More than one million women across the country are members of the United Methodist Women. Through our organization, we participate in mission work through the work of the General Board of Global Ministries of which the Women’s Division is a part. Our special emphasis is women, youth and children. We support mission activities and partnerships in thousands of communities in every state of the United States and in over 50 countries around the world.
The women of Mills River have been in mission since the early history of the church. Today our membership is 58 with three circles that meet monthly. The Jennie Corpening Circle meets the 3rd Monday at 7:00PM; the Lillian Hall Circle meets the 2nd Tuesday at 7:30PM; the Maggie Jones Circle meets the 3rd Tuesday at 2:00PM. We have four General Meetings where all the circles meet together to carry on the business of United Methodist Women.
We sponsor fundraisers throughout the year such as bake sales and our October Bazaar. Through these projects we support missions locally, nationally and worldwide. We are also able to give college and camp scholarships, help with special areas in the church and offer support to special mission projects.
We give camp scholarships to our youth, gifts to our graduates, fall gift baskets to some members and friends of the church, provide meals to the bereaved and give memorials and give gratuities to our speakers. We participate in visits to shut-ins, tutoring children, deliver meals-on-wheels, save soup labels and General Mills Box Tops for the school. Each circle is responsible for the altar flowers.
Missions are our main goal as a group. Our 2008 Pledge to Mission was $1500 that is sent directly to the Conference. We give Special Mission Recognition pins, Call to Prayer Offering, Conference & District Love Offerings, and Gifts in Memory and Honor in addition to Local, National and World Missions.
As UMW we have the opportunity to grow spiritually through Conference and District events at Lake Junaluska, workshops, officer training, and annual meetings.
We invite all ladies of the church to become a part of our organization. As each financial gift is given and each hour of time donated to our UMW we work for the glory of God and try to fulfill our PURPOSE:
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.
Mills River United Methodist Women offer financial support to:
§ Church Women United
§ Council on Aging
§ Mainstay
§ Mills River School
§ Marlow School
§ The Storehouse
§ The Healing Place
§ Children & Family Resources Center
§ MRUMMen Hel;ping Hand Fund
§ Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry
MATCH:
§ Brooks-Howell Home
§ UMCOR-United Methodist Committee on Relief
§ WNC-UMAR – Givens
§ Children & Youth-A-Brighter Future
§ AGAPE
§ Heifer Project International
§ Red Bird Mission
Our members are given the resources of:
§ Response magazine
§ A UMW Program Book
§ A Prayer Calendar
§ UWM Officers Handbooks
§ District Pamphlets and Brochures
Members enjoy the fun and fellowship of working with each other, and the support of their Circle Sisters at their monthly meetings.
