian Mission was a one-day overview. It was a great overview – but I wanted more. Since then, every year except one, I have attended the full 4 days. Study leaders spend many months preparing to lead the studies. There is a lot of reading and studying that takes place in the months leading up to the School of Christian Mission. United Methodist Women seems to always be on the cutting edge of any issue. The studies are always so timely in relation to world events. Won’t you come and learn with us and expand your concepts of mission?

Mildred Carter, Conference President
United Methodist Women
Western North Carolina Conference

April 2010 - Conference Gram:  The first phrase of our Purpose states: The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall be a community of women whose purpose is to know God…

It is no accident that “to know God” is the first part of our Purpose. If we know God, then all of our other ministries follow. We must take time in our busy lives to spend time with God – praying (which includes listening) and reading Scripture. The Spiritual Growth retreat is a wonderful opportunity for us to get away for a few days, enjoy the beauty of God’s creation at Lake Junaluska, and to spend quality time in developing our relationship with God. We always receive a blessing from attending the retreat. You will read more about this year’s retreat in Dixie Tyson’s article. I hope to see you there.

Mission Giving: We are getting many requests for funds because of great needs and the poor economy. As United Methodist Women, we have very focused guidelines to support Mission Giving through the Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries and the projects they approve. In this way we support children in need around the world – Haiti, Dominican Republic, Sudan, Congo, and the United States. We can help more children in more ways throughout the world with our focused Mission Giving.

In the March 2010 issue of Response Magazine we learn about one of the children’s projects that we support: Murphy-Harpst’s Equine Therapy Program in Cedartown, Georgia, addresses the emotional, physical, educational, and spiritual needs of families and children ages 6-17 – children who have been physically abused and neglected. Austin, age 13, says, “The horses are awesome! They are cool with me and make me happy because they like me when other people don’t.”

Sometimes, we cannot give money. But, we can give time. The 2010 UMW Social Action initiative of “For Christ’s Sake Turn the World Upside Down” for Public Education is to “make a memory with a child.” Take a child to the park, be a reading or lunch buddy, plant some flowers, go kite flying, bake cookies. More information about this project is available from Conference and District officers.

There is much to do as we answer God’s call to be in mission and ministry throughout the world through United Methodist Women. I thank God for all of you and the way you answer God’s call.

Mildred Carter, Conference President
United Methodist Women
Western North Carolina Conference

February 2010 - Conference Gram:  I look forward to serving in ministry with each of you as we strive to fulfill the PURPOSE of United Methodist Women in 2010. Through United Methodist Women (UMW), I have developed many new friendships, grown closer to God, increased my knowledge of missions, and experienced joy in service to our God.

You, in the local units, make Mission Possible through United Methodist Women. The journey of the mission dollar begins with you. When we combine the resources of all of our local units, great things are accomplished as we respond to God’s call to take care of the less fortunate (Matthew 25:31-46), especially women, children, and youth.

The Western North Carolina Conference United Methodist Women finished 2009 with wonderful news of again overpaying our pledge to mission. Thank you for helping to make that happen. Please see Treasurer Julia Willis’ article for specific information. [Link to February 2010 Conference Gram]

We have many opportunities to grow through United Methodist Women in 2010. Plans are being made for our Spiritual Growth Retreat in June, the School of Christian Mission in July, and Annual Meeting in September. Mark the dates on your calendar and plan to attend.

On April 30 through May 2, Western North Carolina UMW will be well represented as we travel to St. Louis, Missouri, to attend our National Assembly which meets every four years. The theme is “Faith.Hope.Love In Action!” What an experience it is to join with several thousand women from around the world as we celebrate the work of United Methodist Women.

On the front page of the February issue of the Conference Gram, you will see information about contributing to the Haiti Quake Relief. As a building team member several years ago, I saw the faith and commitment of Haitian Christians – even in dire circumstances. We need to help – as we also continue to support the many mission projects and mission personnel that rely on our Mission Giving.

This year, may we renew our commitment to the PURPOSE of United Methodist Women. Please let me know if I can be of help to you and your local unit.

Mildred Carter, Conference President
United Methodist Women
Western North Carolina Conference