Stories

An Encouragement for September

Stories Published on
September 19, 2024

The Center for Leadership Excellence, in partnership with COSROW, is pleased to lift up the voices of women in ministry encouraging fellow women in ministry. Please enjoy this month’s Encouragement from Regina H. Moore, Executive Minister and CEO of the SC Christian Action Council, the SC affiliate of the National Council of Churches. Anyone can sign up to receive Encouragement emails here.

As summer gives way to fall, I’m reminded of the transitions that occur in both nature and life. On my recent journey to Yellowstone National Park, I witnessed the striking shifts in the landscape—from forested, rugged mountains to the deep, glacier-carved valleys, all within minutes. These dramatic transitions in the terrain reflected the changes we experience in life—often unpredictable yet breathtaking in their own way. Amid these transitions, we can be assured that God’s presence remains constant. James 1:16-17 reminds us, “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the [God] of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Panoramic views of nature often mirror the ever-changing nature of our lives and ministry, where seasons of stability can quickly give way to times of challenge and injustice. Yet, in contrast to this dynamic terrain, God remains the constant light that never shifts or fades. While the world around us may quiver with fear and uncertainty, God’s love, faithfulness, and presence remain unwavering, offering us a steady source of hope and guidance through every change. God’s compassionate justice is unchanging.

Reflection: How can the unchanging nature of God inspire and sustain your commitment to justice and advocacy in ministry? Reflect on how God’s constancy can provide a firm foundation and enduring transformation for addressing injustices and working towards equitable solutions.

Take Action: Advocate for long-term social change. Engage in sustained efforts to address systemic injustices. This could involve partnering with local organizations, participating in advocacy campaigns, or initiating community outreach ministries that aim to create lasting improvements in social justice issues. By committing to ongoing, principled action, you reflect God’s unchanging commitment to justice and righteousness.

In partnership,
Center for Leadership Excellence and the Commission on the Status and Role of Women

UWFaith Mother-Child Retreat at Camp Don Lee

Stories Published on
September 16, 2024

The annual United Women in Faith (UWFaith) Mother-Child Retreat was held at Camp Don Lee the first week of September. Forty-one children and their mothers from across the NC Conference experienced camp together, as has been the tradition for United Women in Faith for over twenty years.

Saturday morning brought its share of rain and workshops facilitated by UWFaith members on wisdom in the water for the children and their mothers, a famous Don Lee fried chicken lunch, and prayer bead-making for everyone to share time together.

Wisdom in the Water seemed perfect since there was quite literally water EVERYWHERE! The river, the pool, the creek, the puddles, the cup of leaves, the sky…and, of course, the living water in the souls gathered.

Just as all of the inside activities finished, the rain stopped. Perfect timing! The pool began to fill with those wanting to brave the rope swing or high jump. Teams of families began to load canoes. Others waited on the dock for their first chance to experience sailing. Others practiced their skills with archery.

There is something special about mothers and their children getting time away together. Children making new friends while their mothers do the same in a beautiful location gifted by God.

Hayrides, campfires, ice cream socials, and so much more make this annual event a memory both mother and child will always treasure. Many local UWFaith units sponsor women and children for this time of renewal each year.

Camp Don Lee is available for retreats, Christmas parties, and so much more! Generational memories are made there daily. Visit Don Lee Camp and Retreat Center’s website to explore all the possibilities.

If you know a mother who could use special time away with her child(ren) next year, please talk to your local UWFaith unit and help make this amazing experience available to them.

Submitted by Kim R. Smith, United Women in Faith Communications Coordinator.

United Women in Faith Event Raises Awareness of the Charter for Racial Justice

Stories Published on
September 6, 2024

The NC Conference United Women in Faith Charter for Racial Justice Team hosted an event for all women on Saturday, August 24, at Garner United Methodist Church. The event was designed to raise awareness of the challenges minority women still face today in the workplace, community, and our churches.

Bishop Connie Shelton offered a greeting and provided equipping tools to have difficult and powerful discussions with those around us as we head into a racially charged political election. She reminded us that asking reflective questions can help us avoid escalating learning opportunities into arguments that leave our hearts even further apart from each other.

The Keynote speaker for the event was Reggie Edwards, the founder and Executive Director of The Encouraging Place, described on its website as a “vibrant community dedicated to fostering racial harmony, empowering women, and creating spaces where every individual feels valued and heard.” The non-profit, located in Durham, has been on this journey of hope since 2008. The mission of the organization is to “Encourage racial healing and understanding to create equity within our communities.”

SisterShare and Summer Oasis programs are monthly fellowships for women that bring them together to share a meal and have meaningful discussions designed to help them learn and grow from their unique experiences. The groups meet in various places around the city and often have speakers who share relevant issues with the women gathered.

Prior to moving into breakout learning sessions, the group shared a mind renewal moment using the Pray As You Go app. Through this free app, daily prayers that guide listeners through scripture readings are available to all. For this session, the anxiety meditation was shared to help the women focus on the presence of Jesus and to help those gathered to prepare their hearts and minds for the ways they could be used in their own communities to bring justice and healing.

Women then moved into four breakout sessions. Claire Cox-Woodlief facilitated session one, in which they discussed how all persons are equally valuable in the sight of God. Home Missioner Steve Taylor, how we describe the “redemption and reconciliation of Jesus Christ” in session two. Rev. Yolanda Correa guided those gathered in session three through discussions on racial and cultural diversity, as well as respecting each person’s value. Dr. Margaret Brunson, with those in session four, guided her group through questions around new attitudes, understandings, and relationships.

Members of Garner United Methodist Church provided a lunch for all attendees. Lois Johnson and Brenda Brown provided music. Time around the table was spent getting to know each other from across the NC Conference and renewing mind and body for the afternoon panel discussion.

Moderators for the afternoon panel discussion were Dr. Margaret Brunson and Ms. Claire Cox-Woodlief. Panel members were Connie Wolf (Asian-South Pacific), Evelia Simmons (Hispanic), Dr. Robbin Cooper (African American), and Rev. Tobi Nguyen (Caucasian). For nearly two hours, the women discussed the importance of helping each other move forward together. Multiple members stressed the importance of reaching our children early on to break the cycle of racial inequities.

The hope of the Charter for Racial Justice Committee is that this model for learning, growth, and understanding could be duplicated within each of the districts within the NC Conference United Women in Faith. As United Women in Faith, “We believe love in action can change the world.”

For more information, visit these websites:

Article written by Kim Rice Smith, United Women in Faith Communications Coordinator.

Ratification process for constitutional amendments announced

Stories Published on
August 23, 2024

In a recent press release, the Commission on the General Conference shared that several United Methodist groups worked to create a projected timeline for the ratification of the proposed constitutional amendments from the General Conference.

In the NC Conference, we are working on a plan for distributing educational information about ratifying the constitutional amendments and how we will process the votes in our conference. Stay tuned for ways you can be involved in that process.

Read the full press release at ResourceUMC→

An Encouragement for August

Stories Published on
August 13, 2024

The Center for Leadership Excellence, in partnership with COSROW, is pleased to lift up the voices of women in ministry encouraging fellow women in ministry. Please enjoy this month’s Encouragement from Heather Locklear, pastor of Clover Garden UMC and Chestnut Ridge UMC. Anyone can sign up to receive Encouragement emails here.

His daughter was Sheerah, who built both Lower and Upper Beth-horon and Uzzen-sheerah.
(1 Chronicles 7:24, NRSV)

This is one of my favorite verses of the Old Testament. But out of 31,102 verses (according to Google) in the Bible, this is the only one where Sheerah is mentioned. And it is after a string of men that got higher billing because of the tragedy they encountered during a raid on Gath cattle. But this woman built three cities! Do you know what it must take to build three cities?!

Sheerah was born from tragedy. Her grandfather’s sons were all killed and in his sadness he “went in to his wife” and from that union, Beriah, Sheerah’s dad, was born. But from that sorrow and despair of generational trauma came Sheerah. She rose up from the ashes of despair and built something beautiful. She had to enlist workers and engineers and designers. She had to command and direct them all. To build one city would have been a miraculous thing for a woman, but she built three!

Sheerah had to be amazing, with phenomenal leadership skills and a knack for picking the right folks to work with. She had to be respected. I don’t believe she would’ve gotten all that done if she wasn’t respected by the men and women that worked for her. And if it weren’t for this one verse in scripture, we would never have even known her name or even that she was responsible for building anything.

Reflect and Take Action:

We’ve come a long way since the days of Sheerah. However, it is still difficult for women to receive the credit they deserve in the workplace and even within our churches. Women are doing the building and the rebuilding even now – within our families, our churches, and our governments!

As fellow sojourners in ministry, as we reflect on this ancient builder, what are we building in our personal contexts? Are we building biblical literacy by sharing the stories of the lesser-known women in scripture and raising awareness of the contributions of women in all of scripture? Are we helping to raise the awareness of women within our own ministry contexts? How are we, as a Conference, honoring the contributions of our women ministry builders through our appointment processes and support networks? Are we holding one another up in the way we speak of one another and interact with one another? Are we listening to and honoring the stories of those who have been othered in our communities?

Just from this one verse, I have imagined a whole life for Sheerah with all its trauma and joy and accomplishment. My prayer is that future generations won’t have to just imagine how great the women of our time were, because it will be well documented in much more than a one verse mention. But even if a one verse mention is all we get, may our work leave a positive, long-lasting legacy of the powerful movement of God’s Holy Spirit through us in all our building.

In partnership,
Center for Leadership Excellence and the Commission on the Status and Role of Women

Katey’s Kits, based at St. James UMC, provides essential feminine products to young women in Eastern Carolina

Stories Published on
August 1, 2024

Here in Eastern North Carolina, the non-profit Katey’s Kits is bringing feminine products to young women in schools.

Katey’s Kits is an organization based in the St. James United Methodist Church (Newport) that provides feminine products to young women in need.

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