Monitoring For Peace Sept. 22 was the day of “Monitoring For Peace,” held immediately after the International Day of Peace. We could use info from front pages of the local or national newspapers for the monitoring process. After completing the coded sheets sent to us for the monitoring, the info was sent to Dr. Glory Dharmaraj, Director of Spiritual Formation and Mission Theology. This monitoring project will open dis- cussion regarding change in news coverage and developing strategies for intervention and reform. The published date for UMW Sunday is Jan.25, 2009 but some may need or choose to use other selected dates of celebration. ! Please remember to send your pictures, programs and any other accounts of your celebrations to your district MNO coordi- nators so that that information can be made a part of your district’s scrapbook display. Please also remember to get ready for the 2009 Membership Counting Process for updating our numbers. Completed District visitation forms should be sent to me by Nov. 15. By Dec. 1, send the Counting Membership Forms and the 2008 Membership Forms to the Local Units. Units should send finished reports to the District MNO by Jan. 9. The District MNO officers can then send it to me before March 15, 2009. 6 NOVEMBER 7, 2008 A new initiative plan for 2009-2012 was introduced during the 2008 Fall Board meeting of the United Methodist Women’s Division board of directors meeting. This initiative is titled “Membership Counts” . The goal for this initiative is to include a visit to every United Methodist congrega- tion to encourage witness, outreach, and nurture. It is anticipated that by the year of Assembly, 2010 50% of United Methodist congregations will be visited and by the 2012 Quadrennial meetings 100%  will be visited. This initiative will challenge elected leaders and resource per- sons to contact and visit each local congre- gation in the United Methodist Church at least once during the Quadrenium. This goal can be obtained if the 9,077 elected leaders and resource persons visit the 35,255 active churches. Finance The recommended total appropriations for the Women’s Division for 2009 in the amount of $18,775,703, was approved. Several grants were approved including a grant to MacDonell United Methodist Children’s Services in Houma, LA in the amount of $7,774.00 to repair the air con- ditioning system and an emergency grant fund to UMCOR Sager Brown, in Baldwin, LA in the amount of $2,700, to clean up the property after Hurricane Gustav. Christian Social Responsibility The directors approved recommenda- tions supporting current efforts to promote farm worker concerns by: (a)   Signing a petition to request that Susan Ivey, CEO of Reynolds Tobacco Company, meet with the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC). We are joining this effort in solidarity with the North Carolina farm workers. (b)  Ask the President of the Division to annually name one Director to attend National Farm Worker ministry board meeting along with Women Division staff to promote partnership and raise awareness around economic justice and human rights specifically related to farm workers and their families. In support of the Jubilee USA Network’s national Campaign: Picture New Leadership, which supports the call for debt cancellation “to the 24 deeply impoverished countries left out of past debt relief initiatives”, a photo was taken and a petition will be delivered along with other Jubilee supporters across the country, to the campaign offices of both Presidential can- didates. Directors participated in the postcard campaign, coordinated by Amnesty International and Women Thrive, in order to secure additional co-sponsors for the International Violence Against Women Act in the US Congress. In response to home foreclosures it was noted that United Methodist Women can explore ways to respond directly to the foreclosure crisis, working with our part- ners in faith, labor, community housing, women’s, and racial justice organizations. Keep informed at www.umwonline.org MISSION TODAY AS WE SET OUR GOALS FOR 2009, SET YOUR UNIT GOALS HIGH AND BE A "MISSION TODAY" UNIT Tillie Shows - Education & Interpretation Coordinator The UMW Conference efforts for our Mission Projects are ongoing. If you would still like to contribute, please do so. The projects for our Mission Agencies are as follows: Dulac Community Center-personal care items and supplies; shampoo; lotion; soap (bar or liquid); coloring books and crayons. MacDonnel Children’s Services- personal care items like hair combs, brushes, shampoo and conditioner, toothbrushes and deodorant. North Rampart Community Center- recreational equipment-leather basketballs, heavy duty jump ropes and hula hoops. Please select from the list above and make every effort to contribute to one or more of these missions. If you so choose, you can make a monetary donation. PLEASE MAKE THE CHECK PAYABLE TO THE LA. CONFERENCE UMW (not to the agency so that our conference receives the credit for your gifts). Also please put in the memo on the check, the particular agencytp which that you want your contribution to go. If you do not select an agency, the Conference will distribute as best we can based on the needs of the agencies. This newsletter insert is published four times a year in the Louisiana Now!  Due date for articles/news for the January newsletter is November 20. All UMW articles and news stories are welcomed. Send your article(s) to: Lana P. Lathan 131 Ogden Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70806-5013 Email: lathan131@bellsouth.net Fax: 225-346-3045; Phone: 225-383-4380; Cell: 225-247-0779 Mission Projects On-going Reminder to Local Unit Secretaries and District Secretaries: During November of this year and each year, please send a new and/or revised list of all district and local unit officers for the coming year to the Conference Communications Coordinator (Lana Lathan). Please use Excel or Word Format (if possible) and include the following columns of information: First and Last Name District Name District Office (for recently elected officers and those returning to office) Local Unit Name and city where located Local office (for recently elected officers and those returning to office) Home Address City State Zip Code Phone numbers (home, work, cell, including area codes) Email address As new conference officers were installed, retiring conference officers were recognized for their achievements and the progress they fostered for the organization during their years of service. Special recognition was given to these ladies of uniqueness, meticulous character and willingness to serve (UMW) who will certainly continue to put their talents to use in the service of our Lord through service to others and to this organization. Recognized as retirees were Lueburda Myers, Chair, Committee on Nominations; Beverly Cox, Spiritual Growth Coordinator; Harriette Tucker Elrod, President; Edna Hickman, Vice-president, Jeanette McCalman, Treasurer; Evelyn B. Martin, Kathleen Thom, and Frances Patton, members of Committee on Nominations. Needless to say, none of these ladies will be putting anything to rest but only adding the talents of their past positions to many new undertakings. Many congratula- tions and much love from the Louisiana Conference United Methodist Women. 2008 retiring Conference Officers recognized By Lana P. Lathan, Communications Coordinator Women’s Division 2008 fall board meeting highlights By Kathleen Conrad, Women’s Division Director Membership and Organizational Development By Ethel Lilly, Conference Membership, Nurture and Outreach Coordinator Membership, Nurture and Outreach report Louisiana Conference UMW Special Section