UMW New Name

Happy Anniversary to United Methodist Women, March 2022 is our 153rd year!

AND

Happy Birthday to United Women in Faith!

This month we celebrate the anniversary of United Methodist Women (UMW), so named in 1972, formerly the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society created in 1869. In UMW’s 153 years, we have had more than 25 names. Our flexibility represents our hope for the future. This month, as we celebrate our 153rd year of UMW, we also introduce our new name for our new time, United Women in Faith.

What is not changing is this, we remain the official women’s organization of The United Methodist Church. Our vision remains the same: Turning faith, hope, and love into action for women, children, and youth around the world.

Our name change is part of a refreshing of the organization including new and improved programs to nurture current members and welcome new women to join us. The changes are designed to address the different needs and life stages of current members, welcome new members, and expand options for membership and engagement. This year we are taking our fate into our own hands and declaring our bold future as United Women in Faith, connecting and nurturing women. Our new name is intended to better reflect who we are and who we want to be.

The goal of United Women in Faith is to remain modern, inclusive, and relevant. “A United Methodist General Conference is scheduled to take place this year, no matter what happens at General Conference, churches will leave the denomination and the denomination will change. Our new name lets women know they can remain a part of our United Women in Faith organization and lets them know we will not leave them behind.” Yvette Moore, Response, Mar 2022, p 34.

United Women in Faith is inclusive, supportive, curious, bold leaders for justice who will change the world. Do you want to be a part of the future that will make this happen? We invite United Methodist women and other like-minded women to join us because love in action can change the world.

Our new mission statement is: “United Women in Faith seeks to connect and nurture women through Christian spiritual formation, leadership development, creative fellowship, and education so that they can inspire, influence, and impact local and global communities.”

In an effort to accurately communicate these changes I have utilized quotes and summarized text as documented in the March 2022 Response magazine and March 2, 2022, UMW press release announcement.

You can learn more at uwfaith.org. Check it out and feel free to ask questions.

For more information about Long’s Chapel Women in Faith groups, please contact Kristin Gruner, president, at kristingruner@live.com or 1-828-246-4006.