October 2015

UMW Newsletter THE METROPOLITAN CHURCH

October 2015 Metropolitan Memorial, St. Luke’s & Wesley United Methodist Churches 202-363-4900 (MMUMC office) MetroUMW@gmail.com

Mark Your Calendar October

pg

12 M

UMW Board Mtg (7-8:30pm, Conference Rm)

17 Sa

GWD UMW Annual Meeting (Simpson Hamline UMC, WDC)

December

pg

5 Sa

GWD UMW local officers training (Hughes Mem. UMC, WDC)

6 Su

UMW Recognition Sunday & dedication of new officers

19 M

AARP Meeting (noon, Vestry)

3

14 M

UMW Board Mtg (7-8:30pm, Conference Rm)

28 W

Jewelry Group (7-9pm, Christie Rm)

3

16 W

Jewelry Group (7-9pm, Christie Rm)

31 Su

Benevolent Giving nominations due

2

24 Th

Christmas Eve

31 Su

End of Red Tent Project collection

3

25 F

Christmas

November 1 Su

Bazaar Jewelry Presale

7 Sa

UMW Bazaar (8-3pm, Vestry)

9M

UMW Board Mtg (7-8:30pm, Conference Rm)

18 W

Jewelry Group (7-9pm, Christie Rm)

3

 Red Tent Project donations in Oct, p.3

22-24

UN Seminar (NYC)

5

 BAZAAR coming up! p.4

4

 UMW Pledge to Mission, p.2  Benevolent giving nominations, p. 2

Su-T 26 Th

Highlights

 2016 UMW Reading Program, p. 6 Thanksgiving

Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : October 2015

 UMW Sunday photos, Appendix

Page 1 of 9

3

UMW News

Reflections I slept and dreamt that life was joy.

I awoke and saw that life was service.

I acted and behold, service was joy. ~Rabindranath Tagore Nobel Prize, Literature, 1913

It’s “Pledge to Mission” time!

The nickels are rolling in! If you have not yet had a chance to submit your Mission offering for 2015, please send it to: UMW 3401 Nebraska Ave., NW Washington, DC 20016

Checks should be “UMW”.

made

Benevolent Giving Nominations Due Saturday, October 31 As we look toward Bazaar -- our biggest fundraiser -- on Nov. 7, and wrapping up our fiscal year on Dec. 31, it’s time for our finance team to start the discernment process of how we should distribute the funds we have set aside for “local” benevolent giving. If you feel moved to nominate an organization as a recipient of 2015 funds, please complete the attached Nominations form by Saturday, st October 31 .

out to

We have pledged over $6,000 to support national and international UMW Missions and have budgeted at least that amount for “local” benevolent giving, which will be designated by our unit (see “Benevolent Giving Nominations”). As always, thank you for your faithfulness and support.

Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : October 2015

You may also download the form from the UMW homepage.

Go to www.nationalchurch.org; select Serving; then select United Methodist Women.

Page 2 of 9

UMW News

Jewelry-Making Group

AARP Meeting

Next meeting Oct 28 at 7pm (Other 2015 dates: November 18 and December 16)

Monday, October 19, 1pm

Please join us on Monday, October 19 in the Vestry.

Social time is at 12:30 p.m., and the meeting starts at 1:00.

Refreshments will be served.

The Jewelry-Making Group meets in the Christie Room once a month at 7pm during Food for Thought classes after the 6pm Community Dinner.

We go over the unsold pieces of jewelry from the la Bazaar, revamp them, and get them ready for the next Bazaar. For questions, contact Kathy Portus.

Donations Needed for The Red Tent Project Excerpted from the National Church blog by Anita Seline “Known euphemistically as "feminine protection products," pads and tampons are a basic necessity of women though not discussed in polite conversation.

Nevertheless, when the United Methodist Women heard of a particular need at a program that Metropolitan supports, they took up the cause.

Organizers of a free meal program at Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church in NE DC recently discovered that the homeless and poor women eating at the twice-weekly program were reusing their feminine protection, as the clients lacked money to buy their own adequate monthly supply. Mt. Vernon contacted Metropolitan, which provides the free meals to Mt. Vernon through the Campus Kitchen program, and asked if the church could offer any help. Metropolitan then turned to the UMW. And so The Red Tent Project was born.

The title of the 1997 book by Anita Diamant, The Red Tent, refers to Old Testament times in which the women of the tribe of Jacob retreated to a red tent during their menstrual cycle where they found the support of sisters, mothers, and friends.�

The UMW will be collecting pads and tampons through the end of October. If you would like to support The Red Tent Project, please find collection spots at Wesley UMC and at Metropolitan or contact UMW member Anita Seline amseline@aol.com

Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : October 2015

Page 3 of 9

UMW News UMW Bazaar Coming Up Soon!!!!!

Saturday, November 7, 2015, 8am - 3pm, Vestry Our major fundraising event of the year will be upon us before you know it. There will be lots to share as we get even closer to the November 7 UMW Bazaar but for now, briefly, here are some things in the immediate "need to know" and "reminders" categories: Sorting of Donated Items  Ongoing. Every Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to noon in the Parlor. Simply drop by --- all hands are welcome!

Can't come on Tuesdays? There are things we need others to help with:  Looking for someone take a bag full of miscellaneous donated cameras off my hands and look them up on http://usedcamerabuyer.com/ to see what they might be going for on the open market. We'll price them under whatever that is, but we don't (for instance) want to give away a collector-item-type camera for $5. The site was suggested to us as a good strategy by a former camera shop owner. Yes, we do want to sell them at the bazaar rather than sell them online or to a dealer (if a dealer would even want the cameras). It's always good to have something interesting like this as a "draw."  Know anything about old dolls or know anyone else who knows about old and/or collectible dolls? We have tons of them (some which were clearly meant to be played with and some which are more of the collectible type, ethnic and otherwise). We've done a general internet search but came up with not much useful. Can you take on the task of finding us someone to take a look at the dolls? Again, as with the cameras above, these will be a good "draw" to the bazaar. What we need is a knowledgeable person to help identify approximately how old some of the dolls might be and what general kind of value they might have. Are most of them merely old and mostly "junk" or should we be touting their uniqueness? That sort of thing.  Call or email bazaar coordinator Barbara Gaskill if you can take on one of the above.

Thanks! (FYI, I'm holding the cameras and dolls at my home since the UMW closet is so full that it would be difficult to get our hands on them easily.) BETQGaskill@gmail.com Jewelry --Jewelry donations are way down this year thus far. If you're thinking of donating jewelry, please get it in right away. Deliver jewelry donations to the church office -- thanks. Questions? Email Alison at adaifuku@verizon.net Boutique-quality clothing -- Save these things and bring them in during bazaar week. We lack appropriate space to keep them between now and then. Accessories (belts, hats, scarves, purses and the like) may be dropped off near the UMW closet. But not clothing. Thanks!

Books -- children's books only Big stuff -- No furniture or similar large items (including infant and toddler equipment).

Hope to see all of our members at UMW Sunday next week (September 27)!

-- Barbara Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : October 2015

Page 4 of 9

UMW News Blanche Powell Memorial United Nations Seminar Sunday, November 22 – Tuesday, November 24 Register by October 3 (early bird) or October 24 (regular rate) Mark your calendars and join with United Methodist Women from across the BaltimoreWashington Conference for the annual Blanche Powell Memorial United Nations Seminar.

When: Sun. Nov. 22 - Tue. Nov. 24.

Where: Millennium UN Plaza Hotel, 1 United Nations Plaza, NY, NY. Early bird reduced-rate registrations due by Oct. 3rd Regular registrations due by Oct. 24th In addition to the UN seminar, attractions will include a tour of the United Nations building and Radio Music Hall's 2015 Christmas Show or a Broadway matinee.

You may now download the registration flyer from our UMW homepage! Go to www.nationalchurch.org; select Serving; then select United Methodist Women. To request a hard copy, contact Jeanie Mah at MetroUMW@gmail.com.

United Methodist Women is excited to announce response digital!

Your favorite magazine now has a digital companion. response magazine is the official magazine of United Methodist Women. In addition to our 48-page glossy print magazine, we are excited to begin offering response in digital format as well!

The e-version of response lets you read stories on your e-reader, tablet, phone or computer, for convenience, mobility and accessibility—take response with you wherever you go.

To celebrate, we’re offering the September 2015 digital issue for free.

The free issue is available at www.unitedmethodistwomen.org/response.

Beginning October 2015 you’ll also be able to subscribe to response digital for 15 percent off the print price! Individual digital issues will also be available for purchase.

Already a print subscriber? All print subscribers will receive a free digital subscription as well! Now is a great time to subscribe or buy a gift subscription to response.

Check the website for more information, and for now, enjoy your free issue of response digital!

Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : October 2015

Page 5 of 9

UMW News

UMW Reading Program Do you know about the UMW Reading Program? The UMW Reading Program is a great way to commit to learning through reading in 2016. To participate in Reading Program Plan I, read one book from each of the five categories listed below and take a look at Response magazine regularly. In Reading Program Plans II, III, and IV, read at least two, three or four books, respectively, from each category as well as Response and New World Outlook magazines. The books listed below are in our church library as are both magazines.

Response is now available online as well. A complete list of choices for the Reading Program can be found online at http://www.nationalchurch.org/Serving/United_Methodist_Women or e-mail Connie Sommers at sommersc@gmail.com. If you don’t want to commit to a Reading Program, please consider reading one of the books listed below. Happy reading!

If you participate in the program, please report the names of the books you read and their categories to Connie Sommers, sommersc@gmail.com, no later than August 15, 2016.

Those who complete a Reading Program Plan will be recognized at a District meeting in the fall of 2016.

SPIRITUAL GROWTH - On God's Side – What Religion Forgets and Politics Hasn't Learned about Serving the Common Good by Jim Wallis LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT – The Weight of Mercy – A Novice Pastor on the City Streets

by Deb Richardson-Moore SOCIAL ACTION - Just Mercy – A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson EDUCATION FOR MISSION - Twenty-Two Cents – Muhammad Yunus and the Village Bank by Paula Yoo and Jamel Akib NURTURING FOR COMMUNITY– I Love Growing Older but I’ll Never Grow Old by J. Ellsworth Kalas

Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : October 2015

Page 6 of 9

UMW News

News from the DC Diaper Bank It’s been five months since our UMW volunteers rolled thousands of diapers at the DC Diaper Bank as part of our 2015 Great Day of Service and almost a year since our diaper drive last December. The DC Diaper Bank continues to thrive and expand with a brand new film and an expanded partnership with Bright Beginnings (sound familiar?). What inspirational company we keep‌

DC Diaper Bank: THE FILM We are beyond happy to share the film that Stone Soup Films created for us - DC Diaper Bank: THE FILM! Meet the some of our incredible families, babies, social workers, and volunteers - please take a look and share widely. The 7 minute film may be viewed at: http://www.dcdiaperbank.org/our-stone-soup-film/.

Welcome CentroNia, Jubilee Jumpstart & Bright Beginnings!

Time to update the map! In May we welcomed three new partners into the DCDB family - CentroNia, Jubilee Jumpstart, and we expanded our partnership with Bright Beginnings to support their new Home Visit program. These three groups will use diapers as part of the ongoing services to families with young children on site and though home visiting programs.

Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : October 2015

Page 7 of 9

Circles UMW Sunday Thanks to all who participated in the annual UMW worship services on Sunday morning, September 27. Our afternoon program was also a great success with presentations from staff of one of our favorite charities, Bright Beginnings. We had ~80 guests and had to add extra tables! Thank you to Circles 2 & 10 for hosting a wonderful luncheon and to Charlotte Carter of Circle 2 for donating the beautiful centerpiece flowers. See the Appendix for photos.

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

Contact Helene Lilly at j718hel@aol.com.

2

Contact Jane Cunningham, jtc3rd@aol.com or Charlotte Carter, char.carter@cox.net

6

Circle 6 will work at the lunch counter for the Bazaar on November 7. Questions or suggestions, Mary Jo Marchant, mjmarchant@verizon.net or Ann Michel, amichel@wesleyseminary.edu

8

Circle 8 will meet October 6th at 7:30 in the Parlor. For our program Jeannie Mah will talk to us about Mission U which she attended this summer. Everyone is welcome. Contact Eugenia Evans, setevens@comcast.net

9

Circle 9 will meet on Wednesday, October 7 at 10:30 a.m. in the Choir Room. Drema McAllister-Wilson will tell us about her hike across England this past summer. Please contact Bobby Turnbull bobbyturnbull@comcast.net

10

Contact Caralee Adams caralee.adams@verizon.net or Suzanne Vieth msvieth@verizon.net

The next UMW Board Meeting will be held October 12.

Newsletter prepared by Alexandra McPherron. To add items to the next newsletter, email alexmcph@gmail.com by Thursday, November 5, 2015.

Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : October 2015

Page 8 of 9

Appendix

UMW Sunday, September 27, 2015

Photos courtesy of Jeanie Mah

A full house of ~80 guests for UMW Sunday luncheon Metropolitan UMW Newsletter : October 2015

Page 9 of 9