United Women in Faith

Our Purpose

We are a community of women whose purpose is to know God and 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.

Mission

United Women in Faith seeks to connect and nurture women through Christian spiritual formation, leadership development, creative fellowship, and education so that they can inspire, influence, and impact local and global communities.

Vision

Turning faith, hope, and love into action on behalf of women, children, and youth around the world.

The Future is You!

Jeremiah 29:11 – ^“ For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.”

Dear United Women in Faith Sisters,

Our Conference Leadership Training Event and Annual Celebration will be held on October 20-21. The women of the Montavilla United Methodist Church in northeast Portland have graciously agreed to host this event.  This year the theme is “The Future is You.”  All are invited to attend this event.

On Friday, we will officially begin with lunch as we celebrate the opportunity to gather together in person. For those arriving early, there are Ubuntu service opportunities planned for the morning.   

The focus of the Friday afternoon programming will be leadership training. We will be specifically looking at the variety of paths that United Women in Faith provides for us to put our love into action.   We will learn how we can Inspire, Influence, and Impact our world, beginning with ourselves in our local units, and then reaching out into our communities and the world.  You will be amazed at the ways that God is calling United Women in Faith put faith, hope, and love into action on behalf of women, children and youth throughout the world. The day will culminate with dinner and an evening of celebrating.

The Annual Celebration is on Saturday, which will be a hybrid event.  It will include worship, a short business meeting, installation of officers, and a very meaningful Care-for-Creation program with a Social Action emphasis on Just Energy 4 All. This program will be viewed through the lens of the prophet Micah’s question, “What does the Lord require of us?” The gathering in the morning will explore what it means to “walk humbly” while advocating Just Energy 4 All with marginalized communities. In the afternoon the distinction between “mercy” and “justice” will be examined. 

The team has intentionally designed the programming of this two-day event to be meaningful for all women.  Please plan to attend as much of the time as you can.  There is joy and power in coming together to worship, learn and build community.  You will find more information and a registration form below this article. 

See you in October!

Blessings,

Chris Mitchell

oridumwpres@gmail.com

United Women in Faith Oregon-Idaho Conference

Leadership Workshop, Annual Celebration and Meeting

"Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing for joy." – Psalm 98:8

October 20 and 21, 2023

Montavilla United Methodist Church

232 SE 80th Avenue, Portland, OR, 97215

Both days are for everyone!

Friday - In person only

"For surely I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

United Women in Faith Oregon-Idaho Conference

Leadership Workshop and Annual Meeting

"Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing for joy." – Psalm 98:8

October 20 and 21, 2023

Montavilla United Methodist Church

232 SE 80th Avenue, Portland, OR, 97215

Registration - $20 in person; $10 Zoom

October 20 and 21, will be days brimming with Faith in Action as we gather for the Oregon-Idaho Conference Annual Celebration and District Leadership Training Event.

Using the theme Go and do likewise, Friday begins with several options for Ubuntu service projects include working in the gardens at the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) or removing litter from the streets in the host church’s neighborhood. Additional community service opportunities that will allow for various levels of mobility and later arrival times are being arranged.

Friday afternoon we will consider Jeremiah 29:11"For surely I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." In the afternoon’s all-member leadership workshop, The Future is You, we will explore together ways we can grow and prosper as we Inspire, Influence and Impact women.

Saturday’s Care-for-Creation program has a Social Action emphasis with the banner theme being, “Let the Rivers Clap Their Hands, Let the Mountains Sing for Joy” (Psalm 98:8) The program’s theme is viewed through the lens of the prophet Micah’s question, “What does the Lord require of us?” Reversing the order of the prophet’s answer, “To do justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God,” while advocating Just Energy 4 All with marginalized communities. In the afternoon the distinction between “mercy” and “justice” will be examined. Presenters for both morning and afternoon and will be announced soon.

Of course we will also conduct the business of Oregon-Idaho United Women in Faith. Watch for items to be voted on in the upcoming Our Two Cents conference newsletter.

Don’t wait – register now at:  https://forms.gle/8W6ZfPv2iJpyijDZ8

Questions - contact Gayle Woods - gaylewoods5964@msn.com or Chris Mitchell - oridumwpres@gmail.com

Friday Schedule - In-person only

9:00 – Registration opens

10-11:30 am- Go and Do Likewise Ubuntu projects

12-12:45 pm - Lunch

1-4:00 pm - The Future is You! All-Member Leadership workshop - Explore ways we can grow and prosper as we Inspire, Influence and Impact women.

4:15-5:15 pm - Meet by district. Share successes and concerns

5:30 – Dinner and time to gather to have fun together!

Saturday: VIRTUAL and In-Person Options

“What does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8b

Annual Celebration, Meeting, Program on Just Energy for All

8:45 - In-Person registration and breakfast

9:30 - Begin meeting

10:15 - Guest presenterJona Davis, the Interim Executive Director of the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods in Portland and Chair of the Portland Branch NAACP Environmental Justice Committee.

              Business meeting                                                            

12:00 - Lunch

1:30 - Guest presenter - to be announced

2:30 - Business meeting and Installation of Officers

REGISTER HERE

$20 In-person    $10 Virtual

Questions - contact Gayle Woods - gaylewoods5964@msn.com or Chris Mitchell - oridumwpres@gmail.com

Soul Care Retreat

Oregon-Idaho United Women in Faith

If laughter truly is "good for the soul," then the souls of the 36 women who participated in the first (soon to be annual) Soul Care Retreat should be in excellent shape.  What a weekend of renewing old friendships, seeing bodies instead of just faces in a square on a computer, meeting new women, eating, laughing, praying, walking, crafting, eating, enjoying nature, playing games, eating . . .

Here is a taste of what you missed.

Gertrude Boyd Crane Scholarship Awarded!

News Release:

Susan C. Johnson of Juneau, Alaska, is this year's recipient of a Dr. Gertrude Boyd Crane Scholarship in the amount of $5,000. She will enroll at Iliff School of Theology to pursue a graduate degree to serve the church as a Deaconess.  Her passion and hope is to work with marginalized groups within her local community, such as the Lingit and Haida people. 

In 2023 the Gertrude Boyd Crane Scholarship Committee expanded the field of applicants to include the Greater Northwest Episcopal Area, specifically Oregon-Idaho, Alaska, and Pacific Northwest Conferences and to include applicants seeking vocations in the church, not limited to ordained elder.

Dr. Gertrude Boyd Crane was an ordained elder in the Oregon-Idaho Conference and a theologian and professor at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. She often helped her students financially at critical times in their lives. Her will provided for a scholarship fund for women taking graduate studies toward a profession in the church.

Members of the Committee are Rebecca Warren, Chair; Chris Mitchell, Conference President of United Women in Faith; Dixie Jacky, Past Conference President of United Methodist Women; Rochelle Killett, Past Conference President of United Methodist Women; and Gayle Woods, Member appointed by the Conference President.

 Changes at United Women in Faith

Sally Vonner is our new United Women in Faith General Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, effective June 1, 2023.

She has been a part of the organization’s national staff since 2010, first serving as Assistant General Secretary of Membership and Leadership Development. In 2018, she became the Transformation Officer, coordinating the organization’s visioning and strategic development to positively impact the lives of women, children, and youth.

“Sally is not just a woman who knows this organization, but she is also a visionary who possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience,” said ‘Ainise ‘Isama’u, board president. “She is the kind of leader who understands where we’ve been, where we are, and where we need to go.”

Sally brings stability in a time of change as she is well grounded in our organization, knowledgeable of our history, and today’s United Women in Faith. Her primary focus will be to continue and expand the mission and reach of United Women in Faith and put faith, hope, and love into action to change the world, and work to improve the lives of women, children, and youth around the world.

For more information: https://uwfaith.org/press/2023/united-women-in-faith-board-elects-sally-vonner-general-secretary-ceo/

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