News of the Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Women March, 2013
Reflection We pray that we would fulfill our duty as Christians; our duty to serve, to give, to love, to forgive. When we pursue this other-centered living, we find our highest good. We experience happiness. May we allow our faith to make us truly happy.—Rev. Kim Wells, Lakewood United Church of Christ, St Petersburg, FL
Serve – for Lent The Great Day of Service Saturday, March 9, 9:00 am to noon The UMW’s timing couldn’t be better—our Great Day of Service is in the middle of Lent. While UMW hosts this annual event, we are ALL called to serve: men, women, young and old. So join us and bring your friends. We’ll gather in the vestry and work on a variety of projects that serve people locally and across the globe. Help put together health kits for United Methodist Committee on Relief, meals for the Salvation Army’s Grate Patrol or “bags of grace” for Friendship Place. Help design “care cards” for members of our church or help cook meals for our shelter residents. We’re open to other ideas. Continental breakfast and munchies will be provided. Let us know if there’s something else you’d like to do. Questions or comments? Contact Maura Porcelli at Maura.porcelli@gmail.com or Suzanne Vieth at msvieth@verizon.net.
Girls Rising, a film Girls Rising is a documentary that follows the stories of nine girls from nine countries and their struggles to claim their right to education, to self-determination and even the right to be free from bondage. At this time Girls Rising is in limited theatrical release; screenings are scheduled in our area at theatres in Silver Spring and Friendship Heights, to name a few. Later this spring the film is to be made available to local organizations to sponsor private screenings, and we will be exploring the possibility of having UMW sponsor such a screening in the future. In the meantime, we encourage UMW members to check out the film trailer and information on an upcoming local theatrical screening at http://10x10act.org/girl-rising/ . If you are interested in working to bring this film to UMW or have us partner with another local organization, contact Suzanne Vieth at msvieth@verizon.net.
The Clothesline Project March 23 on the National Mall My Sister’s Place, an organization that provides services to victims of domestic violence, is hosting The Clothesline Project on the Mall (between 14th Street and 12th Street). Survivors tell their stories of abuse, despair, hope, and empowerment by expressing their feelings and experiences of domestic violence through their own art on t-shirts. The shirts are hung on a clothesline. We need your help. Join us to break the silence, as a volunteer or a survivor willing to share your story on a shirt. Contact Jazmin Albarran, Outreach Coordinator, at jalbarran@mysistersplacedc.org or 202-529-5261 x313.
A Retreat to Remember This year’s UMW retreat earned lots of kudos from the three dozen participants. As always, the gathering was multi-generational, included representatives from Metropolitan and Wesley and offered fun and fellowship. What made this retreat particularly special was the headliner—Mary Elizabeth Marlow. She is not to be missed. (read the next Messenger to get the details.) Already some of us are clamoring for her return. Many thanks to the retreat organizers: Jeanie Mah, Mary Jo Marchant, Ann Michel and Barbara Tate.
“Cultivating Happiness” Sundays, March 10, 17, 24 7:00-8:30 PM Great Hall, Metropolitan This year’s Lenten series focuses on “Cultivating Happiness.” Senior Pastor Charlie Parker, and Drema McAllister-Wilson, Minister for Congregational Care, are leading this liturgy of healing and renewal, contemplation and communion. Our worship will illuminate practices for Cultivating Happiness within a supportive spiritual community. Contemplative silence invites us to experience the joy of God’s Being from the depth of our own. This service is for all who seek a deeper encounter with the Holy Spirit. Please join us for one or all of these evening celebrations. The collection at each service again will be donated to a UMW charity—this year, The Ballet Studio, Barbara Gaskill’s effort to bring ballet to underserved kids at Brightwood Elementary.
ISO Happy Helpers We need three to four UMW members to serve as greeters for each of the evening Lenten services. Our chapter is participating in the services in lieu of the UMW’s annual service of prayer and selfdenial. To volunteer—as an individual or a Circle—email Pam McFarland, pmcfarland01@verizon.net and specify which dates you can greet.
Contemplative Wednesdays and Meditation Monday During Lent 8:30 AM in the sanctuary Drema McAllister Wilson, Ann Cochran and Betty Rogers hold one-hour meditation groups to meet every Wednesday morning of Lent. On Monday, March 18, 7-9 pm, in the Great Hall, Sharon Salzberg (leading meditation teacher and co-founder Insight Meditation Society) offers a workshop on “How to Meditate.” AARP Meeting Monday, March 18 in the Vestry We’ll kick off our spring programs. Social time is at 12:30 p.m., and the meeting starts at 1:00. Refreshments will be served.
Jewelry Making Workshop
7pm, 2nd Wednesday of each month Christie Room Come string beads and create other baubles to sell at the UMW’s 2013 annual bazaar. Join us for a pre-Bazaar jewelry-making workshop. We’ll provide wire, clasps, etc. You provide the imagination as we rework some pieces that didn’t sell last year. Please bring pliers, as well. If you can take part in the workshop, which will follow the soup portion of the Soup and Study Hour, contact: Kelly D'Angelo (202) 210-2220.
Get Crafty Sunday, March 10, 12:30 The Great Hall Join Mary Townsend on March 10 to work on “care cards,” AND Artist Trading Cards (think baseball cards, only these are little works of art—created then traded). These trading cards are great project for artists of all ages and they’re all the rage. Questions, email Mary Townsend at maryleekt@gmail.com.
Joys & Concerns Eunice Mathews will turn 99 on April 29. Please send her birthday cards and good wishes as her big day approaches. Her home address is: 4978 Sentinel Drive #502, Bethesda. MD 20816.
UMW Circle Meetings Circle 2. Contacts: Charlotte Carter (char.carter@cox.net), Jane Cunningham JTC3rd@aol.com) Circle 3: Contact: Anne Bechdolt, abechdolt@msn.com or 317-331-6813. Circle 6: Meet Thursday, March 14 at 7PM in room 206. Rev. Barbara Green, Metropolitan's Director of Learning, will share her presentation in the series, "Cloud of Witnesses: Christian Writers." Barbara will talk about writer Madeleine L'Engle, addressing, "Imagination and the Journey of Faith". Questions, Contact: Mary Jo Marchant (703-435-1715 or mjmarchant@verizon.net or Ann Michel (202-885-8582 or amichel@wesleyseminary.edu. Circle 8: Meet Tuesday, March 5th at 7:30 pm in the parlor on. Kelly and Marilyn will share their experiences from the UMW retreat. with us. And remember, we are collecting travel size donations toiletries: toothpaste, soap, cosmetics, combs, etc. for a future project to help homeless women. Please leave donations on the pantry shelf near the ice machine until April 15th. Contact: Eugenia Evans, setevans@comcast.net Circle 9: Meet Wednesday, March 6 at 10:30 a.m. in the Choir Room. Anita Seline will speak to us about the Appalachian Service Project. Contact Bobby Turnbull, (301) 320-4154, bobbyturnbull@comcast.net Circle 10: Meet Sunday, March 17 (from 5-7 p.m.), to make three meals in the church kitchen. Volunteers needed to bring ingredients to make the sides: bread (corn bread, biscuits, etc.), salad (one fruit, one lettuce, one other?), desserts (anything), drinks for three nights, chili fixins (cheese, sour cream, crackers, rice?). Stay for the Lenten service afterwards. And remember, start reading: Anne Lamott’s new book, Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers. We’ll meet to discuss Monday, April 15 7:30 p.m. Contact: Caralee Adams caralee.adams@verizon.net