UMW Friday Circle's March gathering

Board members are focused!

Spring is in the air

2018 officers

Mary Nelson presents the program

With a hint of spring in the air, twenty-one were present today for the March meeting of the Friday UMW Circle. Hostesses for today were Carol Goffe, Carol Gragg, and Sharon Brown.
 
Bonita Ziegler shared the devotion, reading from the February issue of Response.
 
The program, shared by Mary Nelson, was an informative look at the offerings found in our church library. Mary also shared with the group about her hopes for the future of this ministry.
 Reports:  
+Secretary - Thank you notes were shared by Carol Goffe.
+Treasurer - It was noted that pledges/donations from Pledge to Mission this year are carried forward to go into next year's budget for Special Missions.
+Spiritual Growth - Bev Schneider spoke about the spiritual aspects of support for the Poverello Center, BUMP, and other mission work. She shared Psalm 67 as a way of connecting ourselves to God's plan.
+Outreach/Mission/Social Justice - Hazel Smith shared petitions from the UMW regarding the UMC stance on the need for sensible responses to violence with guns. Members were given the opportunity to sign a petition to Sens. Daines and Tester and Rep. Gianforte.
+Receptions - We need someone to be available to coordinate receptions in case Bonita or Linda K. are not present.
+Reading program - Marcia Prather noted that the first gathering of participants in this year's reading program will be at the end of this month, date to be announced.
+Saturday UMW Circle - Belinda reported that we had wonderful response to the appeal for tissues for the Lone Rock and Stevensville schools. Pantry Partners Sunday offering will be on March 18 - think green foods (spinach, peas, green beans, lime jello, etc.).
+Prayer Shawls - Six shawls were presented in January, one in February, and one will be presented this coming Sunday.
+Response - Marcia Prather read a prayer from the March 2018 Response that had been offered at the 44th annual meeting of the Northwestern Branch of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society in Indianapolis in 1914.

Business:
+All the apple dumplings are gone! We are in need of someone to fill the shoes of Sue Pearson in leading this effort. If we don't have someone step forward this may be the final year for the making and selling of the dumplings.

Upcoming events:
April
20-21 - Western Mountains District UMW spring meeting @ Kalispell UMC
May
18-20 - Assembly 2018 @ Columbus, Ohio (Marcia Prather and Linda Kauffman are going).
July
13 - Annual UMW picnic
August
3-4 - Creamery Picnic
September
28-29 - Yellowstone Conference UMW Annual Meeting, location to be determined.
November
3 - Fall Bazaar