United Methodist Women

Purpose of United            Methodist Women • 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.

Membership and Circle Information

United Methodist Women is open to women of all faiths – you don't have to be a member of St. John's United Methodist Church – or a United Methodist – or pay a fee – to belong. Joining the UMW is a wonderful way to make new friends, to have fellowship time, and to support various outreach and mission projects. St. John's UMW is comprised of three circles, which meet monthly; the Friends (UMW members at large) and Kaleidoscope (girls in high school through college) circles, which do not meet, but support the UMW's programs; and the Sunshine Circle, which does not meet, but keeps in touch with and gives support to shut-ins, caregivers, the sick, the bereaved, and those in crisis. To join one of the circles listed below, please contact the church office, or send us an email:

St John's UMW "Gerry Daggett" Scholarship for Women

St. John's UMW "Gerry Daggett Scholarship for Women" is a scholarship for women, 17 years of age or older, who are seeking tuition assistance. The scholarship is available to high school seniors and women accepted into an accredited college/university program or other vocational program. Applicants must be active members of St. John's United Methodist Church for one year. Those interested in applying for a scholarship, or in making a donation to the scholarship fund, should contact the president of St. John's UMW.

Church Women United

Church Women United (CWU) is a movement in which church women come together in a visible fellowship to witness their faith in Jesus Christ as divine Lord and Savior, and, enabled by His Spirit, go out together into every neighborhood and nation as instruments of His reconciling love. The local and state units have many on-going programs, including stuffing Salvation Army stockings at Christmas for children and youth; they also financially support such organizations as HAVEN, RIF, American Bible Society, and the Chaplaincy Fund of Fairfax Hospital. The Fellowship of the Least Coin (pennies saved and turned in to CWU) helps provide daycare centers, farm equipment, schools, and hospitals in impoverished countries.

Church Women United has three major meetings a year, which are held on the first Friday of the month at local churches from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon. They are: World Day of Prayer in March; May Friendship Day in May; and World Community Day in November. All women of the church are invited to participate in these ecumenical fellowships.

World Thank Offering

The World Thank Offering is a way to say "Thank you God" for our many blessings. We encourage each member to keep a small container or bank at home to drop her change in throughout the year. The funds, which are turned in at the November circle meetings, are used to support UMW mission projects in the United States and around the world.

Women's Prayer Breakfast

Annually, the St. John's UMW sponsors a "Call to Prayer and Self-Denial Program" held on a Saturday morning in February or March. It is an opportunity for continuing our education about the UMW's mission involvement, and specifically the needs of women, children and youth around the world. Each year the program focuses on a current UMW issue, which is presented by our unit's Spiritual Growth Coordinator, and at that time contributions may be made to support the issue. The breakfast is open to all women and their guests, whether they are – or are not – members of the UMW or the United Methodist Church.

Candle Burning

The Virginia Conference United Methodist Women sponsors this channel of undesignated giving. This is one way our unit can contribute to UMW missions that benefit women, children To participate, a UMW member gives 60 cents (.60) per second or a flat amount in honor of, or in memory of, a special person in her life. A candle is burned at local, District, and Conference meetings to represent the number of seconds donated. We distribute forms and collect donations in the Fall, and burn a candle at our December general meeting.

For more information please send us an email.

UMW NEWS

The Link, the newsletter published by the VA Conference UMW, reports that the districts in the VA Conference UMW contributed a grand total of $959,014.94 to the 2013 Mission Giving: $103,111.52 was earmarked for Virginia projects.

UMCOR Kits

Once again, St. John's UMW will be collecting kits (or monetary donations) to help replenish the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) supply. There is a need for all types of kits, which are sent to people in disaster emergencies in the U.S. and around the world. Instructions for assembling the supplies for each kit are listed in the UMW 2013 Directory. All items included in kits must be NEW items. All kits are carefully planned to make them useful in the greatest number of situations. Since strict rules often govern product entry into international countries, it is important that the kits contain only the requested items - -nothing more, nothing less. You may also make a donation and UMCOR will prepare the kit for you: Baby/Layette Kit ($35), Birthing Kit ($8), Health Kit ($13 – includes $1 to purchase toothpaste), School Kits ($11), and Sewing Kits ($18) and Emergency Clean-up Buckets($50). Please give your kit, a check for the value of a kit or a donation to Vicki H. (703-256-2246) by June 10 for delivery to the Virginia Annual Conference. Please include an additional $1 for shipping each kit ($3 for Clean-up buckets).

Upcoming Events

There are many activities and programs at St John�s UMW. We hope that you will see something here that interests you and contact us for what UMW has to offer!