UMW Roars into Fall
School is starting and St. Paul’s has done a great job
donating supplies for our Stuff the Bus project.
WOW!
We made a big difference for Helena’s children.
Now that the kids are back in school will you be cleaning out closets?
Organizing the kids’ rooms? Down sizing?
Don’t forget the UMW Bazaar is October 9.
Fall Bazaar
This Bazaar features a Bake Sale, Craft Sale, Luncheon and a sale of previously "loved" or "hated" objects. We do not take clothes, but we do take everything else and do our best to turn unwanted things into "Money for Missions." Please save those things for us. Storage at the church is at a premium. If you can’t keep things, call the church and they will refer you to one of our members. Thanks!
Clothing Drive for the Blackfeet Parish
In October and November, UMW will sponsor another clothing drive for the Blackfeet Parish. Always needed is new underwear and socks. They are over-loaded with women’s clothing just now but men’s clothing is needed - especially large sizes. Coats for all will be welcomed and gently used children’s clothing of any size. Bring clothing to the church between October 17 and November 17. We will get them delivered for winter.
St. Paul’s has an active Unit of Methodist Women. We have four active Circles within the Unit and a group of At- Large members who do not have time for Circle participation, but want to help the Unit with our mission fund raising.
The Purpose of United Methodist Women reads: The organized unit of UMW 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.
At St. Paul’s we work to fulfill the purpose by sharing fellowship, programs and mission education at our Circle meetings. We actively support the Women’s Division of the Board of Global Ministry by pledging money to those missions each year. Our pledge also supports the UMW work of our Yellowstone Annual Conference. In addition to our mission pledge to the Women’s Division our Unit supports local programs that support women and children. Those include Food Share, Friendship Center (for victims and families who need support after domestic abuse), Florence Crittenton Home (for pregnant teens, teen moms and their babies), Helena Indian Alliance (Leo Pocha Clinic and Wakina Sky after school program for children) and Angel Fund in the local schools. In addition to money support the Unit collects school supplies, UMCOR Health Kit ingredients, creates Mother’s Day Baskets for teen moms and conducts clothing drives for distribution at the Blackfeet Reservation.
Our Annual Conference Mission support goes to Intermountain where we give money donations and participate in the Festival of Trees. We support the Blackfeet Parish with clothing drives, money donations and Mission Education trips. We support our church children’s and youth programs and the Flathead United Methodist Church Camp.
Each Circle has a chairperson or facilitator and other officers.
The four Circles in our Unit and their contact people are:
Doris Long: Jackie Mathews
Wesleyan: Pauline Hooper
Shalom: Marty Thieltges
Sheila Cates: Claudia Davis
The Unit officers are: Vicki Weida, President; Vernetta Dalbec, Vice-President; Betty Jones, Secretary; Claudia Davis, Treasurer.
In addition to the officers, the unit has Program chair-people to help fulfill the purpose of the UMW. They are Kathi Cates, Mission and Education; Lorraine Kuntz, Mission Collections; Pam Campbell, Spiritual Formation; Ellie Parker, Social Action; Ila Steen and Mary Plank, Membership and Nurture; Leoti Waite, Secretary of Program Resources.
As a service to the church community, UMW will provide funeral receptions and wedding or special birthday parties. Shirley Warehime and Marty Thieltges are coordinators for those events. As a Unit we participate in Helena Church Women United and Jackie Mathews is our liason to that group.
In 2009 our Unit’s income was $14,000.00 and of that amount over $12,000.00 was given to mission. While we celebrate being that involved in helping women and children who are oppressed, we also celebrate our active involvement in the community of St. Paul’s and the friendships we create through all of our activities.
Any woman is invited to join us at any time during the year. Declare your interest at Welcome Home Sunday in Sept or contact the President or call the church office and we will help you choose a Circle that fits your time schedule and your interests.
