A Fresh Wind Blowing. Spring Volume 3 Issue 1. Page1. Editor: Charlotte Smith, SEJUMW Secretary

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1 A Fresh Wind Blowing Spring 2016 Volume 3 Issue 1 Editor: Charlotte Smith, SEJUMW Secretary The wind blows where it chooses and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. John 3:8 NRS Page1

2 Page SEJ Leadership Team and Committee on Nominations Patty Stricklin, President; Tammy Hauser CON; Mary Lou Wurth,Vice President; Pat Boatwright, Chair CON; Paulette Monroe, CON; Dianne Springer, CON; Charlotte Smith, Secretary; Janice Eaddy, Treasurer (seated) Beth Bowdin, CON (not pictured)

3 SEJ PRESIDENT Well ladies, this is it, my last newsletter article before our Quadrennial Meeting in Charleston SC. I can t believe it has been almost 4 years already. Where has the time gone? After many meetings, lots of planning, and prayers from all over the jurisdiction, the Leadership Team is almost ready and extremely excited to be so close! And in just 3 short months, we will be ready. At the time of this writing, we have just less than 400 women registered. The good news is there s still time to make plans to attend. The link for registration is included in this newsletter along with other important information. Our booked rooms have sold out, as well as all the rooms at the Embassy Suites but there are still rooms available at surrounding hotels It has been an honor to serve as your President, and a real blessing to be a part of this team. I hope to see all your smiling faces in June. As we prepare for the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, may we remember God s gracious love in our lives. Thanks be to God. Patty Stricklin SEJ VICE PRESIDENT Nothing could be finer than to be in South Carolina with United Methodist Women! Have you registered? Last day to register is April 30, or when registration reaches 750. Your SEJ Leadership Team has been working for three and ½ years to provide the very best Quadrennial Meeting possible. National Directors and a new Leadership Team will be elected and we are going to sing and pray, and maybe shout and perhaps even dance. We will have Bible Study and so much more. Ten Workshops have been planned and are filling up fast. Fellowship will fill the meeting space. Don't miss the Southeastern Jurisdiction United Methodist Women s Quadrennial Meeting 2016: "A Fresh Wind Blowing!" Mary Lou Wurth Page3

4 SEJ SECRETARY Happy Easter! Spring has arrived and it is time for refreshing and renewing with A Fresh Wind Blowing in June in Charleston. Thank you for the opportunity to serve on the Southeastern Jurisdiction Leadership Team. It has been my pleasure to work with so many wonderful persons and especially the Conference Presidents and Secretaries throughout the last four years Directories have been mailed to the Conference Presidents. Please make note of this change: Florida Treasurer, Ethel Ewing, 823 Lakeside Ct., Lakeland, FL Home phone: If any of you would like to have your copy sent online, please send me a request by and I will send the directory to you. Online Registration is going well. If you have not yet registered please do so by the deadline of April 30. We do have a quota of 750 persons and if that number has been met then registration will close earlier. The registration site is: I will gladly register anyone who has problems registering or does not have access to a computer. The cost is $150. Our Mission Event on Friday afternoon, June 3, is filling up fast. There is also a maximum of 75 participants for the Mission Hands-On Event. Remember that childcare is included with the parent s registration. Meeting Times: The Mission Event will be Friday afternoon from noon until 4:00 p.m. Friday night s session/ gathering music starts at 6:15 p.m. The speaker for Friday night is Rev. Jasmine Smothers and the session will end about 9:00 p.m. There will be a reception for all of the Nominees and Voting Delegates afterward. Saturday Session begins with gathering music at 8:45 a.m. and a Bible Study led by Rev. Dr. Robin Dease. At noon will be lunch and the Focus Group sessions until 2:00 p.m. The afternoon session starts back at 2:30 p.m. and ends at 4:00 p.m. The last session on Saturday begins at 5:30 and includes the banquet and entertainment. The Sunday Worship and Communion will be led by Bishop Hope Morgan Ward. The meeting will end at noon. Embassy Suites Hotel: The block of rooms previously reserved at Embassy Suites has all been filled. There are no rooms left in the Embassy Suites Hotel. I have listed below other hotels that are available and are close to the Convention Center. Other Hotels: 1.Home 2 Suites, 3401 W. Montague Ave., North Charleston, SC Phone: Hyatt Place Charleston 3234 W. Montague Ave., North Charleston, SC Phone: Residence Inn Marriott 5035 International Blvd., North Charleston, SC Phone: Hilton Garden Inn 5265 International Blvd., North Charleston, SC Phone: Holiday Inn 5264 International Blvd., North Charleston, SC Phone: Holiday Inn Express 3025 W. Montague Ave., North Charleston, SC Phone: Facebook/SEJUMW: Please check this page for more information and any future updates. Volunteers will be needed from all the Conferences to help with ushering, greeting, registering and assisting leaders of Focus Groups. Information and this list will be sent to the Conference Presidents. If you would like to volunteer please me, so that I can put you down. It takes a team to have a successful meeting. Please volunteer to help make this Quadrennial Meeting a success! Page4 Charlotte Smith charlottesmith@twc.com

5 SEJ TREASURER Greetings My Fellow Treasurers, We are nearing a very special and exciting time for the SEJ Leadership Team! Our 2016 SEJ Quadrennial Meeting will be held June 3-5 in Charleston, South Carolina. Each of the Conference Treasurers will be needed to assist with receiving the love offering. You should plan to be present for training that will be held Friday, June 3 rd beginning at 4:00 p.m. in Meeting Room # C of the Convention Center. Our last newsletter included a Conference Pledge Card to be completed and returned to me along with your registration numbers. Many of you have not provided that information and it is needed to complete the files that will be provided to our Treasurer Elect with our past four years of historical records. If you have not already placed both of them in the mail, I ask that you handle that task as soon as possible. Thanks in advance for your willingness to assist during our Quadrennial Meeting and I do look forward to seeing each of you. Should you have any questions or concerns, just call or text me at or me at jeaddy2@yahoo.com Blessings, Janice Cockfield Eaddy SEJ NOMINATION COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Southeastern Jurisdiction Leadership Team Nominees as well as the Nominees for the United Methodist Women Board of Directors for responding so quickly with their biographical information to meet the deadline to get them to print. National has developed an electronic questionnaire to capture information for each nominee. This questionnaire is totally different from the bio to be printed in the nominee book for the Quadrennial Meeting. You will have to submit a photo either by or through the U.S. Postal Service. All questionnaires must be completed by Monday, March 28, This only applies to the Nominees for the Board of Directors. You can access the questionnaire by clicking on the link below: If you send a photo by mail please send to: Sally Vonner 475 Riverside Drive Room 1501 New York, New York I look forward to meeting you all in June. Blessings, Pat Boatwright Page5

6 The Focus Groups to be presented at the SEJ Quadrennial Meeting on Saturday, June 4, 2016 from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. are the following: 1. The Church and People with Disabilities: Deaconess Carolyn Lawhorn, RN Our responsibility to become more inclusive of individuals with disabilities; to inspire advocacy for justice; to evaluate leadership strategies that call us to provide full accessibility to all worship opportunities. 2. Fresh Spirit Body and Mind: Ann Bryan Gentle breathing, stretching, and moving followed by visualizing walking and talking with Jesus. Bring a yoga mat, if you have one, and wear clothes comfortable for movement. 3. Immigration: Rosemary Uebel This multi-media focus group will tackle hard issues: amnesty, deportation, family detention and a path to citizenship. We are created in God s image and called to love our neighbors. 4. Elder Abuse: Kim Ford, Mayor s Office on Aging, Charleston, SC Learn signs of elder abuse that include mental, physical, emotional, verbal and financial and know the resources to call if abuse is suspected. 5. Human Trafficking: Marissa Castellanos, MSW Human Trafficking Program Manager Human trafficking is modern-day slavery. It exists in the United States and worldwide. Learn about sex and labor trafficking and how to engage directly in fighting this social injustice. 6. Be Just, Be Green: Emma Samson, SEJ Jurisdiction Guide Practical steps to a more just life together in time of climate crisis to full inclusion of everyone, reduction of our carbon footprint, our waste, and our water usage. 7. Racial Justice: Bernice Duffy Johnson Racism in US: its influence on educational, economical, and psychological health of individuals, families, communities, and nation. Participants will work on ways to eliminate racism in their churches and communities. 8. A Mind for Missions: Linda Gadson, Executive Director Rural Mission Read the scriptures daily! You must assess your own environment; Check what human and financial resources are; Pray daily - Learn how to listen. Open your eyes look beyond you. 9. Line Dancing: Rebecca Rochester Line dancing for beginners who wants to join the fun, dance at weddings, reunions, and with family and friends. We'll learn the classic "Electric Slide," the "Cupid Shuffle," and more. 10. Rock the Future: Ann Davis/ Lynne Gilbert, UMW Directors Learn and share ideas about The Legacy Fund, as we look toward our 150th anniversary in 2019 and the NEXT 150 YEARS of turning faith, hope and love into action! Page6

7 7 Page Pictures included in this SEJ Spring Newsletter-- Last Edition were made February 5-7, 2016 in Charleston, SC at our Team Meeting.