United Methodist Women
United Methodist Women is a nationwide organization whose purpose is to foster spiritual growth, develop leaders and advocate for justice. Members raise funds each year for programs and projects related to women, children and youth in the United States and in more than 100 countries around the world.
Upcoming Events
All upcoming events - Mission Study, Officer Training. Spiritual Growth Retreat - will be held online via Zoom. A link to the Zoom meeting will be sent to those who registered for each event the Thursday prior to the event.
******************************
Virtual Mission Study | Virtual Recording
Theme: Finding Peace in an Anxious World | Leader: Barbara Fisher
- Watch Recording Here
- The study book is available for $10 by calling 1-800-305-9857 or clicking here to order online. You will want to download the Companion Study Guide found at https://www.unitedmethodistwomen.org/finding-peace-in-an-anxious-world. Also, to prepare for the study they also need to have a journal or notebook on hand, reread the Book of Proverbs, and pray for the leader.
- Barbara Fisher Bio -
Barbara Fisher, who has lived in Bellville, Georgia since 1987, has been actively involved in United Methodist Women at the District level since 2002. She first served as her District Education and Interpretation Coordinator. She next served as her District Social Action coordinator. She was then elected District President assisting in the transition from the Statesboro District to the current Northeast District. Barbara is a 4 year new retiree, after enjoying 24 years as an educator in Tattnall County, where she taught at both the elementary and middle school levels in the gifted and special needs programs. She continues to serve as her local church UMW President. She has also enjoyed leading Geographic Mission studies and Spiritual Growth studies in local district churches over the years. In retirement, Barbara enjoys yardwork, and gardening, and the time to read books late into the night. In pre and post Covid, she has and will enjoy again, traveling around the country with her husband, staying at her mountain cabin, visiting her grown children, and watching her two granddaughters become pre-teens.
******************************
Virtual District Officer Training | February 13 | 9:30 am - 12 noon
******************************
Virtual Spiritual Growth Retreat | March 19: 7-8 pm | March 20: 9am-noon
You are invited to "Come to the Table for Justice & Hope" for this year's annual UMW Spiritual Growth Retreat. As we gather together at the virtual table, we will explore the question: how do Christian women stand firm in faith and witness In today's chaotic world?
The year's speakers are Rev. Earnestine Campbell, senior pastor of Epworth UMC in Columbus, Rev. Christy Bandy, senior pastor of Cairo First UMC, and Bishop R. Lawson Bryan, episcopal leader of the South Georgia Annual Conference. Music will be led by Cameron Rolling, music director at Centerville UMC.
While things may look a little different this year, we are excited to be able to offer a virtual platform for us to gather for fellowship and spiritual growth. Bishop Bryan will lead us in the opening session on Friday evening from 7 pm - 8 pm, and Rev. Campbell and Rev. Bandy will lead us for two teaching sessions on Saturday from 9 am - 12 noon. There will also be music, small groups, interpretive dance, and a special time Friday night where Bishop Bryan will lead us in an Agape Meal.
Any additional details participants need to have for the gathering, including the Zoom meeting link, will be sent closer to the event. If you are not able to attend live, the sessions will be recorded to view at a later time.
If you have any questions, please contact Nancy Hudson, retreat coordinator, at ladymusik@aol.com or Carol Banks, UMW president, at cybanks1946@gmail.com.
Click here to register | Click here to download/view the flyer
S P I R I T U A L. G R O W T H R E T R E A T S P E A K E R S B I O S
- Rev. Earnestine Campbell -
Earnestine currently serves as the Pastor of Epworth UMC (Columbus) and enjoys the call as a spiritual servant-leader, preaching and teaching the Word of God, and building relationships and care for the people. She has recently served as an Associate Director of the Office of Connectional Ministries, for Advocacy and Multicultural Ministries, where her portfolio included ministries such as Social Justice Issues, COSROW, Multiculturalism and Undocumented Neighbors Taskforces, Small Church Leadership & Development, and SBC21.
She has served as an Associate Pastor in the local church and numerous Lay leadership positions, other conference and community positions such as the President of the S GA Conference BMCR, Host of the South Columbus Connection Christian Radio Show, Partners in Education, Columbus Family Connection, the Georgia Roundtable for Prison Reform and Interfaith Children’s Ministry Coalition.
Earnestine earned a B.S. degree in Human Resources from Troy University and her Master of Divinity from Gammon Theological Seminary of the Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta, GA. She is married to Robert, and they have one adult child, Tristan, and a teenager, Lauren.
She believes that God calls and equips us spiritually to do the work of Kingdom ministries and for the strengthening of our soul and spirit as we live in this earthly life. Jeremiah 1:5
- Rev. Christy Bandy -
Christy graduated from Georgia State University in 1989 with a Bachelors of Arts degree and from Emory University with a Master of Divinity degree in 1992. Christy was Ordained an Elder in the South Georgia Annual Conference in June of 1995. She has served numerous places in the South Georgia Conference: as an Associate pastor, served a couple of multi church charges, campus minister of the Savannah area Wesley Foundations, and presently the pastor of Cairo First UMC.
Christy has served on many Conference and District Boards and agencies throughout her ministry including being the Dean of Mission u in 2014 and 2015.
Christy has a passion for Missions locally and globally. At the age of fifteen, through her home church in Stockbridge, Georgia, Christy was able to reach out to those in need in the Gainesville, Georgia area through GAP (Gainesville Aid Program). And in the last twelve years on global mission trips taught, preached, and worked. Locally, Christy has been a part of each community’s outreach ministry and helped plan and implement new ideas for the local areas she has served.
Christy’s favorite things to do are to read, watch baseball and football, and fish.
- Bishop R. Lawson Bryan -
Bishop R. Lawson Bryan serves as episcopal leader of the South Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church. Elected bishop July 14, 2016, at the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference’s quadrennial meeting at Lake Junaluska, N.C., he began serving as South Georgia’s resident bishop on Sept. 1, 2016.
He previously served as senior pastor of Montgomery First United Methodist Church in Montgomery, Ala., in the Alabama West-Florida Conference.
This is a “homecoming,” in a sense, for Bishop Bryan. Born just across the Georgia-Florida border in Quincy, Fla., Bishop Bryan spent his early years in Bainbridge, Ga. before moving to Dothan, Ala. at 12 years old.
Bishop Bryan holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Tulane University and a doctorate in ministry from Candler School of Theology at Emory University. He is married to Sherrill, and their son Philip and daughter-in-law Brittany, along with their two grandchildren, John Phillip and Caroline Cooper “Cece,” reside in Alabama.
The Purpose of United Methodist Women
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.