NOMINATIONS ASPIRATIONS

Betty Spencer Dickey, Chair, Committee on Nominations

Summer and Fall are busy times for the Nomination committee. We are looking to engage others into sharing our excitement about United Methodist Women. There is so much change going on during this time. School is about to start, church we hope, is about to start in person again and there is new hope for good things in the new year.

We want to encourage you to share your ideas and hopes for UMW too as we have our Presidents zoom meetings in August to get a sense of what you have been doing during the Pandemic. We also want to encourage you to go outside your comfort zone and consider working with us on the District team. We learn new things everyday working with each other and from the Conference and National UMW. The opportunities are great for expanding your knowledge, experience, connections and spirituality. Is God sending you our way?

Many of us cannot physically go on mission trips because of our circumstances, but UMW is a mission. We can still participate in helping our local and District UMW to carry out the goal of being in mission to women, children and youth. We can do that from our own homes. We may be inviting you soon and hope you realize that serving on El Camino Real District UMW team may be the change and the chance you are looking for.

Prayers and Blessings,
Betty Spencer Dickey, Nominations Chair

Debbie Ow, Treasurer

Thanks to all the units who steadfastly support United Methodist Women through their pledges. This last quarter, we forwarded $7,916.50 in pledge money to our Conference UMW.

Our administrative account current has about $4,800, to be used for expenses for upcoming events such as Safe Havens 2.0 and Annual Celebration. These funds are planned in our annual budget, and are provided by Conference UMW when needed.

Watch for information about our 2022 administrative budget, which will be made available at least 6 weeks in advance of the Annual Celebration.

We also give thanks to Carolyn Bircher, who completed the audit of our treasury records for 2020. Two small corrections were required, to be incorporated in Q3.

by K Stone, President, El Camino Real District, United Methodist Women

BECOME!

I recently found this “conversation” on a Facebook page that I follow, “Hey God. Hey John.” This page is described as transcripts of personal conversations between author John Roedel and God. This particular post struck me as being especially pertinent at this time, when we need to understand how to move forward from the uncertainty of the pandemic.

Me: Hey God.

God: Hello, my love.

Me: I’m falling apart. Can you put me back together?

God: I would rather not.

Me: Why?

God: Because you are not a puzzle.

Me: What about all of the pieces of my life that are falling down onto the ground?

God: Let them stay there for a while. They fell off for a reason. Take some time and decide if you need any of those pieces back.

Me: You don’t understand! I’m breaking down!

God: No – you don’t understand. You are breaking through. What you are feeling is just growing pains. You are shedding the things and the people in your life that are holding you back. You are not falling apart. You are falling into place. Relax. Take some deep breaths and allow those things you don’t need anymore to fall off of you. Quit holding onto the pieces that don’t fit you anymore. Let them fall off.  Let them go.

Me: Once I start doing that, what will be left of me?

God: Only the very best pieces of you.

Me: I’m scared of changing.

God: I keep telling you – YOU ARE NOT CHANGING!! YOU ARE BECOMING!

Me: Becoming who?

God: Becoming who I created you to be!  A person of light and love and charity and hope and courage and joy and mercy and grace and compassion. I made you for more than the shallow pieces that you have decided to adorn yourself with and that you cling to with such greed and fear. Let those things fall off of you. I love you! Don’t change! Become! Become! Become!  Become who I made you to be. I’m going to keep telling you this until you remember it.

Me: There goes another piece.

God: Yep. Let it be.

Me: So…I’m not broken?

God: No – but you are breaking like the dawn. It’s a new day. Become!!

By John Roedel, published at https://www.facebook.com/Godandjohn, 7/25/2021.