UMW Communicator Long Beach D i s t r i c t

UMW News le t te r

Forms and Flyers:

LBD Secretary Form Mission Today Form Celebrating With Diversity Flyer LBD Local Leadership

Training Event Flyer Mini Mission u Flyer LBD Spring Annual

Awards Dinner Flyer Communicator

Subscription form

Inside this issue:

President 1

Vice President 2

Treasurer 3

Incoming Treasurer 4

Social Action 5

Looking Ahead 6

Elected 2014 Slate of Officers 7

Liaison List 8

Secretary 9

Spiritual Growth 9

Education Coordinator 10

Membership Coordinator 11

Committee on Nominations 10

November 2013

Greetings United Methodist Women of the Long Beach District, It is with great pleasure and honor that I am able to communicate some of the events that have taken place. I was espe-cially grateful to attend the CAL-PAC Leadership Team meetings at Methodist Hospital in Arcadia. What an amazing, dedicated and very talented group of United Methodist Women, in Mission! I am so looking forward to two years of terrific happenings. There is a new project starting, “Imagine No Malaria.” The dvd is available should you decide to have a program on this or use it at a UMW or church event. Let me know if you want me to send it to you. We continue to support the National Division Projects within the California-Nevada Con-ference: David and Margaret Youth and Family

Services, La Verne, CA Neighborhood House of Calexico, Inc.,

Calexico, CA Susannah Wesley Community Center,

Honolulu, Hawaii Toberman Neighborhood Center, San

Pedro, CA CAL-PAC has Board representatives for each of these project agencies and each district also has a Board representative to one of the project agencies. Please consid-er asking them to speak on the project at a Circle or General Organizational meeting! There are three local projects within the Conference and donations may be sent directly to these projects. (these funds would become part of the 40% of actual income of the organization). Methodist Hospital of Southern Califor-

nia, Arcadia, CA Metro, San Diego, CA New Entra Casa, San Diego, CA

The Long Beach District UMW Annual Cele-bration, Election and Installation of Officers was a great start to the new year! Those in attendance heard the beginnings of the study on “The Church and People with Disabilities.” We are called to respond lovingly to all, con-centrating on strengths! All of the Leadership Team were installed by Rev. Dr. Kathey Wil-born. She enthusiastically blessed us to serve and presented gifts reflective of each position! We applauded the new organizations Samoan Mainland UMW Cluster and Long Beach Unit-ed With Hope Tongan UMW! Later at the Leadership Team meeting, we agreed to con-tinue the Organization Partner program. Please see the listing of these so you will know who is your LBD Leadership Team member contact (on page 6.) I am writing this article prior to the CAL-PAC Conference Annual Celebration knowing it will have been such an inspiring and joyful time of learning, fellowship and praise. When United Methodist Women gather, we embrace one another and show our love of the Lord in all that we do. If you attended “The Power of Sisterhood” event, don’t forget to share some of the experiences with others. Lastly, I urge each of you to save the date and attend the January 18, 2014 Local Or-ganization UMW Leadership Training, a joint training with Long Beach and Santa Ana. We hope all of you will take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about the work of United Methodist Women. The sharing of ideas is always a highlight of the training time together. Blessings as you work in Mission, Mary Ross

President’s Corner

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Vice President: Hello, all you wonderful Friends! I would like to thank all of the Organizations a.k.a. Units within the Long Beach District for open-ing your doors for our Long Beach District events over the last 8 years. I believe nearly every organization has hosted an event and has worked so hard to make our District events memora-ble. If you unit has not hosted an event, give me a call and I’m sure we will accommodate you. Our Local Leadership Training Event will be a joint event with the Santa Ana District. All local officers should be attending. Please see the registration flyer in this newsletter on page 16. The Long Beach District will be offering the “Roma of Europe” Mission u Study at Lakewood First on Saturday April 26 from 1-4 p.m. Registration, light refreshments and book browsing will be of-fered from 12:30 – 1:00 p.m. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn about the people we know as the Gypsies, and their struggles within Europe, and how as UMW we can help. This year’s Spring Awards Dinner and Celebration will be held at Toberman Neighborhood Cen-ter…a first for our District. We are seeking the assistance of our units which are in close prox-imity to Toberman NC to help with our meal arrangements, registration table, decorating the room, and a pianist. Flyers for the upcoming 2014 Events are included in this November 2013 Communicator. I know all of your units are busy with your own events. If you’d like to share these UMW events with everyone, please let Tien Vo-Doan our Communications Coordinator know (communicatorlb@aol.com). Once again, thanks to all of you who are working for the betterment of the lives of women, youth and children, as the hands and voice of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Much love and thanks, Laura Wilson, LBD – Vice President

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News from your Long Beach District Treasurer: News from your Long Beach District Treasurer,

We are finally in the Fall Season of the year and I wanted to touch base with each and every Local Treasurer. Our year will soon be coming to an end and you need to get your pledges in, so I can send them on to the Conference Treasurer. This is how we stand as of October 31st.

Only 5 STAR GIVING is counted towards our PLEDGE! At this time we are $12,021.07 short.

TOTAL: $ 36,355.19 from all monies.

2014 Pledge is $46,000.00

I want to thank all the Local Organizations that have sent in their money. Since we are way under our Pledge, please send in your 5 Star giving as soon as you can, so we can make our Pledge to Conference! DEADLINE FOR 2013 PLEDGES is DECEMBER 15th. Those Organizations that have not sent in their money for the Conference Directory ($5.00), their 2012 Audit’s or their Year End Reports for 2013 with the amount of next years Pledge, please send them to me as soon as possible.

My term as District Treasurer is ending Dec. 31. You will start sending your remittances to our New District Treasurer: Patricia Colon, 4820 W. 118th. St., Apt. 14, Hawthorne, CA. 90250. Phone # 424-264-8133, E-mail is verocolon98@gmail.com. Patricia is a member of Hawthorne UMC as well as their UMW President. Financially yours, Barbara Smith, Long Beach Treasurer Redbarroness1@aol.com, 310-328-7240, 2560 Eldorado St., Torrance, CA. 90503

Mission Giving $30,420.78 Special Mission Recognition 1,160.00 Gift to Missions 545.00 Gift in Memory 555.00 World Thank Offering 1,298.15 _____________ Total lines 1 thru 5 $ 33,978.93 Call to Prayer and Self Denial $ 1,304.25 UMCOR 10.00 No More Malaria 21.00 Candle of Commitment 1,036.01 Conference Directory 5.00 _____________ $ 2,376.26

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Incoming Treasurer: My name is Patricia Veronica Colon, born in Lima – Peru. I am the President of the United Meth-odist Women unit of Hawthorne. My job in the United Methodist Church is as the Community De-veloper, and I am an active member for 5 years. I feel very blessed by God because in difficult moments, He has sent someone to confirm that I am His daughter. I‘ll do my best and trust in God. I have been elected for Long Beach District Treasurer for next year. Thanks. Mi nombre es Patricia Veronica Colon, naci en Lima- Peru, soy la Presidenta de la Unidad Metodista de Mujeres de Hawthorne.Soy la Organizadora Comuni-taria de la Iglesia Metodista unida de Hawthorne; también miembro activa por 5 anos.Me siento muy bendecida por Dios porque en mo-mentos difíciles me a hecho sentir su presencia o a enviado alguien para confirmarme que soy su hija. Estoy nominada por el Distrito de Long Beach para Tesorera del 2014. La unidad de Hawthorne se reúnen los Viernes de 6:30 p.m a 8:30 p.m. Gracias Patricia Veronica Colon

Elected 2014 Officers Long Beach District UMW

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Social Action Update: My name is Christine Gilbert, and I am honored to serve as Long Beach District Mission Coordinator for Social Action. My home church is Bellflower First United Methodist Church. I am finishing up my year as Bellflower Vice-President, having been President for the previous three years. At Mission U, I attended the Roma study, and would be available to give programs on that study or other topics (given some lead time).

At District Officer Training (D’Lite), Suzy James, Cal-Pac Mission Coordinator for Social Action, gave the following issues as 2013 National Level priorities: human trafficking, immigration and civil rights, climate change, and domestic violence. After discussion among the District Mission Coordinators for Social Action present, one Cal-Pac conference priority for 2014 was agreed upon: “Immigration and Human Rights.”

Local organizations may choose to study and do projects related to any of the national or conference priority levels.

One way to stay updated on issues is to join the United Methodist Women Action Network. Once joining, you will receive “Action Alerts” about issues which need immediate attention. To sign up to be in the network, go the United Methodist Women website: new.gbgm-umw.org. Click on the tab “Act” and on the right hand side, you will find “Network.” Click on the tab to fill out the form to sign up. You may also view Action Alerts directly from the “Act” page, as well as download the 2013 update of the Racial Justice Manual Workshops and the Hope and Hospitality Manual.

Please let me know if you need help with any of these electronic resources.

Other ways to find out about social action is to United Methodist Women events, such as officer train-ing (LITE), Cal-Pac Conference Mid-winter event, and coming in 2014, Assembly, which is held every four years—this time the theme is “Make It Happen” will be in Louisville, Ky., at the Kentucky Interna-tional Convention Center April 25-27, 2014, with an optional, pre-event Ubuntu Day of Service Thursday April 24. Registration cost increases on Nov. 30, 2013, so if you are interested, plan to register before.

I look forward to hearing from you or seeing you at United Methodist Wom-en events. As part of the largest church women’s organization in the United States, we have strength in our sisterhood!

Praying that we be given the strength to be God’s hands and feet for oth-ers in the world, Christine Gilbert Email: cgilbert4umw@gmail.com Cell: (562) 375-2386

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Looking Ahead...

November 30, 2013: 1st Annual Celebration in Diversity Event. Grand Avenue UMC. 2121 North Grand Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92705. 10am—2pm.

Registration Fee: FREE! January 18, 2014: Joint LLTE (Local Leadership Training Event) with Santa Ana

District - Norwalk UMC. 13000 San Antonio Dr., Norwalk, CA 90650. 9:00am—Noon. Registration Fee: $5.00.

February 15, 2014: Mid-Winter Cal-Pac UMW. Location TBA. April 25-27, 2014: National UMW Assembly. Louisville, Kentucky. April 26, 2014: Mini Mission u—The Roma of Europe Study. Lakewood First UMC,

4300 Bellflower Blvd., Lakewood, CA 90713. Noon- 4 p.m. Registration Fee: $5.00. May 14, 2014: Spring Annual Awards Dinner. Toberman Neighborhood Center. 131 North Grand Ave., San Pedro, CA 90731. 5:00-8:30pm. Registration Fee: $12.00. June 21, 2014: Cal-Pac UMW Luncheon. Redlands, CA. July 17-20, 2014: CAL-PAC UMW Mission u. Biola University. 13800 Biola Ave.,

La Mirada, CA, 90639. September 20, 2014: LBD Annual Celebration and Installations of Officers. Bell-

flower First UMC. 14525 Bellflower Blvd., Bellflower, CA 90706. TBD. October 25, 2014: Cal-Pac UMW Annual Celebration. 8am—2:30pm.

In memory of Betty Garcia

Betty Garcia, much loved and admired UMW sister of Los Altos UMC, passed away in October due to health complications. Betty has held many positions of leadership within the Los Altos UMW, as well as Social Action Coordinator in the Long Beach District. Her memorial service was held on Friday, Nov. 1 at Los Altos UMC, Long Beach. Our prayers go forth to her family and friends.

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First Year of First Term: PRESIDENT: Mary Ross 30177 Rhone Drive Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 Church: Riviera UMC Email: mmgatross@aol.com Phone: (310) 544-4417 TREASURER: Patricia Colon 4820 W.118th Street, Apt. #14 Hawthorne, CA 902590 Church: Hawthorne UMC Email: verocolon98@gmail.com Phone: (424) 264-8133 PROGRAM RESOURCES COORDINATOR: Elice Jenssen 1240 W. 21st Street San Pedro, CA 90731 Church: San Pedro UMC Email: elicejenssen@gmail.com Phone: (424) 215-4664 Second Year of First Term: SECRETARY Lori Ramsey 5909 Graywood Avenue Lakewood, CA 90712 Church: Lakewood First UMC Email: jdramsey@prodigy.net Phone: (562) 920-3507 SPIRITUAL GROWTH COORDINATOR: Retha Meredith 925 W. 156 Street Compton, CA 90220 Church: Crossroads UMC Email: r-meredith@sbcglobal.net Phone: (310) 631-4668 First Year of Second Term: EDUCATION COORDINATOR: Betty Lopez (Co-Coordinator) 1910 Graham Avenue Redondo Beach, CA 90278 Church: Torrance First UMC Email: zepolab@hotmail.com Phone: (310) 376-4400

Elected 2014 Officers for the Long Beach District UMW:

VICE PRESIDENT: Laura Wilson 12542 Paramount Blvd. Apt. #323 Downey, CA 90242 Church: Trinity-Lakewood UMC Email: bellflaura@aol.com Phone: (310) 489-8741 SOCIAL ACTION COORDINATOR: Christine Gilbert 5318 E. 2nd Street Apt. #235 Long Beach, CA 90803 Church: Bellflower First UMC Email: cgilbert4UMW@gmail.com Phone: (562) 375-2386 CHAIR, COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS: Charity Currie 119 E. 57th Street Long Beach 90805 Church: Crossroads UMC Email: blkbeauty1313@gmail.com Phone: (562) 489-5867 COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR: Tien Vo-Doan 341 Concord Street, Apt. C El Segundo, CA 90245 Church: Torrance Hope UMC Email: communicatorlb@aol.com Phone: (916) 548-9844

MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR: Laura Wilson, Vice President, acting until filled. OPEN: self nominations and nominations welcome

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LONG BEACH DISTRICT UMW LEADERSHIP TEAM LIASON UNITS Attention Local Organization Members: These are the Long Beach District organization partners for the 2014 year. Each UMW Leadership Team partner will be contacting the organization (formerly unit) president or main contact person throughout the year to provide information on upcoming events, check on the status of the organization, and schedule a personal visit during the year. The local organization may contact the Long Beach District Leadership Team member to invite her to their organization meeting, circle meetings, and/or discuss situations which arise in the organization, requiring an answer from the UMW District or UMW CAL-PAC Conference. Please remember that your Leadership Team partner is only a call or an e-mail away.

Retha Meredith - Spiritual Growth Coordinator email: r-meredith@sbcglobal.net Phone: 310-367-1110 Organization Partners: Trinity-Lakewood, Lakewood First, Grace Christine Gilbert - Social Action Coordinator email: cgilbert4UMW@gmail.com Phone: 562-375-2386 Organization Partners: Faith and Hope Charity Currie - Chair, Committee on Nominations email: blkbeauty1313@gmail.com Phone: 562-489-5867 Organization Partners: Los Altos and Riviera Elice Jenssen- Mission Coordinator for Program Resources email: elicejenssen@gmail.com Phone: 424-215-4664 Organization Partners: Redondo First and Rolling Hills Donna Johnson - Conf. Communications Coordinator email: donnaj0964@aol.com Phone: 562-544-9919 Organization Partners: Long Beach United with Hope Tongan and Samoan Mainland UMW Cluster Temporarily Mary Ross - President email: mmgatross@aol.com Phone: 310-544-4417 Organization Partners: Torrance Korean, Kum Ran, and Zion Korean

Mary Ross—President email: mmgatross@aol.com Phone: 310-544-4417 Organization Partners: Crossroads, Compton First and El Segundo Laura Wilson—Vice President email: bellflaura@aol.com Phone:310-489-8741 Organization Partners: Walteria and Wilmington First Tien Vo-Doan—Communications Coordinator email: communicatorlb@aol.com Phone:916-548-9844 Organization Partners: Bellflower First and Dominquez Patricia Colon - Treasurer email: verocolon98@gmail.com Organization Partners: San Pedro and Seal Beach First Betty Lopez - Education Coordinator email: zepolab@hotmail.com Phone: 310-376-4400 Organization Partners: Hollypark and Lennox Tongan Jackie Vazquez - Conf. Spanish Language Coordinator email:jv0624@hotmail.com Phone: 562-361-3635 Organization Partners: Hawthorne, Huntington Park, Maywood and Paramount Lori Ramsey - Secretary email: jdramsey@prodigy.net Phone: 562-920-3507 Organization Partners: Torrance First and Torrance Fetu Ao Samoan

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Well, I am starting another year as secretary with some new people on our District Board - and missing some old ones. It has been very exciting, as I have been attending a lot of functions, meeting a lot of new people, and attending UMW churches I had never attend-ed. I am really learning a lot!!!

As your secretary, I have to take a lot of notes, maintain records and also take attend-ance. It would be really beneficial to your UMW organization to have at least one rep-resentative at every function - 2 or 3 so you can carpool. We have the Local Leadership Training Event, a mini Mission u, and Spring Celebration already planned WITH DATES AND LOCA-TIONS!! Please come and share in the many blessings.

Mailed out was a request for your new 2013-2014 Offic-ers. For your convenience, the same form has been attached to this newsletter on page 12. Please mail or email me your infor-mation ASAP.

Thanks!

Lori Ramsey, District Secretary

Secretary:

Praise the LORD United Methodist Women! Celebrate the culmination of one Christian year and look for-

ward with joyful anticipation to another. Let us do as King David said in Psalms 34 verse 3 (please read all

verses), “O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.” Through times of refreshing,

times of pain, times of laughter, times of rain, we as United Methodist Women know the LORD has been, is

and will continue to be good to us. As Thanksgiving approaches, we are ever thankful for the many bless-

ings the Lord has given us. These blessings include material blessings, family and friends, jobs, church homes

etc. But most importantly, we thank God for the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ.

(Ephesians 1:3) Let us meditate on the season, prepare our hearts for service and our lives to shine as living

testimonies of God’s grace, love and mercy. Live the heart of God, walk in

his Word, show his love, and be gracious to all. Most of all as Matthew

24:44 (KJV) states, “Therefore be ye also ready for in an hour that ye

think not the Son of man cometh.” Let us celebrate the Advent and the

soon return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Retha Meredith, Spiritual Growth Coordinator

Spiritual Growth Coordinator:

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Hello Ladies, It is time to remind you that your Mission Today Form should be completed and mailed to me by Nov. 15, 2013. By completing these forms now we will be able to enjoy our next few weeks of Holiday celebrations with our wonderful families without feeling pressured. I know it is an earlier date than last year, but we all know that UMW celebrate and enjoy each other and our families during the months of November and December If you still have Mission Today events planned during the month of November and December, please feel free to include them. A copy of the form will be included in this newsletter on pages 13-14. JJ Gabriella

I would like to wish you and your family a happy and healthy Holiday Season. Al and I will be celebrating with our family and the two new Great Grand Kids, JJ and Gabriella. We would like to share a photo with you. Love and Blessings, Betty

Education Coordinator:

Hello, my name is Charity Currie. I am a member of Crossroads UMC in Compton, CA. My senior pastor is Roy Porter. I am a returning UMW member, having been part of the Women’s Society of Christian Service in the Wesleyan Service Guild. I am a mother, grandmother, and a great grandmother. Now I am happy to serve as your District person on the Chair of Nominations. In training, I learned that our Committee has the responsibility for choosing the right women for the right positions. Also, we are no longer units, but are local organizations.

We need your help. There are positions that need to be filled in the district. If you feel called to serve or know of someone you feel is qualified in any field please submit their information to our Committee and we will follow up. It is my privilege to assume the role of Chari person on Nominations and with God’s help we will work towards showing God’s love in action within the UMW organization.

Yours in Christ, Charity Currie Email: blkbeauty1313@gmail.com; Phone: 562-489-5867

Chair, Committee on Nominations:

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Dear Membership Coordinators and Presidents of UMW local organizations: Yes, there are several name changes as you can see in my greeting to you. Mission Coordinator for Membership, Nurture and Outreach has now been shortened to Member-ship Coordinator and our local unit is no longer called a “unit,” but “organization.” It will take a little time to get used to the new terminology. Membership in your local organization is not limited to just members of your church, any woman can become a member of your organization, as long as they express the desire to join UMW, so this includes your friends outside your church. Making a monetary pledge to UMW is not a require-ment for membership, but it is through our pledges that women, youth and children are assisted. It is through our pledges that our national projects are supported, as well as supporting local pro-jects. Many of our local organizations are going through changes. We need to think “outside” the box in order to bring in new members of all ages. Remember your pastor is an honorary member of UMW, whether your pastor is a woman or man. Your annual Membership Count form for 2013 was either given to one of your members, who at-tended the September Long Beach District Annual Meeting at Hollypark UMC, or it was mailed to you. A similar form is also available online at the Cal-Pac Conference website. This form is to be completed and included within your church’s Annual Conference packet. In order to reflect an ac-curate membership census of your organization for 2013, the deadline date is extended to January 31, 2014. Please send the form to:

Laura Wilson, Vice President Long Beach District UMW

12542 Paramount Blvd., #323 Downey, CA 90242 or email @bellflaura@aol.com

The position of Membership Coordinator for the District is currently vacant. Please contact Charity Currie, Chair for the Committee of Nominations, if you are interested in fill-ing the position. We are looking for a UMW member just like you! Membership in UMW means so many different things to each woman. But, to each of us, it should mean that we are in service to our Lord, Jesus Christ and to the betterment of women, children and youth in our community, nation and the world! God bless each and everyone during the upcoming Thanksgiving Season. Let us be in an Attitude of Gratitude. Let us remember that Christ is to be the center of our Christmas celebrations. Enjoy! Laura Wilson, Vice President and Acting, Membership Coordinator

Membership Coordinator:

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Long Beach District UMW

Tien Vo-Doan

Long Beach District UMW, Communications Coordinator

341 Concord Street, Apt. C

El Segundo, CA 90245

Email: communicatorlb@aol.com

Mobile: (916) 548-9844

Our Purpose The organized unit of United Methodist Women

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.