UNITED WOMEN IN FAITH and WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

3/20/2022 address of our President Tonia Ukanwoke to the congregation

GOOD MORNING, GRACE CHURCH, AND OUR ZOOM AND FACEBOOK FAMILY. IT PLEASES ME TO BE AMONGST YOU THIS MORNING AS THE PRESIDENT OF GRACE UNITED WOMEN IN FAITH TO SAY A HAPPY WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH TO ALL GRACE CHURCH WOMEN AND SALUTATIONS TO ALL THE WOMEN AROUND THE GLOBE.

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN IS NOW KNOWN AS UNITED WOMEN IN FAITH. THIS NAME CHANGE BECAME EFFECTIVE THIS MONTH AND ITS OBJECTIVE IS TO PROMOTE AND NURTURE CURRENT MEMBERS, WELCOME AND ACCOMMODATE OTHER WOMEN REGARDLESS OF THEIR RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS TO JOIN THE UNITED WOMEN IN FAITH AND TO PUT THEIR LOVE IN ACTION ON BEHALF OF WOMEN, CHILDREN AND YOUTH.

Now back to our local Unit- The GUWF is a community of women who know God and experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ. We have developed a creative supportive fellowship serving our church, our community, and turning faith, hope and love into action on behalf of women, children and youth in our community and around the world.

The Grace United Women in Faith reorganized in the fall of 2016. We were recognized and presented with a certificate for being reorganized in April 2018 by the Long Island West District UWF.  A certificate was also presented by Senator Todd Kaminsky.

Our goals include the issue of food insecurity, helping the less privileged and vulnerable women, children and youth.

Because of food insecurity globally and locally, our mission’s focus has been on hunger. These amazing women of God continue to donate money towards meals at The Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN) located in Hempstead and have an ongoing collection of food for their food pantry. Our church family has responded generously to the call for food donations. Thank you church family!! Due to the pandemic, we are unable to continue serving meals; however, we continue to issue checks to support them during this covid crisis.

We have also embarked on continually helping the less privileged and vulnerable youth housed at the Covenant House, New York. As we continue to fight for justice, we appointed a Social Action Coordinator to lead us in supporting the Prison Ministry and spiritual growth. One goal of the social action and prison ministry is to connect with youth offenders once a month at Rikers Island. Before the pandemic struck, GUWF supported them through prayers and visitations which included praise, worship, and fellowship. Due to COVID-19 restrictions on visitations, our visits to Rikers’ Island have been  put on hold. But we continue to donate cards, letters, books, and clothing to the inmates.

Within our local unit, we celebrate each member of Grace Church by sending out birthday cards and other cards as deemed appropriate through our Birthday Ministry. We also offered cash assistance to some GUMC members who were in dire need of financial assistance.

Other donations from GUWF include donations to the district from pledges received to support Women, Children and Youth around the globe. During the 2021 LIWD Annual Conference, GUWF won many recognitions for our contribution to local and global needs. We continually attend and support other LIWD units during their events.

Last year April 2021, GUWF had our Annual Spring Social Justice Luncheon Fundraiser which featured many notable UWF units, the Nassau County Police Dept., the US Senator Todd Kaminsky, and Emily Jones, the Executive for Racial Justice, United Women in Faith National Office. Our theme was Social Justice: Bold and Courageous Discussion. Thus far, we have developed a caring fellowship of God-fearing women whose faith is strengthened, as we continue to grow in our service to God and to those in need.

Our International Mission has been of tremendous success. Thus far, we have been meeting our global mission through donations to a school in Dominica that was affected by the hurricane and a high school in Jamaica. A donation was also made to girls in impoverished countries who needed feminine products. We made donations to the Methodist Africa University in Zimbabwe and also sponsored a local school for orphans in Ghana. We have made amazing contributions despite some unforeseen circumstance. Kudos to the GUWF.

We look forward to other exciting initiatives in the future to fulfill the UWF vision of “… turning faith, love and hope into action on behalf of women, children and youth around the world. We believe love in action can change the world.

PLEASE JOIN US ON MAY 8TH 2022, WHEN WE CELEBRATE UNITED WOMEN IN FAITH DAY HERE AT GRACE CHURCH IN HONOR OF GRACE UNITED WOMEN IN FAITH. JOIN US FOR AN EXCITING EVENT WHERE GRACE UNITED WOMEN IN FAITH WILL BID FAREWELL TO OUR PASTOR WHO HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS SUPPORT AND HAS MADE PHENOMENAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF GUWF. JOIN US IN PRAYERS FOR BETTER AND SUCCESSFUL ACHIEVEMENTS AND YEARS AHEAD.

Happy women’s history month to all the bold, courageous, spiritual, phenomenal and amazing women who effect positive social change in the lives of the less privileged women, children, and youth locally and globally. God bless and keep you all. Thank you very much for your time…