Purpose
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 community and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church.
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Desert Southwest Conference News
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Mission u - Summer 2021
Learning Together for Transformation of the World
Each year, United Methodist Women members prepare for faithful living and action by engaging in transformative educational experiences at Mission u events. These events are centered around Mission u curricula that are designed to motivate, inform, and enrich our commitment to global ministry.
Local leaders are trained to lead one of the Mission u curricula through the organization’s Mission u Training Events. Those leaders, in turn lead the curricula at their conference Mission u events and in their local and district groups.
Our first session was held June 25-26, 2021. Join us in the summer of 2021 for three outstanding studies
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July 23-24, 2021
Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools - 2021 Issue Mission Study
Despite increased attention to the mass and over-incarceration of black men, the plight of criminalized black women and girls is overlooked, under reported and under analyzed. Monique W. Morris’ Pushout shows how even with obstacles, stigmas, stereotypes and despair, black girls still find ways to breathe remarkable dignity into their lives in classrooms, juvenile facilities and beyond, and challenges the rest of us to do the same.
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August 13-14, 2021
Bearing Witness in the Kin-dom: Living Into the Church’s Moral Witness through Radical Discipleship
The purpose of this study is to help the church and its members discern our call and bear witness to the will of God for a more just world.
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From the President ...
Alberta Farnsworth, president
Mission u in June was a great success and I am looking forward to July’s Mission u and also the one in August. We learned so much about "Becoming Peacemakers in a Culture of Violence" in a presentation geared to youth, but so appropriate to even those of us who were youth many years ago!
One of my devotional readings this past month was 2 Samuel 5: 1 - 10. This is the story of when King David established his capital in the city of Jerusalem. In the reading, written by James Harnish, he explains that, as a lectionary reading, verses 6-8 are left out. These verses talk about the Jebusite residents mocking David by saying that the blind and lame could defeat him. In retaliation, David then specifically shuts the blind and lame out of the city. Pastor Harnish compares this exclusion with the way history often excludes the ugly stories of racism, injustice and violence when telling the stories of the past. He says, “Through all the ugly stories in David’s life, God never gave up on him.” I love how this gives us hope that, in spite of our personal and national past, God does forgive and we will find a better way in the future.
On a personal note, I want to thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers as my mother went through her hospice journey and death. She was one of those people who could never stand being late (on time is late!) and would often say of someone else, “She will be late to her own funeral.” The hearse was rear ended as it was bringing her ashes to the cemetery, and, in a strange turn of fate, she was late to her own funeral!
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Desert Southwest Conference of United Methodist Women
Annual Celebration
“Come Along, Follow and Hold Fast”
Saturday, October 9, 2021
9:00 AM (with lunch break)
 A Virtual Meeting …. Celebrating our Conference United Methodist Women together with our four District Meetings!
Consider gathering for watch parties together.
Sing, pray, listen in fellowship
Speaker : Gloria Kimbwala |
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To Know God
Connie L. Hegeman, mission coordinator of spiritual growth
As part of our oath we pledge “To know God.” For some of us, even some of us in the church, we sometimes wonder if there IS a God as we watch the world around us.
We may cry out, “O God if you are real, show us!” Most of us have lost loved ones, experienced illness and aging, and witnessed a moral decay throughout our communities across the country. It is time to step back, perhaps turn off the TV, mute our phones, and creep slowly out into the natural world that we may better hear God’s voice. Some of you may garden while others may take a ride out of the city to view the stars, the pink moon, and even the milky way.
Some of us have been blessed with new grandchildren (and even great-grandchildren) in whom we marvel. We rejoice at the birth of these tiny humans… ready to eat, to cry, to make known their needs to the world. We feel their tiny hearts beat and listen to their cooing.
 During the pandemic, I watched a movie about birdwatching and began collecting bird photos to share with my granddaughters, great grandchildren, and even my children. I started following Paul Jeffery’s Facebook page. Jeffery is a retired photojournalist who worked for United Methodist Women as well as the United Methodist Church. In his retirement, he photographs the birds in his backyard. These photos totally amaze me! They cause me to realize that not only can God make a tree, but a bird as well.
My pandemic television viewing continued with a wonderful documentary entitled My Octopus Teacher. The interplay and relationship that developed between one lone diver and an octopus over the course of a year caused me to view God’s relationship with the animal kingdom to expand greatly.
Hopefully, this year’s monsoon season will bring us a rainbow or two. I will see God’s diversity in all those beautiful colors as they stretch across the sky. God is in it all and by experiencing God around me I can say, “Yes, there IS a God.” |
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Social Action News
Maria Hase, mission coordinator of social action
According to a CNN headline and article by Emma Tucker, Omar Jimenez, and Kristina Sgueglia on July 7, 2021, “More than 230 people fatally shot in shootings over the Fourth of July weekend” and “618 people were injured by gun violence in more than 500 shootings across the country.” Many of the victims were teens or in their early twenties.
How timely that United Methodist Women of the Desert Southwest Conference discussed "Becoming Peacemakers in a Culture of Violence" during a virtual Mission u led by Rachel Mosher on June 25 and June 26. It is important that this information be disseminated to the youth in our church families. If you have suggestions for how to best do this in your congregation and/or cross the Desert Southwest Conference, please contact Maria at MariaRMDHase@gmail.com.
How timely that United Methodist Women are addressing Just Energy for All and Climate Justice. Headline after headline in the news speaks of climate change and its impacts:
To learn more about United Methodist Women’s focus issues and ways to take action, check out the Social Action Newsletter https://www.smore.com/3ba60 and sign up for United Methodist Women E-News.
To circulate petitions to Stop Dark Money, to counter voter rights’ infringements by the legislature, to restore funding to public schools by neutralizing the flat tax passed in Arizona’s 2021 budget, and more, please contact Maria at MariaRMDHase@gmail.com. Click Here to learn more about the many initiatives that will likely be put to citizens to decide at the polls.
As Frederick Douglass said, “Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.”
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Desert Southwest Annual Conference Report
Alberta Farnsworth, president
 Desert Southwest Conference United Methodist Women were represented at Annual Conference by Conference President Alberta Farnsworth, District Presidents: Bonny Sloane (East), Colleen Becker (West), Karen Dallatore (North) and Erin Fly (South). The meeting was held via a Zoom webinar. In spite of the shortened meeting (because of being held virtually), the necessary business was conducted. The morning of the first day of the meeting was the Laity Session (the clergy had their own session at the same time). Our speaker was Pastor Gina Pollard, her topic was grief. I thought that was a very timely topic for me since I recently lost my mother, but Gina broadened the topic. Grief occurs with many of life’s transitions. How you handle grief is very personal and many times people going through grief need EGR which she defined as Extra Grace Required! Click Here to listen to the Laity Session on YouTube.
Friday afternoon and all day Saturday were taken up with legislation interspersed with videos and presentations about the many activities of the Conference and The United Methodist Church. Appointments to the local churches were announced and set to begin on July 1. Voting was done electronically through GNTV. This is the final Annual Conference with Bishop Bob Hoshibata. A Bishop will be appointed by the Jurisdiction for the interim time. New Bishops will not be elected until the Jurisdictional meetings following the General Conference in 2022. At that time the Desert Southwest Conference will have a new Bishop.
Retirements were announced, and there is a video on the Conference website celebrating these members of the Annual Conference who are entering this new phase in their lives.
Worship services were held each day with inspirational messages and wonderful singing. The theme for the meeting was "Many Gifts, One Spirit" with the focus scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, and I Peter 3: 8-11, and Matthew 5: 23-24.
A Service of Ordination was held at Prescott UMC on Sunday. After an inspiring message and great music, the candidates for commissioning and ordination for both 2020 and 2021 were introduced and either commissioned or ordained by Bishop Bob Hoshibata. Each candidate was able to have a few special guests and family members present to join them in the ceremony.
I thank you United Methodist Women for allowing me to be your representative to the Annual Conference for the fourth year. As this is my last year as your President, next year we will have a new person to represent us.
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United Methodist Women News
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A Lifetime of Support
The Bethlehem Centers of Nashville, Tennessee, help the people of their community from "womb to tomb," Read about your Mission Giving changing lives, from the July/August issue of response.
Photo by Mike DuBose/UMNews
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Summer Matinee and Discussion Series
Join United Methodist Women friends for a matinee movie and discussion on racial justice. Registration is required, capacity is limited, and approved on a first-come, first-served basis.
 July 20: Race - The Power of an Illusion, Episode 3: The House We Live In
Join for the screening and discussion on Tuesday, July 20, at 3 pm ET, 2 pm CT, 1 pm MT, Noon PT
There is no cost to participate. The session will include a brief introduction, viewing the movie together, breakout groups to discuss the film and wrap-up reflections. Movie/episode lengths vary but are usually about 1 hour. Depending on the film length, we will be together 1.5-2 hours. The session will not be recorded. No prior knowledge is required. All are welcome.
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Mission Giving
 Every single Mission Dollar Makes a Difference!
Through YOUR generosity, United Methodist Women helps empower and improve the lives of women, youth and children in the United States and around the world.
Your gifts through the Five Channels of MISSION GIVING
are critically important.
Check out the MANY stories of ways your Mission Giving is making a difference by visiting the United Methodist Women website and reading response magazine.
You can make gifts through your local treasurer.
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