February 2016The LinkPage 7
The Link
The Northeast District UMW Newsletter
February 2016
"Thank goodness January is over! February is a short month, though it has an extra day this Leap Year. When it's below zero with an even colder wind chill, I hibernate. I only go out when I have to. Our (Trinity UMC, Charles City) Sunday service is broadcast on our local radio station so I can relax with my cup of coffee, listen and keep warm.
A note for your football fans, thousands of people will travel to the San Francisco Bay area on Sunday, February 5th to participate in the Super Bowl. Some will come due to force, fraud or coercion - the victims of Human Trafficking. As part of the Intercept the Traffickers Campaign, UMW members will "Open an Umbrella" around the stadium and on the streets of San Francisco to raise awareness of the problem and provide visible support for those victimized. Look for Open Umbrellas as you view the 2016 Super Bowl."
"This newsletter has the updated Shepherdess list. There are a few changes made to balance out the number of units vs
the availability of people. When you see who is assigned to your church, contact that person as soon as you can for visit time.
Since many units don't meet in the summer, it keeps us busy making time in the Spring and Fall before bad weather takes over.
We are available between visits also, if you are having problems or questions. The Methodist Discipline states that all churches are to have a UMW Unit. It's important that you have a strong relationship with your pastor and have his/her support. Invite them to your meetings (not just for the Christmas party). We are all working toward the same goal.
At our January NE Board meeting Special Mission Recognition Pins were given to Dorothy Fisher for 4 years and to Hermina Amoroso for 2 years. We know that they have many, many years of service but this is for the past 4 years. A Certificate of Appreciation for 1 year of Service will be sent to Mary Lou Bierman. Thanks to all of you for your service.
February 10 begins Lent and our preparations for one of our most important church events - Easter. Here's wishing you all a very Happy and Healthy holiday, with all of God's Blessings."
Pat Huxsol
NE District UMW 2016 SHEPHERDESS LIST
February 2016The LinkPage 7
Anita Cox
13895 Jade Ave
McGregor IA 52157-8610
563-873-3576; 563-880-0818
Calmar
Elgin St. Paul
Giard Living Faith Parish
Monona Living Faith Parish
Waukon St. Paul
Ardelys Newton
2090 – 370th St.
Osage IA 50461
641-732-3264 •
Nora Springs • Plymouth
Rock Falls • Rudd
Penny Morse
615 Pine St.
Osage IA 50461-1313
641-732-4155; 414-342-1699
Guttenberg • Rockford
West Union
Arlene Oelberg
P.O. Box 468
Elma IA 50628
641-393-2228
Decorah First
Zion of Cresco
Becky Ullom
2349 Hwy 63
Chester IA 52134
563-565-3892 •
Burr Oak • Cresco 1st
New Hampton First
Riceville • St. Ansgar
Ruth Tucker
339 Lawrence Ave.
Evansdale, IA 50707-1231
319-415-8093 •
Evansdale St. Mark
Pat Huxsol
508 – 3rd St
Charles City IA 50616
641-228-1822 •
Nashua • Osage • Cedar Falls 1st
Waterloo 1st • Greene
Dumont - New Hope Parish
Marble Rock
Hermina Amoroso
P.O. Box 313
New Hampton IA 50659-0313
641-394-6401
Charles City Trinity • Elma
Fredericksburg
Donna Copper
2250 Gilmore Ave
Ionia IA 50645-9580
641-426-6387 •
Chester • Fayette
Lime Springs • Randalia
Volga
Esther Lageschulte
1501 - 3rd St. SW #209
Waverly IA 50677-4376
319-352-1927 •
Frederika • Plainfield
Shell Rock • Sumner
Donna Flint
107 Gay St.
Delhi IA 52223
563-922-2909 •
Colesburg • Edgewood Trinity
Alice - Center Point
Hazelton • Manchester
Cleo Farris
1827 Locke Av
Waterloo IA 50702
319-234-0519 •
Delhi • Independence First
Lamont Grace
Rowley First/Silver Creek
Jesup • Dysart
Tama/Montour Living Faith
To be Assigned later
Gladbrook Chapel
Beaman
Emily Pearce
2812 Garden Ave.
Cedar Falls IA 50613
319-266-7505 •
Cedar Falls St. Timothy
Janesville • Parkersburg
Waverly Heritage
Waverly Trinity
Karen Page
119 Iris Dr.
Cedar Falls IA 50613-9392
319-230-7200 •
Arlington • Grundy Center Reinbeck • McGregor – Living Faith • Strawberry Point
Kris Stewart
7840 Beaver Hills Ln
Cedar Falls IA 50613-9302
319-290-1915 •
Conrad- Martha & Mary
Gladbrook • Hudson
Traer
Donna Hoffman
6612 Ford Rd.
Cedar Falls IA 50613
319-266-2074 •
Waterloo Mt. Hope
Waterloo St. Paul
Washinton Chapel, Cedar Falls
Roxanne Noring
8116 Buckridge Rd.
Cedar Falls IA 50613-9414
319-987-2788; 319-239-7033 •
La Porte City, St. Paul
Toledo, Christ
Garwin
February 2016The LinkPage 7
Northeast District UMW Calendar of Events – 2016
District Report Forms are available in IA Conference United Methodist Women http://www.iaumc.org/umwforms
************************************************************************
January 11 Human Trafficking Awareness Day
January 15 DISTRICT REPORT - Unit Membership Report to DISTRICT Mission Coordinator for
Membership and Outreach
January 21 DEADLINE for February "The Link" - NE District Newsletter. Send items to Ruth MF Tucker
February "The Link" District Newsletter to Unit President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer
March 4 World Day of Prayer
March 8 International Bell Ringing for Women's Rights
March 12 NE District UMW Mission Study Day – Volga UMC
March 21 NE District Leadership Team (Board) Meeting – Waterloo 1st, 614 Randolph, 10 a.m.
April 9 Laity Day with Bishop Trimble
April 9 NE District UMW Day Apart – Guttenberg UMC
April 19 Faith Community Response to Domestic Violence - Christ UMC, Toledo
April 21 DEADLINE for May "The Link", NE District Newsletter. Send items to Ruth MF Tucker
May 6 Friendship Day - Church Women United
June REPORT DUE: 1st time scholarship for MissionU u, Application in May "The Link"
June 4-6 Iowa Annual Conference of United Methodist Church, Hy-Vee Hall, Des Moines
June 5 UMW Gathering at Annual Conference
June 24-26 North Central Jurisdiction Quadrennial, Grand Rapids, MI
June 30 Mission Today Report and Mission Studies Report due
July 11 NE District Leadership Team (Board) meeting – Cedar Falls 1st, 718 Clay, 10 a.m.
July 17 District Officer Training (DOTE) 1-3 Iowa Valley Conference Center, Marshalltown
July 17-20 Summer Mission U, Iowa Valley Conference Center, Marshalltown
July 21 DEADLINE for August "The Link", District Newsletter. Send items to Ruth MF Tucker
July 31 DISTRICT REPORT - Reading Program Report to District Secretary of Program Resources to
PennyMorse
August "The Link" District newsletter to Unit President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer
August 30 Final Day to add names to "In Memory and in Honor" for World Thanks Offering Candle
Burning
September 2 Human Relations Day
September 22 NE DISTRICT LeadershipTeam (Board) Meeting - Fayette
September 23 NE District Annual Meeting, Fayette
October 8 Iowa Conference UMW Annual Meeting, Decorah
October 21-23 Fall Mission U, Iowa Valley Conference Center, Marshalltown
November 14 NE DISTRICT Leadership Team meeting - TBA
November 4 World Community Day
November 21 DEADLINE for December "The Link", District Newsletter. Send items to Ruth MF Tucker
February 2016The LinkPage 7
Prayer what does prayer mean to me? In Genesis 18:32 prayer is explained, I have been praying and still praying that Mission Study and Northeast IA District Meeting will be a success. Is that selfish?
Well here is the answer I found . May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there? Abraham was asking. Lord was talking about destroying, Sodom, if he found fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake. Even if ten were found there he would not destroy it. Did you ever worry that God might be upset when you keep on asking for something? Abraham felt the same way. He Said "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more" (Genesis 18:32) I feel the same way God is not angry, he merciful. I believe praying for help, praying for what is right , praying for honors God and is the kind of thing he wants to do, you don't need to be anxious. Your prayers are pleasing to the Lord.
I believe that Mission Study, March 12, 2016, Volga United Methodist Church, hosting, will be a huge success. Same with Northeast IA District Meeting in Fayette, IA in September (more on that meeting later.) This is my first year for organizing and planning such events.
God be with you.
Donna Copper, Northeast IA District Vice President,
First United Methodist Church, New Hampton, IA 50645
Ever wake up in the middle of the night and realize oh! I have forgotten to write an article for Education & Interpretation. This is my other "hat" I will be wearing. This the first time I've had responsibility of this office. To the best of my ability I plan to serve in this office. Therefore, looking forward to working with all units of UMW because Education & Interpretation reports will be sent to me, Donna Copper, First United Methodist Church, New Hampton, IA. Thank you, Hermina Amoroso, for previously serving as Education & Interpretation office. Blessings to everyone.
Happy New Year! Hope everyone is staying warm during these cold January days!
Thank you to each and every unit for your hard work in 2015. Year-end unit giving reports were emailed to those with email addresses and hard copies to those without email. Out of 77 units we had 50 - 5 Star Units. Certificates will go out in January to those recipients. As of this printing you should have received (or will shortly) your 5 Star Certificate.
NE District ended the year as follows:
Mission Giving: $75,338.81 (2015 Pledge was $70,000) Good Job!
Our 2016 Pledge is $70,000. Let’s see if we can beat it again!
Designated Giving: $4,843.88,
Projects: $14,714.14
IA Conf.: $1,865.00,
Total to IA Conf.: $96,761.83
Iowa Conference Pledge (All 8 districts) was $615,000. Total paid to National Office was $670.803.
REMINDER: Send $1.00/unit for Magazine Fund. Send $1.00/member for Shesler Hall, Bidwell Riverside, Hawthorn Hill and Mission u.
Please refer to your 2016 Treasurer’s Reference Calendar to keep up with your giving. If you need forms, information of any kind, please email or call me.
Please notify me of any name, address or phone number changes and include an email if you have one.
Thanks again for a great year!
God Bless!
Kristin Stewart,
NE District
UMW Treasurer
7840 Beaver Hills Lane, Cedar Falls, IA 50613
319-290-1915 •
February 2016The LinkPage 7
February 2016The LinkPage 7
February brings us Valentine’s Day and our thoughts turn to those we love. In 1 Corinthians 13:6-7 it reads: “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” Love that bears up under everything and everything that comes is ever ready to believe the best of every person. Its hopes are fearless under all circumstances and it endures everything without weakening.
The kind of love God gives bears up under anything and everything that comes. It endures everything without weakening. It is determined not to give up.
We know it is difficult to keep showing love to someone who never seems to appreciate or even respond to it. It is hard to keep showing love to those who take from us all we are willing to give, but who never give anything back.
We have experienced the love of God by His mercy. He expects us to show that same kind of love to others. Our reward doesn’t come from man, but from God. Even when our good deeds and love seem to go unnoticed, God notices and promises to reward us for them.
What acts of love or kindness have you been putting off? Do them today.
God’s blessings
Emily K. Pearce, Coordinator for Spiritual Growth
2812 Garden Ave. Cedar Falls, IA 50613
319-266-7505 •
As the new year begins, we often take stock of our financial situation. Currently many people are also wondering about the volatile stock market and what that may mean for their retirement.
The following article from a devotional booklet, “God’s Love is Higher, Deeper, Wider” by Karen Weld speaks to this concern.
WEALTHY
I am a Christian. Every day when I awake, my Heavenly Father is making deposits on my behalf to my emotional and spiritual bank account.
…….love, joy, peace, patience, kindness ….
He doesn’t deposit just small amounts.
My inheritance is HUGE.
…goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-
control ….*
Every day He wants me to spend these gifts freely. I don’t need to be miserly.
…..power and a strong mind …..**
I AM A VERY WEALTHY WOMAN!!
*Galations 5:22,23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
**IITimothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.
In this coming year I hope that you will spread the WEALTH – YOUR WEALTH to all those around you and to the women of United Methodist Women.
It sure doesn’t feel like it today, with the temperature - 0 degrees, and wind chill even worse, but spring will come. Warm weather is bound to happen. That being said –
Greeting to all of you and hope your holidays were blessed. Our home was filled with family, food, love, and laughter. I couldn’t ask for more.
Thank-you to the units who have sent me the 2015 membership report. There’s a question if the women of your church do not meet regularly, are you a unit? YES. If the women help with funerals, weddings, give time or money to Bidwell Riverside, Hawthorne Hill, or Shesler Hall, do any giving for missions, you are a unit and need to be counted.
Please fill out the membership report as soon as you can if you haven’t already done so. If you lost or can’t find your report form, call me or write and I’ll send you another.
Another quick thought. You don’t have to meet in church to have a unit meeting. You can gather at someone’s house, a café, in warm weather - the park. God doesn’t mind. He knows you only want to do good for other in His name.
Blessings to all of you.
Jackie Reams
Coordinator of Membership Nurture and Outreach
1954 Lime Kiln Rd., Osage IA 50461-8350
(641)732-5030
Issues for the Iowa Legislature coming up:
- - - - -
• Planned Parenthood (A Woman’s Health Science Provider)