Theologian celebrates women"s 'audacity of faith'

By DENISE JOHNSON STOVALL Special Contributor    A theologian recently preaching at St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church in Dallas picked up on President Barack Obama’s “audacity of hope” theme. The Rev. Stacey Floyd-Thomas said women named and unnamed throughout the Bible, as well as African-American foremothers, had “the audacity of faith.”   Dr. Floyd-Thomas, associate professor of ethics and society at Vanderbilt...

District UMW celebrates the old and the new

BY JOE DAN BOYD Special Correspondent It was about growth, geography, good intentions, the Good Shepherd and a good ol’ girl turned local pastor at 67 who shifted worship into a love feast for a district meeting of United Methodist Women at First UMC Quinlan. This district meeting was, in no small degree, also about the old and the new.    “Welcome to the final meeting of the ‘old’ Paris-Sulphur Springs District UMW,” said District President Nell...

Women's mission is nourishing hungry children

Every day during the summer break, Veronica Farbes fed over 4,500 low income church through her ministry based at Trinity UMC in uncanville. Armed with prayer and a USDA feeding contract, Ms. Farbes and her organization, Trutyme Enrichment program, established 45 feeding sites across the Dallas metroplex. “When kids come from low income households, the money is not always there for food. We make sure the kids are fed. I help as many as I can,” she said. “Trinity UMC is my...

Mission studies remind Methodists to share the love of God

BY DENISE JOHNSON STOVALL Special Correspondent It was Christmas in July for North Texas Conference members who attended the 38th Annual Weekend Cooperative Mission Event and the School of Christian Mission. The Mission Event is co-sponsored by United Methodist Women and the NTC Committee on Global Ministries. The School of Christian Mission, or SOCM, is sponsored by the NTC United Methodist Women. The national theme was Faith, Hope, Love in Action. What made the mission programs seem...

NTC Mission Schools Promote 'Faith, Hope, Love In Action'

BY DENISE JOHNSON STOVALL Special Correspondent That’s the theme of the 38th Annual Weekend Cooperative Mission Event and School of Christian Mission (SOCM). The Weekend Cooperative Mission Event is co-sponsored by United Methodist Women and the NTC Committee on Global Ministries, July 23–25 at Austin College, Sherman. The SOCM is July 26–29, 2010 at First UMC, Plano. If you think attending mission schools is just for United Methodist Women, you’re wrong! Every year...

UMW said "Cleaning Church Floors was My Way to Serve"

BY DENISE JOHNSON STOVALL Special Contributor United Methodist Woman Becky Kegans from First UMC, Leonard, traveled hundreds of miles to attend the 2010 Assembly in St. Louis held April 30–May 2, The highlight of her visit was the pre-Assembly Ubuntu experience on April 29. What was her assignment? She was asked to clean the stairs of Centenary United Methodist Church. “We started at the top of the staircase [the balcony level] and worked down to the basement level of the...

Sandra Wilson Wickberg becomes GBGM deaconess

By Denise Johnson Stovall Special Correspondent “My reward is that I may serve,” said Sandra Wilson Wickberg, of the North Texas Annual Conference when becoming a General Board of Global Ministries deaconess. A dozen women and one man repeated those words in unison after being commissioned by global ministries officers and mission board staff. The charge to respond to the needs of the world as deaconesses or home missioners of the United Methodist Church was made at Centenary...

UMW sends 72 to Quadrennial Assembly in St. Louis

By Denise Johnson Stovall Special Correspondent   A joyful celebration of “servants in mission” was witnessed by 74 United Methodist Women of the North Texas Annual Conference during Assembly 2010 at the St.Louis America’s Center on April 30-May 2, with pre-Assembly events April 29.  A total of 6,500 women from around the globe came together under the theme, “Faith, Hope and Love—in Action.” The scripture reference was Colossians...

NTC United Methodist Women annual meeting

BY DENISE JOHNSON STOVALL Special Correspondent Have you noticed that everywhere you turn, there’s a reminder you’re getting old? North Texas Conference United Methodist Women (NTC UMW) say they have a solution to that problem– visit the Wesley Village Senior Living Community in Denison. No matter your age, you will probably find someone at Wesley Village older than you. “What a better way to volunteer than to spend some time at a retirement home,” says Karen...

NTC is 'Reminded of Mission' at Annual 'School' and 'Event'

North Texas United Methodists were “reminded of “keeping their commitment to mission” during 37th Annual School of Christian Mission and Weekend Mission Event. Under the national theme of “Together at the Table,” the NTC School of Christian Mission, sponsored by UMW, was held July 20-23 at First UMC, Plano. A Weekend Cooperative Mission Event, co-sponsored by UMW and the NTC Committee on Global Ministries, was held July 31-Aug. 2 at Austin College,...

Community UMC, Dallas, celebrates Woman's Day

BY DENISE JOHNSON STOVALL Special Correspondent A celebration of “such a cloud of witnesses” as United Methodist Women was held during the First Annual Women’s Day of Community UMC,. The theme for the event held June 12-14, was, “Who’s at the Table?” The Rev. Jackye Waiters-Lee, Community UMC senior pastor, explained the Women’s Day theme. “[It] is an opportunity for each of us to reflect and ask questions such as ‘Where do I sit at the...

'Table' focus set for 2009 Schools of Christian Mission

BY DENISE JOHNSON STOVALL Special Correspondent “Together at the Table” is the theme for 2009 Schools of Christian Mission. Sponsored by United Methodist Women, the NTC Weekday School will be July 20-23, at First UMC, Plano, The Weekend Cooperative Mission Event, co-sponsored by UMW and NTC Committee on Global Ministries, will be held July 31-Aug. 2, at Austin College, Sherman. Every year more than 20,000 people: children, youth, women, men, clergy, laity, United Methodist and...

Tri-District Conference moves to action

BY JOHN A. LOVELACE Special Correspondent When empty cereal boxes and [clean] pork and bean cans get converted into offering plates, you’d figure United Methodist Women (UMW) must be involved. You’d be right. At a half-day tri-district UMW gathering April 18, women from Dallas-Denton, Dallas South and Dallas Northeast districts dropped more than $1,400 into those unique offering receptacles as part of a call to move “From Stories to Action.” The cash...

Activities show new church moving boldly into future

 Compiled from material provided by Brenda Thomas, Community UMC, Dallas  Community UMC is making its presence known in the Dallas South District and the North Texas Conference. The new congregation formed by the merger of Lambuth and Crest- Moore-King UMCs, started out strong with a host of activities that witness to the new life of the church, which has its focus on a “brand new future,” to quote Rev. Zan Holmes, pastor emeritus of St. Luke “Community”...

UMW Tri-District event sets focus on Sudan 'Lost Girls'

The North Texas Conference United Methodist Women will focus on “From Stories to Action: Mobilizing the Church to Genocide in Darfur, Sudan,” at an April 18 meeting from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at The Great Hall at Highland Park UMC, Dallas. The women from the Dallas-Denton, Dallas Northeast and Dallas South Districts are presenting the program in partnership with The General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) of the UMC. Speakers for the morning will be Dr. Bill Mefford, GBCS...

NTC joins 142-city immigration prayer vigil

BY DENISE JOHNSON STOVALL Special Correspondent Prayer, Renewal and Action on Immigration was the theme of a Feb. 15 interfaith prayer vigil sponsored by NTC United Methodist Women (UMW). Eighty persons representing at least 10 countries besides the U.S. attended the vigil at Munger Place UMC, Dallas. The event was part of a national effort supported by the General Board of Church and Society in Washington, D.C. According to Patricia Kupfer, publicty coordinator for America’s ...

Dallas-Denton UMW schedules training

The Dallas-Denton United Methodist Women (UMW) will hold a leadership development event, “Who’s at the Table?” Jan. 10 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Schreiber Memorial UMC, Dallas. Officer training will follow from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. All Dallas-Denton UMW units are urged to send representatives to the training event. Program resources will be available, and the event will also feature a potluck luncheon. Participants are asked to bring a main dish, salad or soup for three to...

UMW members challenged to say ‘yes’ to mission

By Denise Johnson Stovall Special Correspondent “Called by God, Called by Name,” was the theme of the 35th annual meeting of the North Texas Conference United Methodist Women (NTC UMW). At least 257 persons converged for the Oct. 11 gathering at First UMC, McKinney. Rev. Tommy Brumett, pastor of First UMC, McKinney, and Rev. Clara Reed, superintendent, Sherman-McKinney District, welcomed participants. Dr. Reed commended the women for taking up the “cause of freedom, cause...

Dallas-Denton UMW offer 'Living the Sacred' event

The Dallas Denton UMW will present “Living the Sacred, A Morning Apart” on Nov. 1 at Christ UMC, Farmers Branch. The interactive experience will encourage women to explore seven different forms of prayer as a means of growing closer to God, discovering that which is sacred in our midst, hearing the biblical call to reach out in compassion to others and to respond through simple action opportunities. Participants may make prayer cords, using three beads and knots, to be used as...

Mission studies stress 'Living the Sacred'

 BY DENISE JOHNSON STOVALL Special Correspondent "Worship - Learning – Fellowship. A little controversy but all about mission." Those were the words of participants describing the 36th Annual North Texas Conference United Methodist Women (UMW) School of Christian Mission (SOCM) and the Weekend Cooperative Mission Event. Under the 2008 national theme, "Living the Sacred," weekday mission education courses were held at First UMC, Plano, July 28-31. A weekend...