Training for Local Unit Officers

Saturday

Janurary 24, 9:30 a.m.

First UMC, Palestine

422 S. Magnolia @ Reagan

Training for all officers of your local unit. Don't miss this time to get you unit on track for 2009. Come and share with others.

Conference Spring Celebration

March 7, 2009 at Lakeview

Information on the Conference web page.

www.gbgm-umc.org/txconfumw

District Spring Meeting

March 14

Mineola, First UMC

Partners In Missin Trip to Kenya

Dear Sister’s in mission, Family and Friends,

I am writing to bring you up to date regarding the Partners in Mission trip Dennis and I are leading this summer to Kenya. I know there has been a lot of negative news coming out of Kenya since the general election there. The Partners in Mission office, and Jerri and Bill Savuto (missionaries we are to visit there) are monitoring the events closely. They will not allow us to go if there is any threat of danger. At this time it seems that things are becoming more normal and the hope of peace is stronger. We heard from Bill and Jerri and this is what they wrote to us: “There has never been any violence in Maua and our entire region. I do not want you to come if you don't feel safe but if I red the newspaper about what happens in some of our big cities, Dallas, Houston, I might never visit them. Come and bring us the hope we all need.”

This email was a deciding factor for us. We have a team of 5 and not one person feels any fear about going. We are all using good common sense and realize these things can change on a dime. However, we do have to plan and hope for the best, as these trips cannot be put together at the last minute. Therefore we are moving ahead with our June 19- July 5 date and believing God to direct us as we go. We will be the one of the first summer groups to go in and think it is very important to go and set the example of confidence for the other teams. They need us there and we need to go. We feel called to this date and this project. We need your support of dollars and prayers to help us get there. Please pray about supporting our efforts. We need to raise $5000 project money.

We plan to bring back a slide presentation with info on the trip for any UMW units supporting us. We will be happy to do a UMW Sunday or any evening presentation. This is an opportunity for the North West DST to be represented in the Maua hospital effort. I will have self-addressed envelopes for your convenience at Conference Spring Celebration March 1 and DST Spring Celebration March 15. Please pray about your opportunity as an individual or a unit to support us we need you.

Some units are making or purchasing baby caps for us to take to the hospital. You may bring those to the DST Spring Celebration in March or send them to the Chandler UMC POB 69 Chandler TX 75758 by May 31st.

Thank you for your prayers and for your help,
Dennis and Shirley Murray
Kenya Team Leaders

Coming Events

Quadrennial Meeting of the South Central Jurisdiction

March 28-30 in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Registration Information available on the Conference Web Site


Colors of God -- Charter for Racial Justice Workshop

April 12 at Wiley College in Marshal
Flier available on the Conference Web Site



UMW Luncheon at Annual Conference

May 26 at The Loft at The Woodlands UMC
Rev. Steve Woody -- Keynote speaker
Cost is pending
More information should be available at Spring Celebration


Cooperative School of Chistian Mission

July 24-27, 2008
Lon Morris College
Studies: I Believe in Jesus
Israel/Palestine
Giving Our Hearts Away: Native American Survival

Texas Conference Spring Celebration March 1

The Spring Celebration of the Texas Conference UMW is set for March 1, 2008 at Lakeview Methodist Conference Center. Rev. Perrie Joy Jackson will be the keynote speaker for the event. The theme is Bible Study with United Methodist Women of the Bible. In addition to Rev. Jackson, participants will have the opportunity to share with two great speakers in a choice of ten Bible Study groups. Full registration is available on the Conference UMW website. Registration before February 14 is requested. After that day, an additional fee will be added.

Check out what is happening on Women's Division Websites

Real Beauty for Response Magazine


Hi! This is Barbara Wheeler, editor of Response magazine. The March 2008 issue of the magazine will focus on real beauty. In preparing for the issue, we want to hear from you. Visit the United Methodist Women Online Community at www.umwonline.org and go to the "All About United Methodist Women" community. Discussion questions on "real beauty" are in the "Q & A" section. We plan to reprint some of these responses in the magazine. Please spread the word about this conversation and let us hear from you!
(While online here check out other communities and all the information available. There is a lot out there you may not know.)

Barbara WheelerEditor/Response Magazine
United Methodist Women's Division
475 Riverside Drive, Room 1501
New York, NY 10115
212-870-3628 or 212-870-3755


NEXT:

Check out umwmission.org. This is the national site for United Methodist Women.
There is a survey going on about a possible new logo and tagline for United Methodist Women. You'll want to see what it looks like and weigh in on what you think about it. Make sure your vote is counted.

OFFICER TRAINING, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10

Officer Training for 2008 local unit officers will be Saturday, November 10 at First United Methodist Church of Mineola. Registration is 9:30. The meeting will begin at 10:00. Lunch will be at noon. President Cindy Bennett will contact every unit president this weekend for a count of the number attending from each unit for preparation of programs, and for Mineola to prepare food. Please call Cindy by Sunday night, if she hasn't been able to reach you. (903-584-3747 hm;903-724-2480 cell)

Northwest UMW District Offering Goes to UMCOR

The Northwest District United Methodist Women met on October 13 at First United Methoidst Church in Jacksonville. These in attendance were treated to a special treat with Kathy Kraiza, executive director of UMCOR Depot at Sager Brown as the featured speaker. Kathy shared what is happening at the Depot and the continuing need for Hands On Kits. Flood Buckets are particularly needed this time of year. She also shared two new modifications in two of the most popular kits which groups like to assemble. Due to concerns about outdated toothpaste, we are now asked to substitute $1 for a tube of toothpaste. Many brands of toothpaste have expiration dates and some have been subject to contamination so the Depot will now be buying toothpaste in bulk. In School Kits, we are to delete the contruction paper and add a third pack of lined writing paper. The kits currently calls for two packs of lined paper and the new kits should contain three packs. Kathy was able to return to the Depot with a car load of kits brought by members of UMW units in the District.

The offering collected during the meeting totaled $309.00, and this money will be sent to UMCOR.

Attendees also were able to shop at the Mission Store with JoAnn Lund. We were lucky to have her at our event. JoAnn has maintained this Mission Store for many years. Volunteers bring items back from their mission trips to places such as Africa, Mexico, South America and places in the United States. All proceeds go back into the mission fund for the conference.