by Linda Henson

Belmont and Edgehill United Methodist Women are sponsoring a joint mission study on Palestine and Israel, led by the Rev. Judith Hoffman, pastor of Edgehill. The study will be held on two Wednesdays, May 14 and May 21, from 4:30-7:30pm in Parker Hall at Belmont UMC. Rev. Hoffman will present the history, current situations, and potential future developments of Palestine and Israel, and attendees will be able to ask questions and discuss the issues.

The cost is $6.00 per person and reservations are required for dinner. Call 383-0832 no later than Monday, May 12 to make yours. Childcare will be available.

Rev. Hoffman delivered a version of this program last summer at Scarritt-Bennett for the Christian Mission Education event, which drew rave reviews. If you have a more in-depth interest in the topic a book is available for $20.

Everyone is invited so make plans to join us for this richly informative and provocative program!

by Linda Henson

The new United Methodist Women’s Circle at Belmont now has a name; it’s the Ruth Circle. Membership is at 13 after two meetings. The Ruth Circle meets the second Thursday of every month at 10 a.m. in the Iris Room.

At the second meeting of the Ruth Circle, Sue Mather gave an interesting and informative slide show and talk on Malawi, its people, and the needs of its women and children.

Ruth members raised $316 that day for gasoline for Moty Mhone, the wife of the main pastor that Herb Mather has worked with on the mission trips he has led from Belmont in recent years. Moty has just gotten her driver’s license and will use the car the Mathers left for the Methodist church in Malawi after their fall 2007 stay to visit the wives of the pastors of other villages with information on healthcare, nutrition and starting small businesses to help with their families’needs. Gas is $5 a gallon in Malawi and the average income is extremely low.

The next meeting of the Ruth Circle is on May 8 and you are invited to join us.

Dot Anderson will be the featured speaker at the District (all Nashville area units) United Methodist Women (UMW) Spring meeting, to be held at 9 a.m. on April 19, at Belle Meade United Methodist Church.

Dot’s topic will be "Mission: Yesterday, Today, and Forever." When asked to elaborate, Dot said, "The Christian belief in mission - crossing boundaries with the good news of Christ - goes back to the time of Jesus himself. What we have done in the recent past can inspire us in the new ways we are in mission today, and can help us witness in the future. Our fellowship in United Methodist Women is fundamentally built on our belief in mission."

All Belmont UMW members are encouraged to attend.

by Linda Henson

Belmont’s United Methodist Women held their annual "Call to Prayer and Self-Denial" event in mid-March to increase awareness of the educational, health and safety issues facing women and children around the world, with about 26 UMW members attending. A total of $622 was collected that day to benefit UMW mission programs globally which address these needs. Gayle Sullivan and Betty Moore provided music and Shirley Bassler planned the program with Mary Jo Irby, Betty Moore and Dot Anderson speaking.

Dot took information for her talk from the Oct 07 issue of Response (available in the Anderson Library) and showed that 352 programs and institutions in 75 countries worldwide benefit from UMW mission donations. There are 15 in the Middle East, 71 in Africa, 15 in Europe (mostly in Russia and the Baltic states), 65 on the Asia mainland, 17 in the Pacific Islands, 35 in South America, 18 in the Caribbean, 15 in Mexico, and 101 in the U.S. Shirley and Dot are shown above with a visual representation of the locations of these mission programs.

Some of the problems being combated in the Philippines, for example, include poverty, religious persecution and forced child labor. There are 2 million homeless children on the streets in the Philippines. In other areas of the world, abuses can be even worse. Here in the U.S., Belmont’s own Michael Jordan, son of Mary Kaye and Louis Jordan and grandson of Louise Jordan, teaches in one of the U. S. mission programs.

Profits from the United Methodist Women’s sale of fair-trade organic coffees and teas before Christmas totaled nearly $900, and 100 percent of these proceeds will go to support UMW missions.

Sue Smith, UMW Social Action Chair, managed the coffee sale, staffed by volunteer UMW members. "We were so pleased with the results of our holiday sale of fair-trade coffees and teas. Our markup was quite low—we kept our prices a good bit lower than those in grocery stores and specialty shops where organic products are sold, but Belmonters’ support was so great that we cleared nearly $900 for mission programs. We really appreciate the good turnout and have had very positive feedback on the taste of our coffees and teas. We’ll be having another, briefer sale in the spring and one at Christmas this year."

Belmont’s UMW Executive Committee met recently and decided to use a significant portion of the profits to provide a teacher for one year and the materials needed for an Adult Literacy Program in Malawi villages. This initiative will benefit women and children. Knowledge and skill with the language will increase opportunities for villagers and their families in many ways.

UMW to begin new circle

Belmont’s United Methodist Women are now more than 160 strong, in six different circles. A new circle is about to begin. Please come to an informative get-together on Thursday, March 13, at 10 a.m. in room 120, whether you’d like to be part of a new circle or join an existing one.

Each circle has as its purpose that members develop spiritually; form a cohesive, supportive sisterhood; and support the global missions of the church. Circles generally meet once each month at different times and places, and have activities such as book discussions, speakers on various topics, retreats, luncheons, and study programs. The circles support missions locally and globally.

Mark your calendar and join us. If you’d like to talk with someone beforehand, please call Linda Henson at 646-1712, or Pat Ziegler, 292-1162.