News of the Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Women

November 2013

The Bazaar is Upon Us

Saturday, November 2 8am-3pm

There is still work to be done. See the schedule attached to the e-mail and pitch in where/when you

can. Also, Help Spread the word—print out the flyer attached in the e-mail to put up around town and post it electronically to listservs. And finally, Show up and Shop. This year’s Bazaar features the usual

and the unique. And if you aren’t looking for more stuff, you can shop at the…

new Alternative Gifts Boutique Here’s how it works: Shoppers donate to any of eight UMW-supported charities. The donation, in the amount of $10, $25, $50 or more, is made in honor of your intended gift recipient. A card comes with each donation, so you can explain your gift.

Staats Memorial Fund Accepting Grant Proposals

Deadline: October 31 The Margaret Rich Staats Memorial Fund is accepting proposals for funding in early 2014. The Staats Fund is a committee of the UMW and supports programs and projects that help others, particularly children. Priority will be given to organizations in the greater DC area and to organizations where Metropolitan members are actively engaged (as volunteers, supporters, etc.). Send proposals by Thursday, October 31 by email to MetroUMW@gmail.com.

UMW Charitable Giving Deadline: November 18

Our UMW unit uses the proceeds from the annual Bazaar to support our charitable giving. We need your input to continue to identify and support outstanding organizations that are engaged in mission consistent with our vision and UMW tradition. Please read the separate document and fill in the nominations form. Nominating Forms are due November 18. Please e-mail them to MetroUMW@gmail.com or return them to the UMW box in the church office.

Save the Date: Metropolitan UMW’s Women’s Retreat 2014 February 7-9, 2014

PriestField Pastoral Center in Kearneysville, West Virginia. We are pleased to announce our retreat leader: Dr. Terri Lynn Simpson, who will guide us through a program

on Celtic Spirituality. Dr. Simpson is the former Pilgrimage Coordinator for the Washington National

Cathedral, a certified teacher of Centering Payer and labyrinth facilitator gifted in building community through

spiritual practices. Grounded in the three-fold practices of prayer, pilgrimage and poetry, she weaves strands of

these Celtic influences into her retreats and workshops. Stay tuned for more details. Please consider joining us.

Innocents at Risk

A Talk by Deborah Sigmund Tuesday, November 12, 6:30 - 8:30 pm

Women’s National Democratic Club

1525 New Hampshire Ave NW

Deborah Sigmund is the Founder and Director of Innocents at Risk, a non-profit, founded in

April 2005, to help stop the trafficking of women and children. The United States Department of State has endorsed the organization’s efforts on behalf of the three million women and children who are trafficked annually worldwide. Cost: $15 members; $20 for non-members. Reserve online at www.democraticwomen.org or by phone: 202-232-7363, ext. 3003

AARP Meeting

Monday, November 18, 12:30 p.m. Vestry

Shalini Patnaik from Edelman Financial Services will talk about end of year suggested financial planning. Social time is at 12:30 p.m., and the meeting starts at 1:00. Refreshments will be served.

Pruning Workshop: November 16, 9:30 – 12:30

Metropolitan Metropolitan’s Gardening Committee is sponsoring a pruning workshop. Elizabeth Doyle, owner of Yankee Clippers, will start the day with a brief talk describing the art of hand pruning shrubs and trees. Then you’ll practice, under the tutelage of professional Clippers, on the shrubs at Metropolitan. To Register: Go to www.YankeeClippers.com and click on the “contact us” link. Then select the “workshops” tab. Once you’ve registered, you’ll receive a welcome letter providing the workshop agenda, information on tools and instructions on where to send your $60 fee. Your payment secures your place in the workshop.

Weeds Be Gone

We’re forming a Weed Team to help tame Metropolitan’s gardens. If you love to dig in the dirt, can bend and pull —you’re qualified. Contacts: Courtney Leatherman, c_leatherman@ix.netcom.com and Mary Rollefson, maryrollefson@starpower.net

Washington Interfaith Network Makes Progress on Sheltering Homeless Youths

Last month, members of WIN—including representatives from Metropolitan, Brighter Day Ministries, Sasha

Bruce Youthworks, St. Stephens Episcopal, Holy Comforter St. Cypria—attended a meeting of the D.C.

Interagency Council on Homelesness. WIN urged the city to clearly state that its hypothermia policy covers

homeless youth under age 18. The interagency council postponed its voted on the 2013-14 Winter Plan, asking

a subcommittee to develop clearer language on the issue. Meanwhile, WIN members also learned that DC is

working on a Request for Proposal to double the number of emergency shelter beds for youth under age 18.

That would increase the number of beds to 10. On November 22, WIN will unveil a five-year plan to end youth

homelessness. Metropolitan will participate in the event, so mark your calendars. Details to come.

UMW Assembly 2014 “Make It Happen!: Turning Faith, Hope, Love into Action”

April 25-27, 2014 Louisville, Kentucky

Deadline for early registration (available only for online registrations) is November 30. Learn more at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umw/assembly/

We Make It Happen: A Living Timeline United Methodist Women members are our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, godmothers, daughters,

sisters, nieces and goddaughters. So, in the spirit of sisterhood, we want to know how members bring about change in their communities and around the world. How does a United Methodist Women member in your life inspire you? How is she an inspiration to others? What does she do to show

unwavering support of women, children and youth? We want to know, because we want to share with the world how our members rely on their faith, hope and love in action to Make It Happen for those

deemed “the least,” Christ’s kin. Even with all of our accomplishments globally and at home, we never expect pat-on-the-back public

recognition. But we should celebrate our work! In honor of our members’ journeys as United Methodist Women, we are sharing our stories in a new project: We Make It Happen: A Living

Timeline.

UMW Circle Meetings

Circle 2: Contact Jennie stathisjennie@gmail.com or 202-295-3870 Circle 3: Contact: Anne Bechdolt, abechdolt@msn.com or 317-331-6813. Circle 6: Meets Friday, November 15 for dinner and a play. We’ll eat at Chef Geoff’s then attend the Metro Players’ production of "To Kill A Mockingbird." Please email Mary Jo ASAP so she can make

reservations. Contact: Mary Jo Marchant, mjmarchant@verizon.net Circle 8: Contact: Eugenia Evans, setevans@comcast.net Circle 9: Meets Wednesday, November 6 at 10:30 a.m. in the library at the Methodist Home. Please contact Bobby Turnbull, (301) 320-4154, bobbyturnbull@comcast.net. Circle 10: Meets Sunday, Oct. 27 for cooking and baking in church kitchen for bazaar, and helping with set up starting at 11 a.m. - until 1 or 2 p.m. Meets Monday, Nov. 25 for a discussion on caring for aging parents, guest Drema McAllister-Wilson. Parlor 7 p.m. Contact: Caralee Adams caralee.adams@verizon.net