March 2026
- West Ohio UWF
- 4 days ago
- 12 min read
United Women in Faith of West Ohio
March Inspirations
We believe love in action can change the world.
Contents:
From the West Ohio Conference President
O GOD, YOU ARE MY GOD, AND I WILL EVER PRAISE YOU. I WILL SEEK YOU IN THE MORNING AND I WILL LEARN TO WALK IN YOUR WAYS, AND STEP BY STEP YOU LEAD ME, AND I WILL FOLLOW YOU ALL OF MY DAYS. This is one of my favorite songs, one that keeps me focused, remembering to go step by step. Do you have one of these songs? As United Women in Faith, we STEP out of the box. We STEP forward. We are not afraid to STEP into the unknown. Also remember it is okay to take a STEP back. I told my minister one time that I had so much on my plate that I needed to get a 9 x 13 pan. Each of you is so important and an asset to UWFaith. I love coming to your events and hearing about the great ministries you are involved in. You STEP into your work, accomplishing wonderful things, but remembering that God leads your steps. You STEP up and say yes to accepting a new challenge as an officer in UWFaith. It is a STEP by STEP process led by your Conference and District Leadership Team.
“Jubilate Agno” by Christopher Smart
“Let the stairs of our house be full,
The hands of our work be full,
Let every step we take be full
Of the joy of the Lord.”
Christopher Smart’s “Jubilate Agno” is an exuberant poem filled with praise. The stairs here represent the steps of faith, with each one filled with purpose and divine joy.
Smart’s use of stairs as a metaphor emphasizes a journey of spiritual fulfillment. Every step is an affirmation of joy and faith, reinforcing the idea that life’s journey, though challenging, is ultimately filled with blessings
“In every moment, may you find the strength to take the next right step. Let your journey be filled with grace, one step at a time.”
Paula Nourse, Kinder6595@hotmail.com, 614-326-9062 (texting is good)
From the Treasurer
In last month’s issue of Inspirations, I reported that mission giving for the West Ohio Conference in 2025 was $131,047.16; however, I have recently been notified by the National Office that an additional $1,689.10 was sent directly to New York. This means our grand total for 2025 was $132,736.26 or 88.49% of our goal of $150,000.
These mission giving dollars help United Women in Faith to turn faith, hope, and love into action for women, children, and youth around the world. One way you can continue to put your faith into action is through participation in the 2026 A Call to Prayer and Self-Denial program and offering. The offering this year will help support National Mission Institutions (NMI) and their work with vulnerable children: providing low-cost early childhood education, after-school programs, enrichment programs, mental health support, guidance for the transition to adulthood, etc. Due to recent changes in federal grants, many of these services are at risk. In some NMIs, programs have been eliminated. God calls us not just to love in words but by our actions. Every child deserves access to education, food, safety, health care, and the hope of a brighter future. Participate in the 2026 A Call to Prayer and Self-Denial!
Marsha Klingbeil - Treasurer
Mission u Registration Form
Download the registration form for Mission u 2026 using the button below. Registration begins soon!
From the Social Action Coordinator
For many of us, advocacy can feel overwhelming or even intimidating. I’d like to share a few simple ways to begin or continue your advocacy journey. You have the right to voice your concerns not only through voting, but also by communicating directly with elected officials.
It’s easy to feel overloaded by the sheer volume of legislation at the federal, state, city, and school district levels. Instead of trying to follow everything, choose one issue that truly fires you up and focus your energy there. Thankfully, there are tools and organizations that make this work easier and more accessible.
5 Calls Make phone calls or send emails to legislators using 5calls.org. You can download the app or visit the website directly. It’s a simple, user-friendly way to track issues you care about and stay updated on current legislation.
Indivisible Central Ohio Visit https://indivisiblecentralohio.org/ for resources that benefit all Ohioans. Their mission is to work together to defend human rights, truth and justice, racial justice, and voting rights. This group welcomes members of any political affiliation, or none at all.
National Immigration Law Center NILC offers helpful resources for individuals and public spaces. Their information on knowing your rights, especially regarding warrants, is particularly valuable: https://www.nilc.org/resources/know-your-rights-warrants/
Looking ahead, I will be organizing a Zoom call in late March for District and Unit Social Action Coordinators. This call will also be open to anyone with an interest in social action. If you’d like to participate, please reach out to me at stonerde@gmail.com.
Advocacy doesn’t have to be loud or complicated. Small, focused actions add up, and your voice truly matters. ✨
Debra Stoner – Social Action Coordinator – stonerde@gmail.com
Legacy Fund Report for March 2026
The Legacy Endowment Fund total from December 2025 is $53,819,136.27. I am confident that we can meet our goal soon. Thank you for your donations.
Grace in Abundance
“And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything you may be able to do good for every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8
God’s abundant grace has been with us since the inception of The Legacy Endowment Fund, and that grace continues to abound as we grow ever closer to reaching our goal of $60 million. We are now less than $7 million away. Day of Giving, March 23, 2026, is our opportunity to gather together as one to thank God for the continued grace shown to United Women in Faith by faithfully giving to ensure the future of our vital mission work to improve the lives of women, children, and youth at home and abroad. Please join us and show your appreciation for God’s Grace in Abundance with your generous gift. To donate or for more information, go to https://uwfaith.org/dayofgiving/.
Janice Deal – Legacy Fund Liason – jdeal@ideal-services.com
Day of Giving - March 23
Opportunities for Giving
Our Conference UWFaith has pledged to pay $1600 for registration fees to help bring four women from the North Katanga Conference in Africa to the Assembly in May. At this time, a total of $1054.47 has been received from 11 UWFaith members, 1 local unit, and one district, which makes 65.9% of our pledge. Perhaps your unit is paying your way to attend Assembly, or you are not able to attend this year. Would you consider donating $10 or more towards this cause? The link to donate is on the first page of the website, where it says “Give Now.” https://www.westohiouwf.org
A second opportunity to give is publicized in this newsletter as “The Day of Giving.” Each year on March 23, the UWFaith ask for funds used for mission work for women, children, and youth. The flyer has various ways of giving, such as check, by phone (lines staffed on March 23), online, and QR code. Why March 23? This is the date when 8 women met in 1869 and founded the Women’s Foreign Missionary Society, the forerunner of United Women in Faith.
We are asked to give to so many organizations. Please consider continued support for women and children at home and abroad to help those less fortunate than we are. “To whom much is given, much will be required.” Luke 12:48.
Communications Coordinator – Carol Waugh; carolwaugh6@gmail.com
From the Program Resources Coordinator
Hi! I am Molly Manring, the new Program Resources Coordinator. In this article, I am going to go over the requirements for the Reading Program. There are 5 categories in the Reading Program as follows:
1) Education for Mission
2) Leadership Development
3) Nurturing for Community
4) Social Action
5) Spiritual Growth
To participate in the Reading Program, you get reading books from the book list for Plan 1, 2, 3, or 4. You complete the reporting form and submit it to your District or Conference Program Resources Coordinator. The due date for turning in your reporting form will be published in the September or October WOC UWFaith Inspirations Newsletter.
The 4 Plans of the Reading Program are
Plan 1: Read 5 books – 1 from each category
Plan 2: Read 10 books – 2 from each category
Plan 3: Read 15 books – 2 from each category, plus 5 additional books from any category
Plan 4: Read 20 books – 2 from each category, plus 10 additional books from any category
Books can be read from book lists from 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, or 2026. You can find a combined Excel list of all these book lists at bit.ly/RPBookList, or a list for each year at uwfaithresources.org.
Other ways to get reporting credits include:
1) Listening to Faith Talks – you get 1 credit in Spiritual Growth category for 2 episodes
2) Listening to Voices from the Field podcast – you get 1 credit in Education for Mission category for 2 episodes
3) Reading response magazine – 1 credit for reading a year (6 issues)
4) Being a part of a Mission u or Keyhole Missiology study – 1 credit in Spiritual Growth category for reading a Mission u study book; 2 credits in Spiritual Growth for joining a Mission u study together with others
5) Watching movies and/or television programs asked on current Reading Program books are eligible for 1 credit. To determine the category for the credit, identify the category of the book, and apply the credit for the film/program in that category.
If I can help you, feel free to contact me.
Molly Manring, 2445 Sulphur Spring Rd., Chillicothe, OH 45601
gmm@roadrunner.com or 740-642-4554
Centenary United Methodist Church is the only church of the three (3) left in Gallia County, Ohio, that has a women’s group. Gallia County is in the Hocking River District. The women meet on the first Thursday of the month. We have two main fundraisers to help with our mission work.
The first is in May. We have a yard sale in the fellowship hall. It is an opportunity to clean our homes of the extras we acquire. The yard sale is by donation only for the small items, and you may place as many items as you can fit in a Walmart bag for $5.00. The larger items are marked. We serve hot dogs, chips, drinks, and desserts. We have found that our community is very supportive. The remaining items are placed in a trailer at the end of the day and taken by one of our congregants to the Henderson Settlement in Kentucky. They appreciate what we send. It is wonderful in that we give twice—once locally to our community and again to the Henderson settlement, approximately 175 miles away.
The second fundraiser is our Christmas Bazaar, where crafts such as knitted items, ornaments, wooden items, and various handmade items are brought for sale. We also sell soups by the pint or quart and baked goods. This is a good time for our community to visit and to begin our Christmas shopping.
The money that we collect from these fundraisers is used for local missions such as the clothes closet at the elementary school, helping our local food pantry, sponsoring law enforcement with stuffed animals for their cruisers, giving to individual families that have experienced a crisis, etc.
We are a group of 8-12 ladies who, although small, still try to make a difference in our communities by continuing these traditions and stepping through difficult attendance times.
If you are ever in Gallipolis, Ohio, on the first Thursday of the month at 6:00 p.m., please feel free to stop by Centenary United Methodist Church at 2887 State Route 141 for one of our meetings. – Lynne Stewart
Share Information about Camp Wesley and Retreat Center!
Download a flyer about opportunities to visit Camp Wesley in the coming season.
A Message from the National President
Do Not Fear, for I Am with You
As we prepare for this season of Lent, I know that I am not alone in feeling the weight of turmoil surrounding this country. These last few months have seemed very hard, a season of wilderness and confusion as we witness anger, frustration, and acts of inhumanity to our neighbors. I am definitely in a state of dismay. My heart is aching. I find myself wondering how we have gone so far astray from the teachings of Christ. My thoughts are not always kind. I sometimes find myself doom-scrolling for information and updates, and have to make myself shut it off and step away. I keep telling myself that I need to create pockets of peace instead of allowing bad news to consume my thoughts and add to my distress.
God’s word is clear. God is with us. God will strengthen us and help us, supplying our strength. Instead of doom scrolling, I have begun to look for signs of God’s work in progress. I am looking for signs of hope. And these signs are all around when you stop to look.
I see it in the passion and determination of the people in Minneapolis who are standing as witnesses for justice. While many take to the streets in frigid weather, others find ways to give support to their neighbors who live in fear. They call it “neighboring.” They bring food to those who are afraid to go shopping. They escort neighbors to appointments. I see hope in action within my church, as people volunteer to patrol the parking lot during our Hispanic service so that the congregation can feel safe to come to worship.
Our mission giving is an act of hope—knowing that we are changing lives. Hope is thriving in the everyday work of communities such as our National Mission Institutions and mission partners, who are determined not to stop supporting the people they serve.
I see hope in those who are shining bright lights of moral witness; faith leaders who are preaching the gospel of peace and justice, while encouraging us to find tangible ways to help. I need these reminders: Joy is a form of resistance and hope. God is in charge, and love always wins.
Prayer
God of hope and love, as we begin this Lenten season, remind us that there are signs of hope all around us. Open our eyes so that we can see them and be witnesses to the world that Christ came to show us. Forgive us our stubborn, fearful, unloving ways. Remind us that hope is a verb. Help us find our place and do what is ours to do. Help us listen and act with love, kindness, and truth, remembering that with God, all things are possible. Amen.
//
Jana Jones is the United Women in Faith National President
National Mission Institutions
National Mission Institutions are community-based organizations and social service agencies that were almost exclusively founded by women in the 19th century to serve marginalized communities and populations across the United States. Today, United Women in Faith remains connected to these community centers, colleges, and residences, providing vital services in vulnerable communities. National Mission Institutions empower women, care for children, support seniors, educate youth, provide housing for domestic violence survivors, and offer residences for special needs children and youth. National Mission Institutions also advocate for the women, children, youth, and families in the communities they serve.
Learn more about the Mission Institutions in West Ohio—their histories, missions, and how you can serve and support the vital work they do:
National Events, News, & Resources
The National Office has many interesting events and gatherings such as Faith Talks, Voices of the Field, Podcasts, and Webinars. Go to the United Women in Faith website to find out more and to subscribe to their digital communications to stay up on the latest scoop by clicking here.
Important Information
Join us in celebrating all the ways we inspire, influence, and impact our churches and communities with our 2023 Annual Report. We will share the 2024 Annual Report once it is made available.
The United Women in Faith Board of Directors approved the organization's 2025 budget at its fall board meeting. Check out our report.
United Women in Faith continues to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Middle East. Read our statement.
We join our friends at the General Commission on Religion and Race to condemn false claims against migrants and call for action against racism and xenophobia. Read the full statement.
Support United Women in Faith
Please consider increasing your Pledge to Mission, both individually and from your local unit! Gifts to Mission make it possible for United Women in Faith to carry out its vital work to connect and nurture women through Christian formation, leadership development, creative fellowship, and education so that they can inspire, influence, and impact local and global communities.
The Legacy Endowment Fund
Thank you to all who contributed to the Legacy Endowment Fund in 2025. I am pleased to announce that at the end of December, the Legacy Fund total was $53,819,136.27. The amount increases each month, and I am certain that we can reach the $60 million goal by the end of 2028. Please continue to contribute as you are able. If you have any questions, please contact me at (740) 891-1510 or jdeal@ideal-services.com. To learn more about this fund and how you can give to keep United Women in Faith strong for the future, go here.
Janice Deal
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