The NEW Mission Today!
MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!
Become a Mission Today Unit!!
The purpose of promoting a Mission Today Unit is to:
Energize United Methodist Women to be more involved in mission through prayer, study and action.
Increase contacts between units and mission personnel and mission projects so the United Methodist Women understand where their money goes.
Encourage the use of mission resources through United Methodist Women.
Expand concepts of mission, including social justice as mission.
What is a Unit?
A unit is any organized group of United Methodist Women within a church or district. Some units are composed of several circles, which periodically get together for a unit meeting.
How Do We Become a Mission Today Unit?
In order to be recognized as a Mission Today Unit, UMW groups must complete a minimum of twelve of the following criteria, including six of those marked with an asterisk (*). #1 of the criteria is not optional. You must complete this one to become a Mission Today Unit. Activities conducted between January 1 - December 31, 2008 will be recognized at annual meetings in 2009. This is an ongoing program, so strive to become a Mission Today Unit! Download PDF or Word version of Mission Today Information / Criteria for 2008.
Criteria for a Mission Today Unit:
*1. The Unit will make and meet its Pledge to Mission. (Must be
completed)
*2. Use the Prayer Calendar at each general meeting of the unit to pray for persons in mission and our mission work with women, children and youth. Order from the Mission Resource Center. A new Prayer Calendar is printed each year.
*3. The unit will use at least two programs from the Program Book during the year. Order from the Mission Resource Center, A new Program Book is printed every year.
*4.
The unit or circle
will conduct or participate in at least one
mission study
each year. Contact your district or conference Mission Coordinator for Education
& Interpretation to learn what the studies are for each year. (If members
of your unit attend your District Mission Study and your unit takes an action
growing out of the study...Gift to Mission, ministry related to the study, etc.,
your unit will meet this criteria.)
*5. The unit will have at least two members subscribing to Response. Order from Magazines with a Mission, $24 for a year's subscription. New World Outlook is also available from Magazines with a Mission - $19.95 for a year's subscription. (1 member subscribing with units less than 15 members.)
*6. The unit will implement the Charter for Racial Justice in at least two ways during the year. Possibilities are:
a. Have members read books and articles about other races and cultures;
b. Sponsor an interethnic event between two or more units;
c. Recruit women of color to be members and officers of the unit;
d. View the video on the Charter, "In Search of Racial Justice." Check your conference AV library or order from the Mission Resource Center.
e. Use the new “Resources for Racial Justice: Tools for UMW Leaders” handbook. Click here to download PDF (4 MB file, 187 pages). Click handbook picture at right for link to Women's Division website page about the new resource.
f. Write to elected representatives to support legislation affecting issues such as immigration, affirmative action, low income programs, civil rights, etc.
*7. Become a member of the Western North Carolina UMW Charter Club. Click here for more information on the Social Action page of our website.
*8. The unit will add at least two new members (one member for units with less than 15 members) to its roll.
*9. The unit will have one program from the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church 2005-2008. (Stock #3666 at Mission Resource Center)
*10. Complete one of the issues of the "For Christ's Sake, Turn the World Upside Down" Initiative. Click here for more information on the Initiative page of our website.
11. At least one member of the unit (other than a conference or a district officer) will attend the School of Christian Mission and report back to the unit on classes and events they experienced.
12. At least two members (one member for units with less than 15 members), other than a conference or district officer, will attend the district or conference annual meeting and report back to the unit on classes and events they experienced.
13. The unit will have
at least one person joining the
United Methodist Women's Action
Network to receive and respond to legislative information at least three (3)
times a year. (To join, contact Women's Division Washington Office, 100
Maryland Ave. NE, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20002. There is no charge for joining
at this time. There may be a nominal charge at a future date.) (Attach to
Mission Today report what you responded to and what action was taken.)
Download Action Network
Registration Form (WORD)
Download Action Network
Registration Form (PDF)
To join the email version...the Electronic Action
Network...send an email request to:
umwanet@gbgm-umc.org
14. Members will correspond with five persons listed in the Prayer Calendar at least once a year.
15.
The unit will
cosponsor, with the local church, a
Children's Sabbath. (This is
a worship service highlighting the needs of children.) The
Women's Division and the Council of Bishops support this effort.
Contact
Children's Defense Fund
for materials at 25 E. St. NW, Washington, DC 20001.
Telephone 202-628-8787
16. The unit will contribute to all five channels of Mission Giving.
17. Each unit or circle meeting will include a "Response Moment" where an item from Response magazine will be lifted up as a way to tell the mission story.
18. The unit will sponsor one teen member (ages 12 to 17) and/or one young woman member (ages 18 to 39) to at least one Conference event during the year.
19. At least two members (one member for units with less than 15 members), other than a conference or district officer, will attend a district Prayer Breakfast, district Day Apart or conference Spiritual Growth Retreat.
20. At least two
members (one member for units with less than 15 members) other
than a district or conference officer will complete Plan 1 of the
Reading Program
and give a report to the unit on the book read.
21. The unit will invite a district or conference officer, other than a member of the unit, to one of the unit meetings during the year and/or for their United Methodist Women's Sunday.
22. The unit will add one new teen (ages 12 to 17) and/or one young women (ages 18-39) circle during the year, or one new teen member (ages 12-17) or one new young woman member (ages 18-39) during the year.
23. The unit will be responsible for supporting at least one local mission project and participate in one Conference Hands On Mission Project during the year. The local project should be listed on your Mission Today report.
Be a Mission Today Unit!
Mission Resource Center: Toll free: 1-800-305-9857 Website:
www.missionresourcecenter.org
United Methodist Women
Mission Resource Center, 1221 Profit Drive,
Dallas, TX 75247
Magazine Circulation (For Response & New World Outlook): Toll free:
1-877-881-2385
Magazines with a Mission, PO Box 395, Congers, NY 10920-0395
FAX: 1-845-267-3478
Download 2008 Mission Today Information / Criteria (PDF)
Download 2008 Mission Today Information / Criteria (Word)
Resources on Mission Today (Some Old Material)
The PURPOSE of
United Methodist Women
The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall be a community of women
whose purpose is to know God and to experience freedom as whole persons through
Jesus Christ; to develop a creative supportive fellowship; and to expand
concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the
church.
This page was last updated on Sunday, January 06, 2008.
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