United Methodist Women: response

List to our four response stories in one podcast.From the July/August 2025 issue of response magazine.

More than 20 episodes of Voices From the Field, a United Women in Faith program featuring conversations with those whose work is supported by Mission Giving, are available on our YouTube channel. They provide a great way for your circle, unit, church, or friends to learn about how your giving is at work in the world.

Over the last 150-plus years these are the words that have been used to describe United Women in Faith. I don't know about you, but I think that it is pretty outstanding to be part of an organization that can hold such a strong claim to a variety of descriptors like those.United Women in Faith, or, as I like to call us, The League of Extraordinary Unreasonable Women has a long history that is rooted in spiritual growth, social justice, and leadership development. It is from this history that we use as our foundation being change makers for the church and developing a community for women to explore and define their faith.

We sometimes refer to the people closest to us, with whom we experience the most intimacy and love, as our “circle” of friends, or of care, or of trust. Make a physical reminder of your circle and hold in your heart where your circle might expand in the year to come. Get a pen or pencil and paper. Now draw freehand a light circle shape (or as circular as you can get). Within the circle, write the names of the people with whom you are already close. These are the members of your circle who impact you and lift you up and for whom you do the same. They may be living or dead, geographically near or far, or anyone to whom you already feel close. Then, on and around the edges of your circle, write the names of some more marginal relationships you might put intention into deepening this year. Is there someone new at church you don't know well yet? Is there someone you often see at the grocery store or coffee shop you've never said hello to? Is there a person who was once a close friend, but at some point, you experienced tension or a falling out? Is there someone unhoused or struggling in your neighborhood? Pray for God's guidance and invite at least one of these people out for coffee or time to get to know them better. Draw your circle wide and deepen your sense of connection in the new year! 

Greetings in faith, hope, and love. Summertime is here! Growing up in Texas, summers were nice, but the heat could be overbearing and the air thick and balmy. It never stopped my friends and me from going to the park, having fun, feeling free and alive.Thinking about today's environment and how many families and children are afraid to leave their homes—to travel, to simply live and thrive—is disheartening. Many are overwhelmed by fear and the loss of freedom, no matter if they are U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, documented, or undocumented. The welfare of those who are labeled different carries a burden to simply exist and the right to experience freedom as whole persons in Jesus Christ.United Women in Faith, we believe that every person is created in the image of God and should have equal rights, no matter their location, identity, religion, or status. For 156 years, we have been working for justice and advocating for change to policies or systems that prevent all God's children from thriving. If you look back over our history, our foremothers were part of every movement for equal and civil rights and peace building in society and the church.Recently, at our senior leadership team meeting, I shared a devotional reading titled “We Have Work to Do,” from Vincent Harding. He had just shared with young people at a Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., observance, when a young man asked, “If Dr. King knew his life was at risk, why didn't he step back? Why didn't he just chill out?” Before Harding responded, a young woman spoke up with great wisdom, saying, “Dr. King couldn't just chill out. He knew he had work to do!”My sisters and anyone reading this column, United Women in Faith must continue to do the hard work of advocating and seeking justice for the oppressed and the marginalized. Like King, who risked his life for God's call to all, we must love kindness, seek justice, and walk humbly with God. Jesus also risked his life to overcome roadblocks of difference and evil that prevented the vulnerable from being part of the body of God. Micah 6:8 and Jesus' advocacy for the vulnerable and challenging unjust systems tells us what is right in the eyes of God.As United Methodists, we vow to resist evil in all its forms, through the sacrament of baptism and reaffirmation. Until unjust systems, policies, and actions at the federal, state, and local levels of our country afford human and civil rights to all, we have work to do for God's kin-dom to come on earth as it is in heaven. This July 4, Independence Day, let's commit to engage with more zeal, putting our love in action through our social justice priorities: Ending Mass Incarceration and Criminalization of Communities of Color, and Climate Justice.There is always a Call to Action in which you can participate. Go to uwfaith.org to sign up for alerts or to take the Micah 6:8 pledge. Or participate in Mission u, Practicing Hope Together. Change is possible if we do this work together. We believe love in action can change the world. May it be so. 

United Women in Faith observed International Women's Day during a weekend of meetings at Scarritt Bennett Center in Nashville that included an announcement of Assembly 2026 and a strong call to eliminate institutional racism.From the May/June 2025 issue of response magazine.

Listen to the Responsively Yours column from United Women in Faith General Secretary/CEO Sally Vonner.From the May/June 2025 issue of response magazine.

God, Our Hope, how can we hold onto hope when storms gather and grow greater each year?From the May/June 2025 issue of response magazine.

The PAG group visited Bethlehem Centers of Nashville, which provides services for children, youth, seniors, and families.From the May/June 2025 issue of response magazine.

List to our four response stories in one podcast.From the May/June 2025 issue of response magazine.

Hear our four response audio stories in one podcast.From the March/April 2025 issue of response magazine.

The theme for this year's Day of Giving on March 23 is “For Generations to Come,” which is exactly what The Legacy Endowment Fund is all about—making sure that future generations of United Women in Faith members are financially equipped to continue to take on the issues of the world by putting their faith in action.From the March/April 2025 issue of response magazine.

The former United Methodist Women board president and transformative leader leaves a legacy of love and justice.From the March/April 2025 issue of response magazine.

Leadership Development Days 2024, November 21-23, explored the theme “Revive and Lead: Empowered by the Resurrection.” This event presented an opportunity for leaders within and beyond United Women in Faith to pause, connect, and reflect on their journey as women engaged in faithful leadership. Centered on the story of Jesus' followers' experience after the resurrection in John 20-21, Leadership Development Days asked the question: “What does it mean to lead in a post-resurrection world?”From the March/April 2025 issue of response magazine.

Hear the Responsively Yours article from United Women in Faith's General Secretary/CEO Sally Vonner.From the March/April 2025 issue of response magazine.

Hear the Responsively Yours article from United Women in Faith's General Secretary/CEO Sally Vonner.From the Jan./Feb. 2025 issue of response magazine.

Hear our four response audio stories in one podcast.From the Jan./Feb. 2025 issue of response magazine.

United Women in Faith will continue to work for climate justice and ending mass incarceration and the criminalization of communities of color.From the Jan./Feb. 2025 issue of response magazine.

Have a plan in place as a trifecta donor.From the Jan./Feb. 2025 issue of response magazine.

Learning from our past is necessary for moving into a faithful future as The United Methodist Church.From the Jan./Feb. 2025 issue of response magazine.

From the Jan./Feb. 2025 issue of response magazine.

Learning from our past is necessary for moving into a faithful future as The United Methodist Church.From the Jan./Feb. 2025 issue of response magazine.

Have a plan in place as a trifecta donor.From the Jan./Feb. 2024 issue of response.

United Women in Faith's new president, elected in July, is a retired registered nurse, a mother, a wife, and a dedicated member of United Women in Faith with a long list of service on all levels, including the Reading Program committee.From the Nov./Dec. 2024 issue of response.

United Women in Faith's Reading Program (uwfaith.org/read) is designed to help women of faith achieve five key goals: lean into our spiritual growth, strengthen our leadership skills, equip ourselves for local and global mission, take faithful action for the common good, and build community in ways large and small. The books are current and cover a wide variety of topics. Participating in one of the Reading Program plans at any of the four levels, or even reading just one or two books in this catalog, can help you grow. And anyone, anywhere, can participate—whether you are a member of United Women in Faith already or just getting to know us.From the Nov./Dec. 2024 issue of response.

As this issue of response reaches you, you may be setting your tables for Thanksgiving and decorating your homes for Christmas. You may be shopping, wrapping gifts, planning menus, and making travel plans. And I hope that come December, you will be filled with the wonderful joy and anticipation of this Advent season, preparing your hearts and minds for the coming of Jesus.From the Nov./Dec. 2024 issue of response.

Kelly G. Loeb thought it was in God's plan to graciously donate her special home as a planned gift to The Legacy Endowment Fund so that Mai Gray's legacy, and her own, will live on. From the Nov./Dec. 2024 issue of response.

On February 24, 2024, the North Texas Conference United Women in Faith held their fifth annual Charter for Racial Justice event at Hamilton Park UMC in Dallas. From the Sept./Oct. 2024 issue of response.

 From the Sept./Oct. 2024 issue of response.

Mother and daughter members serve together as General Conference delegates. From the Sept./Oct. 2024 issue of response.

United Women in Faith submitted 19 petitions at General Conference. These included calls to action on racial and climate justice, gender equity, protecting the girl child, and supporting deaconesses and home missioners. Eighteen of our petitions passed.From the Sept./Oct. 2024 issue of response.

The World Methodist Council has awarded Deaconess Norma Dollaga the World Methodist Peace Award. From the July/August 2024 issue of response.

A United Women in Faith regional missionary helps empower young Japan. From the July/August 2024 issue of response.

The Responsively Yours column from United Women in Faith CEO Sally Vonner. From the July/August 2024 issue of response.

The United Women in Faith CEO reflects on her first year in office. From the July/August 2024 issue of response.

More than 50,000 are expected to attend the parade and festival at Northcott Neighborhood House in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Killingsworth NMI offers hope for recovery.

Can you think of anything more elusive in many United Women in Faith units than women under the age of 39? Younger women are hard to find, hard to attract once we found them, and even more difficult to keep as integral parts of the work we do around the world.

From the May/June 2024 issue of response.

From the March/April 2024 issue of response.

Native American United Methodists share their art and faith with the 2024 General Conference. From the March/April 2024 issue of response.

United Women in Faith brings four new petitions to General Conference and 11 resolution readoptions that call on the church to prioritize women, children, and youth.From the March/April 2024 issue of response.

What does it mean to step “faithfully forward”? Is it blindly moving ahead without planning or purpose? Of course not. Is it just expecting God to take over and do it all? No. We know that God doesn't work that way. Well, the Bible tells us in Hebrew's 11:1 (NIV), “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” And Philippians 3:14 reads, “I press on toward the goal, toward the prize of the heavenly call of God in Jesus Christ.”With that biblical guidance, I believe that to go “faithfully forward” is to prayerfully set a goal, work hard to reach it, and then have the faith to know that the Holy Spirit is right beside us every step of the way, guiding us to victory. However, it can still be a little scary. And often fear of the unknown or of the challenges we face can keep us from being able to see God's promises.The path we plan to take to reach our goal can also change without notice and then we must adapt. That can be hard to do. We want everything in life to be a direct path. But often God takes us on a different journey. Yes, there are challenges to overcome. Are we going to see only the challenges or trust in God's promises? Pointing out only the problems and roadblocks can derail us. But, moving forward with the knowledge of God's presence and faith in God's love and guidance can lead to success and glorious celebration. That's why we chose the theme Faithfully Forward for the Day of Giving, March 23, 2024. We hope that you will join your United Women in Faith sisters around the world on that day in celebration as we step Faithfully Forward, uniting hearts and hands to create a brighter, more compassionate tomorrow for women, children, and youth.

On September 17, 2023, United Women in Faith and the Office of Economic and Environmental Justice joined the March to End Fossil Fuels.

Welcome to a new year and to a new look for response!

The United Methodist General Conference takes place April 2024 in Charlotte. United Women in Faith will be there.

Sally Vonner's responsively Yours column from the Jan/Feb 2024 issue of response.

Our digital platform provides an online space for resources and community.

Colorado women's ministry with Native Americans features beadwork.

"… As you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me." (Matthew 25:40)

The season of Advent is not about waiting for the joy of Christ—it is about preparing for it.