There has been a considerable change in the composition of the Inland Missional District over the past year. We have gone from 13 units (on paper) down to 8 this year. We are grateful for many years of UMW/United Women in Faith service in the Grangeville unit, but after the deaths of key members, they no longer feel the unit is sustainable and have asked to close it. With the formation of the New Connections UMC, two prior units (Lewiston and Clarkston) have rolled into one unit. Two other churches have also become part of the New Connections church. Asotin has its own United Women in Faith unit, which has chosen to remain a separate entity for now but will likely roll into New Connections in time. A 4^th church rolling into New Connections didn’t have a prior United Women in Faith unit, but will hopefully now enjoy the opportunities of their new unit formation. Two other smaller units have combined as well- Fowler and Audubon (now just known as the Audubon unit). We have 4 units with under 6 people regularly participating and 4 units with 20+ members.

It’s a season of considerable change, but our units continue to forge ahead, busy with local mission work and activities that help with meeting their pledge to mission in United Women in Faith. Despite the challenge of fewer units, IMD came close to meeting their pledge to the mission of $20,000, falling less than $ 1,000 under our pledge (though other donations may have gone directly to National via online donations). We also have 5 women from the district who are eagerly awaiting a fantastic experience at Assembly in May.

Robin Gregory,
Inland Missional District President

has a connection with Mission Community Outreach Center and supports the center financially and with donations for their outreach to families in need of clothing, coats, blankets, and diapers. Additionally, several of the United Women in Faith ladies volunteer at their church’s community food bank- and the church recently received a grant to establish a new walk-in refrigerator! They’ve lost some members in the past year or two, and the decision to combine units with Fowler has provided a better connection with the happenings of the district and conference, as well as better attendance at activities. United Women in Faith member pledges fund their pledge to mission annually.
 

has started a working young women’s Bible study that has evolved into an evening United Women in Faith circle! They are working on a weekly exercise-related activity for members, such as walking, etc. They financially support local community needs- like a children’s center for abused children in crisis, as well as holding 3 events with the local mobile food bank Second Harvest, serving hundreds of people at each event, and working together with other community members to serve the families attending. At Christmas, they make gift bags for their shut-in United Women in Faith members, and many members volunteer annually for Pride Day. They meet their annual pledge to mission with a very successful annual rummage sale.

New Connections is forming this year and figuring out how they want to function as a new entity. They have some great plans for local mission work and for raising their pledge to mission funds for United Women in Faith, including a bazaar held annually in November. They have a “brunch bunch” circle, a “craft and Sew” circle, and a very active reading program group that meets monthly. Two volunteers from the unit assisted the local YMCA with an MLK awareness event in January, and another couple of members raised $250 with a cookie sale and donated it to 2 national Mission Institutes who help women who are escaping human trafficking.

meets monthly at the Lion’s Club (their church closed and was combined into the New Connections church, but they have elected to remain their own local unit in Asotin). They plan to periodically do some activities with New Connections United Women in Faith and will join them for their Fall Bazaar fundraiser to raise funds for local mission work and for their pledge to Mission for United Women in Faith. Their annual local mission focus includes making Christmas boxes for people in need.

has been quite active in their local community and in their gifts to Mission for important United Women in Faith priorities throughout the nation and world. They hold a biannual rummage and bake sale, which earns over $1500 for mission! They have a children’s clothing closet that serves parents in crisis from domestic violence and can outfit them and their children who must leave their home quickly to stay safe. They collect socks for their local senior center and serve their ‘Caring Community” with toiletries for those in mental crisis.

has a very popular annual cookie tray sale and donates the funds to local organizations in town. They enjoy dinners together, regular meetings, and in spring, they start working to fundraise with soup luncheons held for the local Lions’ Club at their community hall. In December, they give their funds to United Women in Faith, Heifer Project, and to other local organizations like Shalom Ministries in Spokane. They are busy women, and I can attest that they really know how to make a good pie!

Has major effort in Spring is the making of children’s quilts (50!) that are donated to 5 local charities. Considering that they have 6 members in their unit with a few additional helpers, that is quite a feat! It’s a great bonding time for all who participate. They have also done a pie booth at their local fair in the past, though they are finding 3 days at the fair to be quite taxing with limited manpower. They are trying to find ways to fundraise with less up-front expense and with limited physical resources. They are excellent readers with the reading program. They are engaged with racial justice efforts and are looking forward to visiting a CDA-based JC Whitehouse museum representing several native American tribes in North Idaho. They also took a great day trip to Whorley, ID, to tour the MARIMN Health Coeur Center for health and wellness, a Native health center with wonderful community resources (primary care, gymnasium, Olympic- sized pool, water slides, lazy river, etc.) for the local Native community.

has been fundraising through “eat-in / take-out” meals twice a year. They serve a Fall harvest meal and a spring Easter dinner. Generally, with prudent shopping and donations, they can net about $1000+ at each of the 2 occasions for gift to mission pledges for the unit. They also provide a soup luncheon 6-7 times a year for an outside Eastern Star group and donate the money earned from those luncheons to their gift to mission pledges. They work hard to keep their donations and gifts to mission to a 60/40 split for national UWF/local United Women in Faith priorities. Additionally, they are enjoying 3 annual book club gatherings throughout the year. Each circle chooses a book and hosts a gathering for discussion. One circle has even opted to listen to the audiobook weekly, leading up to the discussion with the whole unit. Twice yearly, they meet as a whole unit for a Christmas gathering in December and for a Lilac luncheon in May.

celebrated women’s history this month with a luncheon and program event for women from the district. We heard about their local food and community resources for those in need, and we enjoyed a game that tested our knowledge of women’s history! They served a lovely luncheon as well. Their fundraising efforts for mission include a potato bake with desserts and a raffle of blankets. They also enjoy doing regular local mission work, including sending appreciative Christmas cards (191!) for the employees of three nursing homes in their area. They also provide Valentine’s Day Bags every Feb for Priest River Ministries (advocates for women in vulnerable populations in crisis). They meet their pledge to mission through individual donations as well as donations from attendees at their events.