Church Women United in Austin
Newsletter May 2016
President:Vernell Moncure, 12311 Yarmont Way, 78753 512-836-5134
Treasurer:Pat Hochstetler, 2405 Emmett Pkwy, 78728 512-989-1321
Newsletter Staff: DebeMcKeand, 10917 Range View Dr, 78730 512-657-0028
Dorothy Kraemer, PO Box 512, Pflugerville, 78691 512-251-6929
Starting with the CWU Newsletter for September 2016, we will be sending e-mail notification to let you know that the newsletter is available on If you have requested to receive a paper copy, you will continue to receive a paper copy of the newsletter.
At the May CWU meeting and June Wellspring, the registration sheets will have space for you to supply or confirm your e-mail address; there will also be space to mark or confirm if you need to keep receiving the paper copy of the newsletter. If you are unable to attend, please call Pat Hochstetler, 512-989-1321, to indicate that you need a paper copy.
Charitable Project for May: Street Youth Ministry of Austin
We will be collecting First aid supplies—band aids, antibiotic packets, anti-fungal powder, little first aid kits, cough drops, acetaminophen, ibuprophen, wet wipes, sun screen and lip balm and summer shoes like flip-flops.
May Friendship Day
Theme: “Finding Grace at the Table”
Date: Friday, May 6, 2016 Time: 9:30 a.m. (refreshments) 10:00 a.m. (program)
Place: Berkeley United Methodist Church, 2407 Berkeley Dr., Austin, TX 78745 berkeleyumc.org
Directions: The church is located on the west side of Manchaca Rd., between W. Stassney Lane and W. William Cannon Dr.
The CWU Celebration “May Friendship Day” continues the long tradition of women gathering. This year we will focus on coming to the table to find the grace necessary to do God’s work of reconciliation in your family, church, community, the movement of Church Women United and in the world. Come for a short Bible study and award presentations of the Valiant Woman and Young Church Women
During this celebration we will also dedicate the Offering to the Fellowship of the Least Coin. Please bring the collections made during the past year by the women of your church as they commemorate each prayer for peace and reconciliation with a "least coin."
Street Youth Ministry
The Ecumenical Action recipient for theMay 6meeting is Street Youth Ministry of Austin. We meet our clients in the 12 blocks just west of the University of Texas just as they are and right on the street. We get to know them and try to meet a need immediately. Our goal for clients is to help them achieve stability, sobriety, reconnection with God, and connection with the Christian community. Clients choose what goals they are working toward, and we guide and support them.
As they prepare for summer on the street these are needs we can help meet: First aid supplies—band aids, antibiotic packets, anti-fungal powder, little first aid kits, cough drops, acetaminophen, ibuprophen, wet wipes, sun screen and lip balm. Realize that these folks carry their possessions in a back pack, so think small. Dollar stores are suggested as good places to find some of these items in small amounts at good prices. Band aids can be bought in bulk and divided by their volunteers. They also need summer shoes like flip-flops. Larger supplies are kept at their home location, and leftovers from your cabinets can be used.
Nominations for Class I Offices
The nominations for Class I Officers are open for 2016! Prayerfully consider who God is calling to serve as President, First Vice President, Chairs for the three Ecumenical Planning Groups and Communications Chair. The Treasurer needs someone to train to take the office for 2018-2020. The Third Vice President position needs to be filled for the term completing in 2017.
Thank you to those who have agreed to become the special task force for the 2016 Nomination for Class I Officers! When the Task Force contacts you, please prayerfully consider if God is nudging you to step forward to keep CWU thriving.
Thank You
David Chapel Missionary Baptist Church provided excellent refreshments and graciously hosted the April Ecumenical Action Forum. Your support, hosting and hospitality are much appreciated! The Love Offering was $105. Four individual memberships totaling $55 were collected at the April Ecumenical Development Forum. Attendance at the April meeting was 50, which included 3 visitors.
Please add these new member names to your 2016 yearbook:
Myrna Cavender, 3905 Reynosa Dr. (39) 512-280-0963 Berkeley United Methodist Church
Brenda J. (BJ) Johnson, 5700 Burnhill Dr. (45) 512-447-3682 Berkeley United Methodist Church
2016 CWU Yearbooks: Many of the new yearbooks were handed out at the April Forum. If someone from your church attended the meeting, check with them to see if they have your copy of the yearbook. If no one from your church came, please stop by to pick up your book at the May meeting. There is a PDF version available on Dropbox. E-mail if you need the link sent to you.
Remember the Courtesies: We are depending on you to help us acknowledge and support our sisters when they are sick or bereaved. Please call Mary Terrell, 512-651-5572 (home) or 512-906-826 (cell), if you know of any sickness or loss in our midst so that a card can be sent. If you know of members who are no longer able to attend CWU meetings, please let Johnnie Overton (512-482-8921) know so program information can be mailed to them.
Courtesies sent since last newsletter: A get well card was sent to Jan Dawes. A sympathy card was sent to Florence MacauleySmythe on the death of her brother-in-law and to Mary Terrell on the death of her cousin.
Need a ride to a CWU meeting?
At the February CWU board meeting, the board approved the following recommendation from the Ecumenical/Outreach Committee: Regarding transportation to CWU meetings, individual churches are asked to provide needed transportation for CWU members in their congregation. Each church selects a contact person to receive requests for transportation from those needing transportation. Once these requests are received, the church contact person will make carpooling suggestions based on the geographical locations of the driver/rider. The church contact person is not expected to provide the transportation unless she chooses to help in that way. The driver(s) and rider(s) need to make arrangements for carpooling to the meeting.
Seeking Host Churches for 2017—If you or your church would like to host a 2017 CWU meeting, please contact 2nd Vice President, Alberta Shelton, to learn more. Alberta can be reached at 512-926-8645.
Ecumenical Action Recipients—As we line up recipients for the year ahead, we will continue to choose from those we have helped in the past, and would appreciate any ideas you have for new worthy recipients. Also, please contact Susan Holman, Ecumenical Action Coordinator(512) 452-6890, if you would like to work with this committee.
Upcoming Events:
Monday, May16, the Jail Ministry will take the May Friendship celebration to Del Valle Correctional Institution. Contact Sue Sidney, 512-259-8623, for more details.
Friday, June 3, 9:30 a.m. Wellspring Bible Study, Memorial UMC, 6100 Berkman Dr. (23)
Thursday, October 13, National CWU Conference; Louisville, KY