Inland Missional District Highlights
Hallelujah! I write this issue’s message as the General Conference closes, having affirmed 18 of United Women in Faith’s 19 petitions with a very close vote on the 19th! I echo our General Secretary and CEO, Sally Vonner, ’s statement commending our church for uplifting women, children, and youth at the General Conference! Yet the work must continue. Inland Missional District has been heavily involved locally, District-wide, and Conference-wide.
Our Social Action Coordinator and President took part in Idaho’s Legislative Days and have been able to celebrate Idaho’s reinstatement of their Maternal Mortality Review Board after a few years’ lapse.
Nearly all of our executive board officers attended Leadership Development at Lazy F. We shared a unique talent show number focusing on one member’s American dulcimer! Reflections will be published in our upcoming Timely Reflections. We appreciate being able to connect in person with Shannon Priddy from National.
Five of our Team members are off to Alaska for Western Jurisdiction. Three were offered scholarships without funding sources provided, and two accepted them. Scholarships are an important way to help women in the District attend enriching and inspiring events.
Mission u is right around the corner! I am looking forward to my 29th! Most of our executive team will attend this annual event, which will encompass “Inspiring, Impacting, and Influencing.” We have scholarships available to any woman in the District, as we surely want all to be able to experience Mission u.
Our Spiritual Growth Coordinator has planned a one-day Soul Care Retreat for August 17th at Clarkston (WA) UMC. She stresses that it should be, as National says, an enrichment experience focused on deepening relationships with each other and the Lord. Our Executive Team is excited about this first-of-its-kind event for our District.
Planning is underway for our September 21st District Annual Meeting to be held at Audubon Park UMC, Spokane, in cooperation with Fowler United Women in Faith. The theme will be “Food Security.” This will be interactive and hands-on, with a walk-through of the Food Bank and bagging and sorting of food for distribution to Food Bank clients. Attendance at the Annual Meeting has been declining. We hope that this central location will enable more women to attend. Our Nominating Committee Chairman reported that a full slate of officers has accepted being nominated at this meeting.
We are excited to report that Lewiston 1st has reactivated its unit. They, too, are expressing enthusiasm, and we are encouraging their attendance at events, including Mission u and Soul Care.
We press on towards meeting our goals of meeting or beating our Pledge and increasing membership in every local unit by at least two.
Through my years in United Methodist Women/United Women in Faith, I have been blessed personally with so much inspiration, positively and amazingly impacted, and influenced by so many dear women. I close with a heart-filled Amen!
Judy Dirks,
Inland Missional District President
Spokane Valley United Women In Faith’s Outreach to Ronald McDonald House
On April 11, Rachel Circle from Spokane Valley United Women in Faith toured the Ronald McDonald House in Spokane. We then made 40 lunches for the families staying in the residence. We provided the food, paper bags, napkins, and sandwich bags. Franz Bread Store donated 5 loaves of bread. Our cost was approximately $70.
2023-2024 Officers
President: Judy Dirks
Vice President: Melissa Jaquette
Secretary: Susan Henderson
Treasurer: Roberta Headley
Communications Coordinator: Sharon Stovall
Education & Interpretation: Charlene Mullis
Membership Nurture & Outreach: Sue McGovney
Program Resources: Tana Truscott
Social Action: Patsy Charlton
Spiritual Growth: Kathy Johnson
Chair, Committee on Nominations: Linda Jones
Committee on Nominations Members: Linda Hansen, Tana Truscott, Gerrie Van Voorhis
Newsletters
2023 Issues
August 2023, May 2023, February 2023