Embarras River District Newsletter May, 2012

Embarras River District Mission Study

(Counts as the 4 hour mission study on your Goal Sheet)

Haiti

Presented by: Marlene Cummins (Marlene taught the study at 2011 SOCM)

June 13, 2012 9:30 - 12:00 (Lunch: $7.00 - No reservations needed.)

Shelbyville First UMC 205 W. Main

Bring donations of grooming supplies for area shelters.

Newsletter Contents Page 1........................Mission Study Poster Page 2…………………….Table of Contents President’s Letter Page 3…….…….….…..….Secretary’s Note Treasurer’s Note Page 4……………..………Communications Education and Interpretation Page 5……………...…Membership, Nurture and Outreach Program Resources

Page 6………………………….Social Action Cunningham Children’s Page 7………………………......Nominations Around the District Page 8….....................................Reminders Good Morning Page 9…………...…….Pictures from Spring Meeting Page 10…………….… ERD Dates for 2012

President

Sharon Niksch, 8845 N. Hwy 49, Casey, IL 62420, (217) 932-4316 or (217) 276-4194 (cell), sniksch@joink.com

Looking at the calendar, the summer months are almost around the corner. Everyone will be making plans that include the many activities of gardening, picnics, cookouts, vacations and other things that will include the family. No doubt it will be a busy time for all of us.

While schedules are being made, I hope many

of you will plan to be with other ladies from

the District to attend our Day Apart meeting

on June 13 at Shelbyville First. It will be our

mission study for the year on Haiti. Our

guest, Marlene Cummins, taught this study

last year at School of Christian Mission. It

promises to be an interesting study for

everyone.

Also this summer in early August is the annual School of Christian Mission which is held in Springfield. It is a great time to reacquaint yourselves with those of previous schools and make new friendships. This is also time to learn more about the work of our missions with the studies that are available to all. There will be time for some relaxation, time in the craft room, an opportunity to purchase books from the reading list and much more. What an opportunity to widen your horizons.

I am looking forward to seeing many of you

at our meetings this summer.

Sharon Niksch

IGRC UMW President Sally

Smith and ERD President

Sharon presented certificates

at the Spring meeting in April

Secretary

Lucy Dennis, 6640 E. 700th Ave., Robinson, IL 62454 (618) 544-8740, cldennis78@yahoo.com

MOTHER'S WORK (a Mother’s Day tribute)

A mother works and works and works. The willingness with which she does it is the chief contributions to a pleasant and happy family. It has been said that the thrush goes to work at half-past two every morning during the summer and works until nine-thirty at night--- a straight nineteen hours--during which it feeds its young over two hundred times.

The blackbird works seventeen hours and

feeds its little ones a hundred times a day.

In the home the energetic mother is up early and retires late. Like the hard- working bird, she does it for those who are so precious to her.

A man's work is from sun to sun, but a Mother's work is never done. Anonymous

Proverbs 31:15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

Treasurer

Joanne Downs, 217 Essex Ave., Mattoon, IL 61938 (217) 235-0840, jedowns@consolidated.net

Dear Treasurers:

Just a note to let you know my e-mail address is jedowns@consolidated.net. NOW IS THE TIME to think about Your financial plans and goals for 2013. I will need your pledge in August so I can make pledge cards for our district meeting in September. More to follow in the August Eddy.

REMEMBER to send in a remittance form any time you send money to me. If you need a gift card, let me know which one and I will send it to you. Pins need to be ordered soon to get them here for your UMW Sunday if that is when you present them.

On your Pin recognition form, REMEMBER to put your zip code along with your address so I don't have to look them up each time I send info to the district.

If you have questions, need forms, cards, or more info on 5-STAR AND RAINBOW status. call me at 217-235-0840. Hope to see you in Shelbyville at the Mission Day Apart Meeting.

Blessings to all, Joanne

Is your unit a Guardian Parent (Cunningham Children’s Home) AND a Caring

Neighbor (Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House)? Both programs provide for

“extras” that budgeted funds do not cover. If you have not pledged these

funds, think about doing it in the near future.

Communications

Jane Casey, 12740 E. State Hwy 33, Newton, IL 62448 (618) 783-2534, casey.larry.jane@gmail.com

Thanks to all those who sent articles for this issue of the “Eddy”. The items submitted by units were exactly what I had in mind when I asked for news of what is happening in your local units. Please send information for the August issue. The deadline is July 29. (I will

be at the June 13 Mission Study if you have something for the next issue, I would be happy to take it then. Let’s continue to communicate the many good things happening in UMW.

Education and Interpretation

Carol Kessler , P.O. Box 321, Shelbyville, IL 62565 (217) 774-5318, dckess@consolidated.net

Aren’t we so blessed with this weather? My garden has been in for a while now and growing along with the weeds. As I think about growing, I pray that you and your ladies are growing in mission. Please stress the importance of missions by reading Response articles, especially those that let them know where their money goes. As your District Treasurer, Joanne Downs, so excellently explained the financial goals of each unit at the spring meeting, it is up to the grass roots level, YOU, to do the best you can.

Also at the spring meeting, the skit titled “That Handful of Women” was present in a revised way to involved only three women instead of nine. Due to its length, it is not in this newsletter, but you can email me and I can send it to you as an attachment. With Sally Smith present at that meeting, there was talk of Bessie Slifer and me (along with a narrator) to present it at the 2012 School of Christian Mission. We need a volunteer unless Sharon Davis can be at the weekday school when we are. Any volunteers?

I can never express with enough feeling the

joy I have in learning and sharing at the

School of Christian Mission each summer.

This year will be my ninth, and I am mailing

my Form A- Adult Registration now, even

though it is not due until June 22 for the $10

savings rate. Your local president as well as

any woman attending the spring meeting has

a brochure that can be copied. I also

encourage you to use the 100% scholarship

available if you have never attended and/or

invite someone to go from your unit go. That

deadline is July 2. See the brochure for

details. We also always enjoy our young

women during the weekday school. You may

have some that would love this experience.

Study materials will hopefully be available at

our June Mission Study in Shelbyville. See

you then.

Praying you blessings,

Carol Kessler

Reminder: Dates for School of Christian Missions are Weekend…August

3-5, Weekday…August 5-8. Registration Deadline for the $10.00

discount is June 10.

Membership, Nurture and Outreach

Bessie Slifer, RR#1, Box 181, Mode, IL 62444 (217) 774-4887, bessieslifer@hofnetinc.com

I hope that you were able to attend the Spring meeting at Marshall. It was a blessing. I especially was uplifted by Patsy’s Devotion. If you haven’t read the “Noticer” yet. I would encourage you to get it and read it. Patsy made it so interesting that I went to the Christian bookstore and ordered it. I read it immediately and I gave it to my daughter to read and she started yesterday evening and is enjoying it too. The speaker from the Midwest Distribution Center was interesting and very informative. We collected many School bags and articles to fill them.

I hope that we will see many of you at the District Mission Study at Shelbyville first ;on June 13th. I want to remind you to bring grooming items to help men and women in Crises. You have always been faithful to do this and I am looking forward to a good response again. Have you ever attended the School of Christian Mission? If you haven’t you are eligible for a scholarship. the weekend school is Aug.3-5 and the weekday school is Aug.5-8. They are in Springfield. Ask your president or a District Officer about applying for a scholarship. I hope to see you in Shelbyville on June 13.

Program Resources

Sheryl Brandenburg, 30 Branson Dr., Neoga, 62447, (217) 895-3115

Sold (a summary of a current reading list book)

Patricia McCormick traveled to India and Nepal, where she interviewed the women of Calcutta’s red-light district and girls who have been rescued from the sex trade. From the stories the girls told she created the book Sold. The subject is horrific and ugly, the book is not. It is poetic and treats the victims with dignity and compassion. The book is not fun but it is moving and definitely worth reading.

Have you been poor—so poor that your food is the vegetables you grow in your small patch? You buy necessities by carrying bundles of wood down the mountains on your back? When your worthless husband steals the vegetables to

sell for gambling, and the monsoons wash away the rice paddy and you have nothing left, what do you do?

Have you been considered valueless? Your only worth is to serve your husband (you kneel at his feet, eat what he leaves, etc.) and produce boy babies. And ANY man is better than no man. As a woman “simply to endure…is to triumph”.

When you have no money and the landlord comes for the rent, and the storekeeper comes for bill payment, and the man wants payment for the seeds, what do you?

If you are a villager in Nepal you sell your

girl children many of whom wind up in

brothels in India.

Social Action

Jo Sanders, 22600 E US Hwy. 40, Marshall, 62441 (217) 826-6096, jws62441@gmail.com

There is a book “Green Church” that is on the current Reading list. It can also be ordered online. Our church has put some effort into becoming more “green” or trying little harder to take better care of God’s creation. I thought I would issue a challenge to any unit to try some small changes. That always seems to work for our Unit (it’s the secret of our reading success) It may take up to 2 or 3 months to begin a new habit but remembering to take reusable bags to the market instead of using plastic is worth it.. The petroleum in a bag would drive a car 36ft. Our church uses almost no paper kitchen products. We use carry out containers at our chili supper and occasionally paper dessert plates. We recycle everything we can from our kitchen with bins in our storage room. A very nice man takes

them to the recycling (perhaps something your Methodist Men could do). We have to go out of town to do any recycling. Our church office also recycles their paper. There is a small handmade wooden container at the back of the church for bulletins, children’s busy work, inserts etc. on Sunday morning. At home try to keep your trash pickup to one or two bags a week by recycling. And of course, we know that we in developed countries use much more of the earth’s resources than those in developing countries. I guess we need to try harder. We are all interested in what others are doing in this regard.

And God saw that it was good,

Jo Sanders, Social Action

CUNNINGHAM CHILDREN’S HOME

Shirley Harder, 403 E. Lincoln, Altamont, Il 62411 (618) 483-5339, harders57@yahoo.com

Thank you, thank you, thank you! for all you

do for Cunningham Children’s Home.

Thank you for all your support to make the

Quilt Show a success. This year we made

$39,000.

Thank you for all the gift cards, box tops and T-shirts you donated at the district meeting at Marshall First.

This summer would be a good time for you to

plan a field trip to Cunningham for your unit.

Please continue to save your Box Tops for

Cunningham. Maybe we can beat last year’s

record of 43,007 Box Tops. Let’s try!

If you are not a guardian parent, think about

becoming one…individually and/or as a unit.

This program gives the Cunningham kids the

extras that our own kids get to experience.

If you would like for your donations to CCH

to go toward the UMW Spiritual Life Center,

please earmark your donations. Unmarked

contributions go into the general fund.

It is not too early to think about sending your

youth to Mission Day next March…begin

planning now. Also make the Quilt Show next

spring part of your plans. The quilts are

beautiful, lovely gifts will be in the gift shop

and remember the baked goods.

We send our best wishes to Stephanie Lynge

and Liz Jumper. Liz will be moving to NYC

the first part of June. Stephanie plans to

retire the last of June. We appreciate all of

their help, all they have shared at our district

meetings and all they have contributed to the

Cunningham kids.

Have a great summer and if you need a

program be sure to call Marijon or me!! Your

unit can get credit for the Spirited Service

Award.

Blessings to you,

Shirley

Nominations

Carol Lee Newlin, 638 E. Court, Paris, IL, 61944 217-466-6775, clwan@frontier.com

Hello All!

I am writing as the "consultant" for the 1012 Committee on Nominations.

YOUR DISTRICT NEEDS YOU! The positions open for 2013 are EDUCATION AND INTERPRETATION and PROGRAM RESOURCES (book lady) as well as four people for the COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS.

Please let me know ASAP if you are willing to be on the District Executive Committee. It is such a REWARDING undertaking.

Around the District (What’s happening in the Local Units?)

Toledo UMW, Cumberland Parish

Several churches of the Cumberland Parish and the Toledo UMW heeded the call from the Conference UMW and the Midwest Mission Distribution Center to make and fill school bags with basic supplies. Sue Icenogle gave guidance and inspiration to the many that sewed and shopped. “Protractor” was a new word for many store clerks! A group from cottonwood UMC is shown with about half of the 84 bags. Supplies for another 50 bags were also collected. (In the 1

st row are: Sue

Icenogle, Edna Faye Cooley, and Carolyn Auger. In the second row are: Aften Peters, Jennifer Icenogle, Zachary

Morecraft, and Dorothy Cutright.)

Central UMW and EUMC Women, Oblong

Central UMW and the Women of EUMC combined for a meeting on April 10. There were 16 ladies present. The program, “International Ministry”, was presented by special guests, international students from Lincoln Trail College. Rose was from China and Claire came from South Korea. The young women told about their homes, families and experiences in Crawford County. Member Lucy Dennis shared information about international students from Sweden, Brazil and Hong Kong who had stayed in the Dennis’s home while in school in Crawford County.

Grace UMW, Newton

The annual Salad Luncheon will be on Friday, June 15. The menu will include a variety of salads, ham balls, hot rolls and beverages. Serving will be from 11:00 until 1. Suggested donation is $6.00. Gather a carload of ladies and come….there are some interesting shops in Newton.

Reminders: Dates, Deadlines and

other Information

Donations: Units that are planning to send gifts for Stephanie Lynge (retiring from Cunningham Home after many years) and Sally Smith (Conference UMW President whose term of 4 years is ending), need to be mail their donations to Joanne Downs, District Treasurer, by June 1. Deadlines for SOCM: June 1 for $10.00 reduced fee. June 22…Late Registration Deadline. July 16….Last day for Refunds. Newsletter Deadline: July 29 Pledge Deadline: August 1

When I say good morning I mean to say:

G….od O….ffers us His O….utstanding D….evotion to

M….ake us O….bedient & R….eady for a N….ew day with Him. I…..nspire others and N…ever forget

G…od loves you!

(anonymous)

Wow!! What a Successful Spring Meeting at Marshall!

The focus of the meeting was “Mission in Motion”. Pat Wright from Midwest Mission Distribution Center in Chatham spoke of the many things that are done by the Mission and told us ways that we could help. She left with a load of school bags and school supplies that Embarras District UMW units contributed to the MMDC. Total goods weighed 841 pounds

Officers enlightened members about the beginnings of UMW in the skit performed by MNO

Coordinator Bessie Slifer, E & I Coordinator. Carol Kessler and Vice President Sharon Davis

(with great audience participation). The skit is available from Carol Kessler.

Embarras River District United Methodist Women c/o Jane Casey 12740 E. State Hwy. 33 Newton, IL 62448

UMW DATES TO REMEMBER

July 23 District Executive Meeting Shelbyville Fourth St .

August 3-8 School of Christian Missions Northfield Inn, Springfield

September 13 District Annual Meeting Neoga Grace

September 16 UM W Sunday Local Church

October 6 Conference Annual Meeting Grace UMC Decatur

October 27 Local Officer’s Update TBA

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