UMW Newsletter THE METROPOLITAN CHURCH
April 2017 Metropolitan Memorial, St. Luke’s & Wesley United Methodist Churches 202-363-4900 (MMUMC office) MetroUMW@gmail.com
Mark Your Calendar April
pg
1 Sa
Great Day of Service
2 Su
Lenten Contemplative Service (7pm, MMUMC Sanctuary)
5W
Blue Zones Ping Pong Table Launch (10:1511:30am, Vestry)
8 Sa
Epworth House Mission Project Committee Luncheon (11am-3pm, Holiday Inn, College Park)
3
10
May
pg
7 Su
Discussion series: Women in Bible (noon, Parlor)
15 M
First deadline for benevolent giving nominations
20 Sa
GWD Prayer Breakfast (9am-noon, TBA)
22 M
UMW Board Mtg (7:15pm, Parlor)
31 F – June 2
5
BW Annual Conference (DC Marriott)
July
9 Su
Palm Sunday
16 Su
Easter
19 W
Friendship Place LGBTQ Young Adults and Homelessness symposium (6-8pm, GWU)
11
24 M
AARP (12:30pm, Vestry)
11
24 M
UMW Board Mtg (7:15pm, Parlor)
Treasurer’s report on the origins of our endowment funds, p. 5-9
26 W
Newsletter items due
28 F
Caretakers of God’s Creation Conference (8am-9pm, Mt. Olivet UMC, Arlington)
Metropolitan’s new ping pong table and launch party, p. 10
11 T
12
28 F – 30 Su
Registration/refund deadline for Mission U Mission U (Bethesda Marriott)
11
Highlights Women & Leadership Discussion, p. 4
Symposium on LGBTQ and homelessness, p. 11 Caretakers of God’s Creation Conference, p. 12 Circles, p. 13
Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : April 2017
Page 1 of 13
UMW News
A Message from Our UMW President Dear UMW Sisters, The work of our Metropolitan-Wesley UMW unit continues to demonstrate the energy and commitment that women bring to our church community. Our Great Day of Service event will take place in just a couple of days. After a great breakfast prepared for us by Chef Anthony at the St. Luke’s Campus Kitchen, we will learn more about Educare, one of our major beneficiaries this year, before getting busy with the various service projects that Anita Seline and Ann Michael have lined up for us. And we’ll enjoy being with each other! In a cooperative venture with Foundry UMC, our Book Sale will benefit inmates of our nation's prisons. We invited representatives of Foundry's Books To Prison ministry to "glean" books that they could use, at the conclusion of the sale on Saturday, March 5. The B2P project specifies the kinds of books that may be sent to prisons, based on inmate requests, and prison rules. Christine Mathews and others from the Foundry B2P project gathered 7 boxes of books to send. And, because they receive donations that are not accepted by the prisons they donated nearly 15 boxes prior to the sale! Please give your attention to the upcoming programs being offered by our Circles. I’m sure you’ll find something of interest. New members are always welcome. I also want to call your attention to the UMW Reading program, which was highlighted in the last issue of our Newsletter. One of my former pastors gave credit to the UMW Reading and Study programs for nurturing the denomination to broader visions of discipleship and social justice. I plan to select reading from the program. I hope you will, too. Finally, I want to honor the work of our editor, Alex McPherron, who creates our wonderful Newsletter each month. She really helps all of us keep up to date on the activities of our UMW, and the events available to us in the Greater Washington District. Thanks also go to the members of our Executive Board, who all share responsibility of getting news items to Alex. We now approach the end of Lent, preparing to engage in the drama of Holy Week, and celebration of Easter and the Resurrection. I pray that you will know the Blessings of this joyous season. ~ Ellen Bachman
Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : April 2017
Page 2 of 13
UMW News Spring Great Day of Service Saturday, April 1, 8:30am to 1pm, St. Luke’s Service Day Collection Reminder: If you are attending our Service Day Saturday April 1, please bring us your discarded eyeglasses, which we are recycling with the Lions Club Recycle Sight program, and a package of feminine protection products -- pads preferred -- to give to the DC Diaper Bank's The Monthly project. Service Day will be held at St. Luke's Mission Center, starting at 8:30 am (for those of you who signed up for the breakfast head count). St. Luke's is located at 3655 Calvert Street, NW.
No Bazaar Donations 'Til June
Thank you to all of you well intentioned people who are leaving bazaar donations for the United Methodist Women. But please STOP. Bazaar donations may be dropped off in June. NOT EARLIER. The front of the UMW closet is now packed with stuff, creating extra work for the UMW before our sorting timeline. Please do NOT donate your items now. You may think that your one or two boxes are ok to leave but really, it adds up. Thank you very much.
Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet 1852–6 Ford Madox Brown Tate Britain, London
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/brown-jesus-washing-peters-feet-n01394 Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : April 2017
Page 3 of 13
UMW News Discussion Series: Women and Leadership Early Women’s Rights Movement Sunday, May 7, noon, Parlor On May 7, Circle Six will offer the third in a series of four on Women and Leadership. We will build on our discussion of Women of the Bible and Founding Mothers as we discuss the Early Women’s Rights Movement in America. We will look at the lives of some women who have made notable contributions and often had pivotal roles to change how women are seen in the world. Please join us as we learn about the work of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, one of the organizers of the Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Assembly and author of the first Women’s Bible; Francis Willard, head of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, an advocate for women’s suffrage, and a voice for women’s leadership within the Methodist Church;Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to graduate from medical school in the US in 1849; Rebecca Lee Crumpler, first African American female physician in the Unites States awarded her MD in 1864; Ellen Swallow Richards, who in 1873. shortly after MIT opened in 1865, became MIT’s first woman graduate, first woman instructor and later the first sanitary engineering laboratory in the US; and Susan B. Anthony, a social reformer and women’s rights activist who played a pivotal role in the women’s suffrage movement. Please join us for light refreshments and a lively discussion. The last topic in this series will be Women as Leaders on June 11. Left, Women's Suffrage Leaders Meet 1895. Susan B. Anthony (seated in center, wearing spectacles) and the Reverend Anna Howard Shaw (standing at the left with her hand on a chair) met with a group of Utah woman suffrage leaders, including Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon (standing farthest left) (Utah State Historical Society; https://archives.utah.gov/research/exhibits/Statehood/suffrage.htm). For more information contact circle leaders Mary Jo Marchant, mjmarchant@verizon.net or Ann Michel, amichel@wesleyseminary.edu.
Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : April 2017
Page 4 of 13
UMW News Treasurer’s Trove from Rita S. Guenther Year of Discernment You have no doubt heard by now that we have undertaken a discernment process in 2017 to determine how best to distribute the allowable portion of our endowment funds. Below, I have attempted to describe this process as clearly as possible. I invite your participation in this exciting opportunity to expand the good work of worthy organizations focused on improving the lives of women and children in our local and global communities. I apologize in advance for the length of this article, but I believe in transparency and in providing as much information as possible. I hope that the headings can help you skip ahead if you wish. As always, I welcome your suggestions and your questions! Where did our endowment funds originate? In 1992, Mr. Elmer B. Staats established a fund in memory of his wife, Ms. Margaret Rich Staats. This gift was sizable and allowed us to open a Foundation Fund, managed through Fulton Financial Advisors. At the time that the gift was made, Mr. Staats conveyed his intentions for the fund as follows: “The income from this fund will be to support programs, projects, and activities to be designed or undertaken in Margaret’s name, or sponsored by the Margaret Rich Staats Memorial Fund. While specific programs, projects and activities will be determined by the United Methodist Women (or any successor organization) at Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church, it is my desire that in general they support those which were close to Margaret’s interest in helping others and particularly children.” ~ Elmer B. Staats, June 10, 1992
Ms. Margaret Staats Subsequent to the gift of Mr. Staats, additional gifts were made to UMW, which were added to our Foundation Fund (sometimes referred to by current UMW members as the “Fulton Fund” after the fund management company). As far as my records and the memories of many of you indicate, two other generous UMW ladies contributed substantially to our fund, Ms. Rose Ribakoff and Ms. Alice Weaver. I received a photo of Ms. Ribakoff, and will continue to look for one of Ms. Weaver.
Memories of These Special Ladies One memory shared of Margaret by a current member noted that she was very involved with the AU Faculty Woman’s Club. Mr. Staats was on the AU Board of Trustees and was President of the Club; “She was very active in that group, plus in our UMW... (and) they were both very active church members.” Continued on pg. 6 Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : April 2017
Page 5 of 13
UMW News Continued from pg. 5
As a fun fact, the Parlor at Metropolitan Memorial is named after Margaret! So, next time you are in the room, you can remember her and her contributions to UMW and to our broader community. Rose was also a very active UMW member, and another member shared this memory of circle meetings held at her home: “I loved the very meaningful meetings at her home, and I especially loved her Pomeranian dog named ‘Pom’ whom she would put on top of her washing machine when the circle arrived at the house. And he would stay there!!” Another of our members recalled that Rose “was a very loyal member of Metropolitan Church and a particularly loyal member of our United Methodist Women’s unit. She was leader of the old Circle Six, which eventually merged with other circles. But our current Circle Six proudly carries on her legacy. Her affinity for the work of the United Methodist Women was deeply personal.” While I have not been able to verify the following recollections shared, I wanted to you have a sense of Rose even if not every detail of this memory proves to be accurate: “You may know people with Jewish roots whose surname is Ribakoff. Rose, in fact, was born to Jewish parents. But her mother died when she was a very young girl. Her father was unable to care for Rose and her siblings and so the children were put in the care of a Methodist Deaconess home. There, Rose learned the Methodist faith and developed a deep appreciation for the work of the deaconesses and other Methodist Women. Like other young people in her generation, she came to Washington to serve the government. Rose had a distinguished career in public service. At one point she was an assistant to Admiral Rickover, known as the father of the U.S. Navy’s nuclear program. Rose never married. Upon her death, she left a sizable bequest to United Methodist Women.” Their Legacies Live On: Their Investments in Today’s Financial Terms Presently, the total of our Fulton Fund averages $180,000 annually. That figure represents two shares: the Staats share (81% or approximately $145,800) and the UMW share (19% or approximately $34,200). The principal given by Mr. Staats cannot be spent; only the interest is available for allocation. The principal of the UMW share can be spent. Our UMW bilaws have determined that these combined funds will be managed by the Margaret Staats Memorial Committee. There are to be 5 women on the committee, plus the UMW president as “ex officio”. The 5 women are to include one member of the Staats family, the UMW treasurer, and at least one officer of the UMW. Current members of that committee are: Jeanie Mah (chair) Deborah Staats Sanders (Margaret’s daughter) Hilary Sanders Martha Mizroch Rita Guenther (UMW Treasurer) Ellen Bachman (UMW president – ex officio) Continued on pg. 7
Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : April 2017
Page 6 of 13
UMW News Continued from pg. 6
Each year, it has been our practice to determine how the portion allowable for allocation will be disbursed to worthy organizations. The exact amount allocated is determined based on the following formula: 5% of the value of the fund as a three year average. Please see our 2015 allocation as an example (courtesy of Mary Rollefson, former Treasurer): Fulton Financial – 2015 Withdrawal Date 9/1/2013 8/31/2014 9/1/2015 Total: Average: 5% of Average Staats Share (81%) UMW Share (19%) Total:
Amount $177,070 $187,356 $173,022 $537,488 $179,149 $8,957 $7,256 $1,702 $8,957
Therefore, in 2015, $8,957 was available for charitable giving. Why Spend Down our Allowable Funds? If we have a system already established, why rock the boat and worry about spending down the principal of the UMW share of the Fund? (Again, the Staats principal may NOT be spent). The mission of UMW 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.” With prayerful consideration, many in our unit feel that we should not be carrying over substantial funds in our accounts from year to year. In other words, some of our members felt that carrying over the principal of approximately $30,000 year after year, yielding approximately $1,700 in interest for charitable giving, would not be as beneficial to women and children in our local and global communities as making a one-time or planned series of more sizable gifts. Therefore, when the Finance Committee met in summer 2016, they voted to undertake a year of discernment to determine how best to spend down the UMW principal of the Fund. We defined a process for best doing this, allowing for a reasoned, considered approach that involved as many of us as possible in an open and transparent manner (see below). Most importantly, we wanted to communicate directly with you about this process, and involve as many of you as desired. This proposal - to spend the principal after a year of discernment - was then taken to the full UMW executive board, which voted to undertake a Year of Discernment in 2017. Over the course of the year, we hope to solicit your input, your nominations for worthy recipients of these funds, and your involvement in the process. Continued on pg. 8 Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : April 2017
Page 7 of 13
UMW News Continued from pg. 7
The Year of Discernment Process In December, I kicked off our year with a brief preview at our Recognition Luncheon, committing to share more through our Newsletter. Also, Anita Seline and Caralee Adams have been visiting circles in March, and will continue in April, to discuss this process and to answer any questions. We have established TWO deadlines for nominating worthy groups to receive funds from the UMW portion of our endowment: April 1 (now extended to May 15) and August 1. Please see the attached nomination form (simplified in format from our previous form), which can be emailed to me or left in the UMW box. In the May UMW newsletter, I will provide a listing of the nominations we have received thus far, and in mid-June, we will hold a special Finance Committee Meeting to discuss the initial list of nominees, and to identify UMW members who wish to serve as official reviewers of the nominations. Please note: ANY UMW member is welcome to attend the Finance Committee Meetings and to share your thoughts; Finance Committee Members will serve as voting members at the meeting if a vote is taken. After the second deadline for nominations (Aug. 1), I will share the full list of nominees in the UMW newsletter, and we will hold a second special Finance Committee Meeting to determine the final list of nominees and to initiate the review process. Again, all are welcome at the meeting, which I anticipate will be in September. We have established a review process, which I will outline in a subsequent newsletter (I am sure you’re tired of reading!). By November, we hope to have any outstanding issues resolved, and we plan to announce the recipients of these gifts at the December Recognition luncheon. How Can I Become Involved in this Process? If you are not completely exhausted by now, you must have exceptional stamina and be willing to be involved. There are several ways in which you can do so: 1. Share your feedback and thoughts with me or anyone on the UMW board. 2. Send me your memories and photos of Margaret, Rose, and Alice! I will include them in the next newsletter. 3. Nominate a worthy organization using the attached form. If you have already nominated a group(s) with the previous iteration of the form, that is just fine. No need to redo anything. 4. Attend a special Finance Committee meeting. All are welcome, although voting rights are reserved for official Finance Committee members (see me if you would like to know more). 5. Volunteer to be a reviewer of nominations; this process will begin in September. 6. Say a prayer for us as we seek to do God’s will on earth through these gifts in memory of such special ladies! Continued on pg. 9 Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : April 2017
Page 8 of 13
UMW News Continued from pg. 8
How Does this Process Differ from Our Annual Fundraising/Gift-Giving Activities? Finally, one question I receive often is how this process differs from the “regular� process of UMW gift giving. Good question! The primary difference is that the funds available from the UMW portion of our endowment may result in gifts that are larger or provided in set amounts over one or more years. The organizations selected may be deemed worthy of larger gifts as a part of this special giving cycle. Organizations nominated to receive gifts from our bazaar and alternative gift market have typically received smaller gifts and often are recipients multiple years in a row. Yes, the same organizations may be nominated for both giving cycles - the special, one-time only, larger gift from the endowment and regular, smaller gifts from the bazaar and alternative market. I have included the revised form for annual giving here as well. I hope the labels at the top of each form make this clearer.
If anyone is willing to keep reading (ha!), I will briefly outline the process for determining recipients of giving for our annual fundraising in a subsequent newsletter article. THANK YOU for your patience with the length of this article, thank you for your interest, and thank you for your care and concern for the women and children of our world! I look forward to serving with you throughout this Year of Discernment and beyond! ~ Rita S. Guenther, Treasurer
Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : April 2017
Page 9 of 13
Metropolitan & Community News Ping Pong Table Launch As part of Blue Zones Meeting Come Play! Wednesday, April 5, 10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., Vestry (Note: The Total Body Workout exercise group will move to the Great Hall for April 5 only) Launch of Ping Pong Table. Metropolitan has received a ping pong table, thanks to Penny Pagano’s ListServe connections, and it will be “launched” on Wednesday, April 5, at 10:15 a.m. in the Vestry. The launch will be part of the April Blue Zones meeting. Blue Zones are areas of the world in which researchers have found large groups of inhabitants living, and thriving, at ages greater than 100. One of the characteristics of these long-living people is “moving naturally”—for example, dancing, and walking, gardening, and playing sports. At the meeting, Doug Wonderlic, a Tenleytown resident, will describe his own happy journey learning to play ping pong, and give pointers on winning a game. Come and play ping pong yourself , try some games and exercises that boost your hand-eye coordination, and vie for a free ping pong lesson from the 2016 US Women’s champion (senior category) at the local table tennis center. And, as always, there'll be a tasty snack modeled after the plant-slant style of the Blue Zones people. Contact Pat Simpich at pat.simpich@verizon.net or Emily Best at mybeste17@comcast.net
Stations of the Cross Art Exhibition Through April 13, 2017, various locations around DC http://www.coexisthouse.org.uk/stations-2017.html The General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church invites you to a Lenten journey around Washington, D.C. From March 1 - April 13, 2017, the United Methodist Building on Capitol Hill will be host to one of 14 pieces of the Stations of the Cross art exhibition across the city. For map and more information, see http://www.coexisthouse.org.uk/stations-2017.html Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : April 2017
Page 10 of 13
Metropolitan & Community News
Spring Symposium: LGBTQ Young Adults and Homelessness Wednesday, April 19, 2017, 6pm – 8pm George Washington University Jack Morton Auditorium 805 21st St NW, Washington, DC Tickets: Free! This year’s discussion will center around the issue of homelessness among LGBTQ Young adults (17-24) and what organizations like Friendship Place can do to ensure those individuals have a place to call home. Panelists: TBA For more information, contact Zachary Tobler at ztobler@friendshipplace.org https://friendshipplace.org/listofevents/
AARP Meeting Monday, April 24, 12:30pm, Vestry
Save the Date ! Friday, July 28 - Sunday, July 30, 2017 Bethesda Marriott, 5151 Pooks Hill Rd, Bethesda, MD
Please join us on Monday, April 24 in the Vestry. Sandy Clunies will present a program on Washington, DC: Some Lesser Known Histories and Mysteries. Social time is at 12:30 p.m., and the meeting starts at 1:00. Refreshments will be served. Contact Bobby Turnbull, bobbyturnbull@comcast.net
Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : April 2017
Page 11 of 13
Metropolitan & Community News Caretakers of God's Creation Conference Friday, April 28, 2017, 8am-9pm Location: Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church, Arlington, Virginia 1500 North Glebe Rd. Arlington, VA 22207 (near Ballston Metro)
Dear Sisters, At last year’s Mission U in Bethesda, Barbara Tate, Helene Lilly and I attended the study session on Climate Justice, a topic that is as close to us as the air we breathe and the water we drink, and one that requires far more than 2 days to fathom! One of our instructors, Mike Koob, e-mailed us about the upcoming Caretakers of God's Creation Conference (below). Our own church is planning to have a delegation in the National Climate Justice March, so if you’d like to join, contact a member of the Metropolitan Creation Care team (formerly The Green Team). In Peace, Jeanie Mah
Caretakers of God's Creation - umccreationcare.org A community of United Methodists committed to the care of God's creation. The 10th Annual National United Methodist Caretakers of God's Creation Conference will take place in the DC suburbs this year, so that attendees can participate in the National Climate Justice March on The National Mall April 29. The Caretakers Conference runs from 8 am to 9 pm on Friday April 28th and includes inspiring worship, great keynote speakers and workshops to help you in your work on climate justice and developing greener churches. Cost for conference including lunch, dinner & tshirt is $75. For more information and registration go to: https://www.umccreationcare.org/events. Please note: Mt. Olivet UMC cannot accommodate parking for this event, so please plan on taking the Metro to Ballston and walking or bussing from there. See more transport details at the website above.
Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : April 2017
Page 12 of 13
Circles
AU
The AU UMW Circle meets Fridays at 7:00 p.m. in the "AU Lounge" at Metropolitan. Contact Tori Lynn Gilkeson at VP@aumethodists.org
1
Janet Burkhart and Helene Lilly would like to invite you to Tea at the Kenmore on Saturday, April 1, 2017 at 4:00 pm. The address is 5415 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Apartment 815. We would like to share information about the United Methodist Women's Book program, discuss hosting a Tea this year and other topics that you feel are pertinent to our ministry. Contact Helene Lilly at j718hel@aol.com.
2
Circle 2 will be meeting at 1:00 on Wed. the 12th at Strathmore for tea. Cost is $24 per person, payment should be sent ahead of time to Charlotte Carter. Contact Charlotte Carter, char.carter@cox.net
6
On May 7, Circle Six will offer the third in a series of four on Women and Leadership. We will build on our discussion of Women of the Bible and Founding Mothers as we discuss the Early Women’s Rights Movement in America (see page 4 for more information). Questions or suggestions, Mary Jo Marchant, mjmarchant@verizon.net or Ann Michel, amichel@wesleyseminary.edu.
8
We will meet at 7:30pm in the Parlor on April 8. David Sproul will be giving us a very informal and compact behind-the-scenes look at the audio visual & sound system at Metropolitan. Please call Kelly with questions or concerns at kellysclothes@aol.com.
9
Circle 9 will meet on Wednesday, April 5 at 10:30 a.m. in the Choir Room. We will discuss books from the UMW Reading Program and will have the Pledge to Mission service. Please contact Bobby Turnbull, bobbyturnbull@comcast.net.
10
Contact Caralee Adams caralee.adams@verizon.net or Suzanne Vieth msvieth@verizon.net
Next UMW Board Meeting Monday, April 24, 2017 Newsletter prepared by Alexandra McPherron. To add items to the next newsletter, email alexmcph@gmail.com by Thursday, April 27, 2017.
Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : April 2017
Page 13 of 13