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History

"Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6.

This scripture inspired churchwomen in 1869 to carry the gospel of Jesus Christ first to the new areas of church growth in the U.S. and then on to foreign lands starting with Japan, China and India. In 1939, mergers within the different branches of the church created The Methodist Church and for the women, Woman's Society of Christian Service. The last merger of the church in 1968 with the Evangelical United Brethren Church formed our current name, United Methodist Women.

Purpose

The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall be a community of women whose purpose 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.
Our mandate is found in Micah 6:8

"He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God."

Through faithfulness to God's mission, United Methodist Women Members commit themselves and their gifts to ministries that help relieve suffering and improve the quality of life for women, children and youth.

Program

The program of UMW is mission. To fulfill this mission we are involved with direct services to people in schools, hospitals, community centers, and residential child care, among others.

In our conference we are privileged to support Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, David and Margaret Home in La Verne, Toberman Settlement House in San Pedro, Metro in San Diego and Neighborhood House in Calexico. Sixty percent of our pledges and offerings are directed through the district to these National Projects. Locally our unit supports missionaries Ken & Mendy Nehrbass, Ellen Murray, Madelyn Beltz, as well as ESA HB, the Ruby Smith Scholarship Fund, Welcome Home, Samaritan's Purse, SHIP and Dr. Elma T. Jocson, serving in Nepal. We are honored and blessed to have been helpful in our small way.

FVUMC UMW Activities

Alice Project: In memory of our member Alice Harvey, we gather to collect and package toiletry bags for the homeless through ESA. We meet for this in October in a church-wide meeting. Our target is 100 bags.

Meetings: A variety of programs are presented at our Tuesday AM Circle held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month. We have had speakers from the conference national projects, conference and district officers, Bible studies, our church member and author Earlene Fowler, a retired UMC missionary from Nepal, Norrna Kehrberg and, of course, our famous potlucks.

Our Sew and Reap Circle sews for newborns, David & Margaret Ilome, the Motel Children's Project and items needed for our church nursery and our church women's annual retreat in September.

We helped coordinate the 1st annual Silent Auction with other groups in the church and sponsor the Souper Bowl collection in coordination with many churches in the U.S to help those less fortunate.

District & Conference meetings: As part of the connection we have as United Methodists, our Santa Ana district sponsors officer training sessions, district and conference annual meetings, quiet disciple day, and a district retreat day in May.

PLEASE COME AND JOIN US!! WE OFFER OURSELVES AS FELLOW FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST AND INVITE YOU TO COME, HAVE FELLOWSHIP AND SEE...

2004 UMW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE/OFFICERS

President: Merna Young
Vice President: Patty Moore
Secretary: Myra McConnell
Treasurer: Karen Olson
Secretary of Nominations: Esther Drozda
Secretary of Program Resources: Merle Weiss
Mission Coordinator - Spiritual Growth: Joy Metcalf
Mission Coordinator - Social Action: Doris Forster
Communications Coordinator: Mary Jane Joseph

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Fountain Valley United Methodist Church
18225 Bushard Street, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
phone - (714) 962-2593
fax - (714) 964-1434