Gulf Central District
 United Methodist Women   

Welcome!

A message from Gulf Central District President: Betty Ens

“So, friends, take a firm stand, feet on the ground and head high. Keep a tight grip on what you were taught, whether in personal conversation or by our letter. May Jesus himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence,

put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech."

2nd Thessolonians 2:15-17 The Message

Some of us have been around as United Methodist Women a very long time and perhaps we think we have seen it all and done it all and even are a bit discouraged. The passage above urges us to “put in a fresh heart and invigorate our work.” So let’s get to it! We have a lot of work to do—reenergizing our local organizations and helping women who don’t know about our work to join in the fun.

Our first chance to get ourselves ready for the task ahead was at our Conference Training Event at the Life Enrichment Center at Leesburg. Don’t we look like a happy bunch—ready to lead you onward!

We are pictured with our leader for the weekend—Julia Tulloch, Vice President of the Women’s Division (1st on right, back row) - and Nelida Morales, Florida Conference President (3rd from right, front row). We were given our “marching orders” and we then came back to our District and held two leadership training events, one at Ellenton UMC and one at East Lake UMC. Both were well attended and we gained a new perspective of all our positions. Thank you, ladies of both churches, for getting us on the right track to move forward.

Moving along the track, we will have our President’s Lunch at First St. Petersburg UMC where we will entertain our Secretaries of Program Resources as well as say thank you to our local Presidents. Ethel Ewing, our conference Secretary of Program Resources, will tell us all about the Reading Program and how it helps us learn about Mission.

Our next stop along the way is at Union Street UMC for a workshop on Membership led by Helen Sweatt entitled “Rekindle the Gift.” We’re bound to learn some new ways to reenergize there and you’ll want to be sure someone from your mission team attends. Please let Ellen Johnsen know how many will be attending by calling or emailing her at 727-736- 2797 (home) or 727-543-0236 (cell) or EJoh1002@aol.com (email).

The final stop for this spring will be at Day Spring Episcopal Retreat Center in Parrish for our Day Apart. This will give us all the opportunity to rekindle our spirits as we “Walk With Wholeness.” You’ll find more information on the front and the registration form on page 3 of the newsletter.

We have bundled a lot of encouragement into a few months here at the beginning of our new term. We hope you will catch fire with us for the Lord as we move forward along the track toward a fulfilling year of working together with God to be in mission with women, children and youth.

Shalom,

Betty Ens, President