txconfumw Fall Meeting, Hands-On Project

Highlights from Texas Conference 2025 Annual Meeting at Lakeview

United Women in Faith members from across the Texas Conference met at Lakeview Methodist Conference Center on September 26-27 to celebrate the 2025 Annual Meeting. This year’s theme was Carrying Our Faith Forward: Empowering Generations Through Faith.

The festivities began Friday morning when Conference officers met in executive session to hear yearly reports and to look ahead to upcoming events.

That evening we participated in the Friday Night Experience and lived into the theme of Carrying our Faith Forward, highlighting our own stories of generational faith. Our speaker, Rose Brewer, told us how her experiences on the Committee on Native Americans (CONAM) led to a deeper faith. Afterward women shared pictures and stories of those who had helped shape their own faith. Paulette Moore-Hall, Conference Program officer, followed with the story of The Lantern in the Storm. We ended the evening with an ice cream social and lots of laughter.

Saturday began with a Greet the Day service led by Kyle Dahlem who reminded us that when God says he is going to do a new thing, it means change is coming. Get ready.

After breakfast the Annual Meeting began with a welcome from President Theresa Graham and from the Lakeview staff. After the singing of a hymn, a devotion from the Prayer Calendar, and the Response Moment, Stephanie Pounds, who represents the Texas Conference on the UWFaith National Board of Directors, greeted members and introduced our new growth campaign, #unstoppable. She also reminded members of the need to give boldly to Mission Giving to stand in the gap for National Mission Institution who are facing funding cuts. She also announced that the 2026 Reading Program catalog is available.

Stacie Hawkins, President of the South Central Jurisdiction followed and encouraged us to each welcome three new women in the next year to help us reach our growth goal of 30,000 new members this year. She also encouraged everyone to sign up for Assembly 2026 in Indianapolis. Stacie highlighted two online resources, the Leadership Toolkit for officers and the short film, Never Give Up: Cynthia and Michelle’s Faithful Fight Against Mass Incarceration. She finished with an update on the Legacy Endowment Fund which currently stands at $51,183,800, and she recognized the Legacy Builders from within the Texas Conference.

Legacy Builders from the Texas Conference

Priscilla Patterson, Chair of the Nominations Committee of the South Central Jurisdiction, brought greetings and encouraged everyone to attend assembly and to consider stepping up to be an officer at the jurisdiction level.

Treasurer Kathy Aubin lit the Mission Candle. Members collected $2123.55 for the Candle in memory and honor of special people, so the candle burned for 3 hours and 22 minutes.

Keynote speaker, Bee Morehead, was unable to attend in person and so addressed us via Zoom. She reminded us that the Texas Health and Human Services department will be under that microscope in the next session the Texas Legislature as part of a sunset review. She also reminded us that work to protect voting rights is ongoing. Check out her short voting rights video. After Bee’s talk, Theresa Graham presented Bee with a Special Mission Recognition pin.

The first session ended with the procession of the feminine hygiene kits, which were presented to the United Methodist Mission Center located in Conroe. Members brought 621 kits to Lakeview, and more are expected to be donated in the next few weeks. In addition, $1857 was given to help buy and distribute kits.

The annual business meeting took place during the second session. During the meeting we adopted new standing rules, approved the budget for 2026, and elected two new officers, Rhonda Carpenter, First UMC Huntsville, Membership Nurture and Outreach, and Evette Warren, Friendship UMC, Communications.

Kathy Kraiza took a moment to remind us where the money goes (and where it doesn’t). We recognized Gwen Mason who retired as the Membership Nurture and Outreach officer, and then Linda Elms led the installation of the two new officers.

At the conclusion of the business meeting, Kathleen Spangler led us in our first focus group, Faithful Footsteps: Learning from Women’s Leadership in Christian Social Action. Kathleen reminded us that our foremothers had a “both…and” faith that stressed both individual piety and social action by telling us the stories of Jarena Lee, Lucy Rider Meyer, Georgia Harkness, and Minerva G. Carcaño.

After lunch we participated in table talk facilitated by Rev. Thea Curry-Fuson during her focus group, Ashamed and Redeemed. Rev Curry helped us apply our theme scripture 2 Timothy 1:5 and the surrounding text. We were reminded to remember and rekindle the gift of God and that community is powerful.

Closing worship followed as musicians Mark Williams and Florence Snyder led us in song, Rev Curry-Fuson extended the Eucharist to each of us. The meeting ended with hugs and smiles as we sang “God Be With You Til We Meet Again.”

Do you have pictures you’d like to share? Send them to news@uwfaithtx.com.

txconfumw Fall Meeting, Uncategorized

2025 Annual Meeting Registration is Open

All women are invited to join us for the Texas Conference Annual Meeting to be held at Lakeview Methodist Conference Center in Palestine, TX on September 26-27, 2025. Download the Program Guide here.

Registration

Registration should be completed by September 12. If you are registering by mail, the treasurer should receive your check by September 12.

Register online
download form to register by mail

Schedule

Friday

3:00-5:00 pm
5:30 pm
7:00 pm

Registration – Great Hall
Dinner – Sparling Cafeteria
Gather in Song & Ice Cream Social – Great Hall

Through the Lens of Faith: Stories That Shape Us
Join us for an evening of reflection, storytelling, and sweet fellowship. This special event invites you to bring a photo, keepsake, or treasured item that represents a moment of faith, transformation, or spiritual heritage. 

Saturday               

7:15 – 7:45 am
8:00 am
8:15 am
8:45 am
9:00 am
12:00 noon
1:15 pm
2:45 pm
3:15 pm

Greet the Day
Breakfast
Registration for those arriving after breakfast
Gather in Song
Program/Annual Meeting
Lunch
Focus Group
Closing Plenary/Communion
Depart 

Housing

There are two options for housing this year.

  • Dorm Housing – Many people to a room. You’ll need to bring your own linens for bed and bath, pillows and a flashlight.
  • 1st Class Housing – Single or double occupancy. Linens & pillows are provided.

Food

There will be three meals available–a Friday meal, a Saturday breakfast, and a Saturday lunch. Your registration can include meals or you can bring your own food.

Speakers

Bee Moorhead

Bee is the Executive Director of Texas Impact and its sister organization, the Texas Impact Foundation. Since taking on this role in 2000, she has led Texas Impact to become one of the most respected interfaith advocacy networks in the country.

Under her leadership, the organization mobilizes tens of thousands of Texans from diverse faith traditions to advocate for policies that support vulnerable communities, local development, and environmental sustainability.

Bee’s expertise spans a wide range of policy areas, including health and human services, climate change, immigration, public budgets, and civic engagement. She has served on numerous state agency working groups and task forces, addressing issues from nursing home care to hurricane response. Additionally, she is a credentialed observer to the United Nations climate policy negotiations, attending the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change’s annual Conference of the Parties since 2015.

Bee Moorhead has played a pivotal role in Texas Impact’s partnership with the Texas United Women in Faith for their annual Legislative Event. This long-standing collaboration brings together women of faith and conscience from across Texas to engage in policy advocacy, leadership development, and community building. The event provides a platform for participants to meet with lawmakers, attend workshops on key social issues, and explore ways to put their faith into action through legislative engagement.

Under Bee’s leadership, Texas Impact has worked closely with Texas United Women in Faith to ensure that the event remains a powerful force for justice, freedom, and opportunity, particularly for women and children. The partnership has strengthened faith-based advocacy efforts, equipping attendees with the tools and knowledge to influence public policy in meaningful ways.

Bee Moorhead and her husband, Robert Moorhead, share a life filled with purpose, advocacy, and community engagement. They are proud parents to three adult children and two grandchildren. As a former professional costumer, Bee loves sewing and knitting, as well as cooking, gardening, reading, singing, and travel. She is an ordained ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church USA, and a member of University Presbyterian Church in Austin since 1983.

Kathleen Spangler

Kathleen Spangler works for a technology company helping to address the social issues that affect health. She attends Klein UMC and is currently in her third year of seminary at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. She is a certified candidate for deacon in the United Methodist Church.

Rev. Thea Curry-Fuson

Rev. Thea Curry-Fuson is an Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church. After growing up unchurched, Thea had a relational experience with God overseas that sparked her call towards pastoral ministry, eager to be a part of the Jesus mission. She is passionate about having authentic conversations about Jesus and hearing how God is moving in others. Thea has an MDiv from Southern Methodist University and a previous career in nonprofit management before entering ministry. She and her husband, Wayne, live in Pearland TX.

Voting

On Saturday, we will be voting to approve our 2026 budget.

We will also be voting on some new officers. Note that all women are invited to join us at our Fall Meeting (invite your friends!); however, non-members will not be able to vote.

Hands-on Mission Kits

We will be collecting our hands-on mission kits at Lakeview, so don’t forget to bring them. You can read more details here.

Register today

txconfumw Fall Meeting

Food, Faith, Fellowship — and Fun!

Ask anyone who attended the 2024 Annual Meeting at Lakeview, and they’ll tell you that a great time was had by all.

Officers met on Friday morning to approve a budget to present to the membership, discuss the coming year’s events, and to get an update on all the work being done in the Conference.

In the evening attendees gathered at Bagley Hall and got to know each other by playing several fun games centered around food and the recipes that women brought from home. With bingo cards in hand and wearing our aprons, we tried to find someone who brought a soup recipe, someone with a salad recipe, and someone who cooks Sunday dinner on Saturday among other descriptions. Finding that person in the crowd was most of the fun. Prizes were awarded to the winners of the food word search and word scramble. (Most of us are still trying to figure out how they got the answers so quickly!)

All the fun was followed by an emboldened word from Rev Ellen Thornburg, Associate Pastor at Love UMC in Baytown. She encouraged us to remember that we can rely on Lady Wisdom from Proverbs as we move throughout our important work.

We ended the evening by watching the 25-minute film, Food Access Revolution in South L.A. Roy Choi’s Inspiring Journey, a look at food deserts in the Los Angeles area and how different people are trying to solve the problem.

Saturday’s session began with a blessing the hygiene kits that units assembled this year. At final count we donated 610 kits, $550 in miscellaneous supplies, and $1347 in cash donations to be used by the UMC Mission Center in Conroe for women in schools and shelters.

Greetings were brought by Stacie Hawkins, South Central Jurisdiction President, and Stephanie Pounds, National Board of Directors. The Prayer Calendar and devotion was given by Gwen Mason in English and by Ashley Mayho in Spanish. Treasurer Kathy Aubin lit the Mission Candle for 1 hour and 40 minutes representing the $1650.88 raised.

President Theresa Graham presented General Secretary Sally Vonner with a certificate for a Special Mission Recognition pin which was warmly received. After that Stacie Hawkins reported that the Legacy Fund has raised $40,806,698.00 so far and that the Texas Conference had contributed $205,783.06 of that.

Sally Vonner brought the keynote speech. She challenged us to help the organization reach 500,000 people in membership, generate $10+ million/year in revenue, and meet or exceed $60 million Legacy Endowment Fund 2014 goal.

After a short break, the business meeting began where we elected and installed new officers, adopted a 2025 budget, completed the pledge service, and took an offering.

Pledges for 2025 totaled $82,000:

  • Metro District – $12,000
  • Northeast District – $10,000
  • Northwest District – $10,000
  • Southeast District – $25,000
  • Southwest District – $25,000

Lunch followed, and then we split into two workshops on Food and Faith led by Rev. Eleanor Colvin, Senior Pastor at Westbury UMC, and Rev. Jennifer Hodson, Pastor at Bryan Community Church.

Gathering one last time in Bagley Hall, Rev Colvin led us in Communion and the sending forth. We believe love in action can change the world–now it’s up to us to go home and do just that.

txconfumw Central North, Districts, Fall Meeting, Southeast, Southwest

Fall 2023 Brings District Events

United Women in Faith from across the Texas Conference met for district meetings in October and November, in some cases for the last time and in some cases for the first time, as the current nine districts will be merged into five districts on January 1.

South/Southeast District

On Saturday, November 4, South District United Women in Faith held a fall meeting, including representatives from the Southeast District. This was their first in-person gathering since 2019, and attendees delighted in meeting face to face. Deer Park United Women in Faith hosted, providing light breakfast to begin the day and brown bag lunches to end it.

South District President Kandy Lawson of Seabrook was the keynote speaker, elaborating on the theme, “Into a New Season.” She closed by inviting her audience to assemble feminine hygiene kits, the hands-On project for 2024.

Conference Treasurer Kathy Aubin filled in for district treasurer, explaining the 2024 budget and leading the mission candle-burning ceremony. The morning concluded with communion service led by Rev. John R. Black, senior pastor of Deer Park United Methodist Church, and Debbie Talley, Deer Park choir accompanist.

Southwest District

Southwest District United Women In Faith held its Fall celebration on Saturday, November 4th, 2023 at Newman Chapel United Methodist Church in Kendleton, Texas. The theme was “Inspire” based on the scripture Isaiah 43:18-19.   The special guest speaker was Prophetess Sharon Y.  Allen of Kendleton.   

Installation of officers for the incoming year was done by Carolyn Milby, secretary of the Texas Conference.  Luncheon catered by Michael Phoenix “Made a Tea Cake Services”   It was enjoyed by all. 

Special games were presented including Biblical questions and a super fun icebreaker Bingo.  Special door prizes were also available to everyone.  Although attendance for the celebration was not as full as it has been in the past, those who were there heard a powerful message from the speaker and enjoyed a nutritious and filling lunch.  The event was enjoyed by all who were there.

Central North District

The Central North District met for the last time at Klein United Methodist Church in Spring on October 21st. President Florence Snyder led the meeting and the singing. Women enjoyed the breakfast provided by the Klein women.

Jane Clark, district treasurer, led the Mission Candle burning ceremony, and during the meeting a vote was taken to close our bank account as the Central North District will merge with the Southwest District in the new year. Suzie Worsham reminded us that the November election was coming up quickly and encouraged everyone to get ready to vote.

Linda Elms was the keynote speaker, and she reminded us that while our goals may seem hard and sometimes far away, our foremothers did great things in a time when it wasn’t easy for women to do many things. Yet they persevered.

txconfumw Events, Fall Meeting, Uncategorized

2023 Annual Fall Meeting Takes Place at Lakeview

“We’re back!”

Those are the words heard many times during the 2023 Texas Conference Fall Annual Meeting. The two-day gathering, which took place Oct 6-7 at Lakeview Methodist Conference Center, was the first face-to-face annual meeting since the pandemic.

Friday night members celebrated homecoming, with many in attendance wearing shirts from their favorite college and university. The speaker for the college-themed night was Rev Tabitha Rankin, Director of the Wesley Foundation at Texas Southern University. Rev Rankin brought us up to speed on all that is happening with college ministries inside the state of Texas and challenged us all to find a way to offer support.

The next morning began with a blessing of the Hands-On Mission Kits by Education and Interpretation Coordinator, Kathy Kraiza. After the welcome, greetings, and prayer calendar, Treasurer Kathy Aubin lit the mission candle in honor and memory of those lifted up by their units.

A special mission recognition was given to Valerie Adame, for her many years of work across the conference and the South District. If you’ve attended any event in the past several years that required registration or Zoom–which is just about every event–you can thank Valerie and her ability to navigate online technologies for making the experience so easy.

Vice-President Stacie Hawkins gave an update on the Legacy Fund, and then Bishop Harvey blessed us with a talk about all the good things happening within the Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church.

During the business meeting that followed, Ella Aubin and Carren Rogers were elected and installed as the 2030 class of the Nominations Committee. Stephanie Pounds and Dorothy Ringer-Sumner were elected as nominees for the National Board of Directors, and Paulette Moore-Hall was elected as a nominee for the National Program Advisory Group. The 2024 budget was adopted and the pledge service completed.

After lunch Christine Riggle, Facilities Manager of the Mission Center of the Texas Annual Conference, thanked everyone in the Conference for their support of the Hands-On Mission Kits, and described the new Feminine Hygiene Kit that we will be making next year.

The event ended with a hymn, communion, grateful hearts for the chance to see each other again, and a promise to meet back again next year.

You can check out our album of pictures from the event here!

stephaniepounds Fall Meeting, Hands-On Project

2023 Fall Annual Meeting Registration is Open

Join us for Fall Annual Meeting, our first in-person event since the the pandemic. Our scriptures for the weekend will be Mark 8:27-30 and Ephesians 4:2-4. Bookmark this page to check for ongoing updates.

Registration

Registration should be completed by September 12. If you are registering by mail, the treasurer should receive your check by September 12.

Agenda

Friday

Gather with your friends from across the conference for an evening of fun and inspiration. Our theme will be Homecoming, and our guest speaker will be Pastor Tabitha Mock Rankin.

Saturday

We’ll begin the day with worship and be blessed by the words of Bishop Cynthia Harvey. We’ll also learn more about how our Hands-On Project donations will be used from Christine Riggle. It will be a full day of workshops, voting, business, and sisters in action.

Voting

On Saturday, we will be voting to approve our 2024 budget. You can see the proposed budget here.

We will also be voting to elect two new members to the Committee on Nominations. Nominees are:

  • Ella Aubin
  • Carren Rogers

Note that all women are invited to join us at our Fall Meeting (invite your friends!); however, non-members will not be able to vote.

Housing

There are two options for housing this year.

  • Dorm Housing – Many people to a room. You’ll need to bring your own bed & bath linens, pillows and a flashlight.
  • 1st Class Housing – Single or double occupancy. Linens & pillows are provided.

Food

There will be three meals available–a Friday meal, a Saturday breakfast, and a Saturday lunch. Your registration can include meals or you can provide your own.

Speakers

Bishop Cynthia Harvey

Cynthia Fierro Harvey serves as bishop of the Texas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, having been assigned there in November of 2022.  Previously Harvey served as associate pastor of The Foundry United Methodist Church in Houston from 1992-1996 and as executive pastor for Memorial Drive UMC in Houston from 1996-2008. She then moved to the position of Director of Missional Excellence for the Texas Annual Conference, serving from February of 2008-May 1, 2010. Just prior to her election as a United Methodist bishop in 2012, Harvey served as Deputy General Secretary for United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).  She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, where she earned a Master of Divinity and The University of Texas at Austin, where she earned her undergraduate degree in Journalism. 

Bishop Harvey was born on May 5, 1959, in Big Spring, Texas. She and her husband, Dean Alan Harvey, were married in 1981. Dean is a financial advisor and owns his own firm. Their daughter Elizabeth Grace Harvey is a design specialist and makes her home in Dallas.

Pastor Tabitha Mock Rankin

Pastor Tabitha Mock Rankin is an Ordained Elder and has served within the Texas Annual Conference of the UMC for 10 years. She is currently serving as the director of the Texas Southern University Wesley Foundation. Other full time appointments have included Chaplain, Wiley College, Director, Tyler United Wesley Foundation, and Pastor, St. Paul/Pleasant Grove, Huntsville.

Pastor Tabitha is the mother of six beautiful children. Nyah – 21, Taylor -18, Zora – 15, Isaiah – 8 and twin girls Kennedy and McKenzie 7.

Pastor Tabitha loves to spend time with family, travel, eat crawfish and dance for fun! Ministry has taken her many places, however her most memorable experience was serving in Nairobi for 10 days. Her favorite scripture is Philippians 4:13 and she frequently recites this scripture.

Pastor Tabitha is a graduate of Sam Houston State University, Gammon Theological Seminary and is currently working towards earning an Ed.D in Christian Education Leadership.

Christine Riggle

Send any questions to txconfuwf@gmail.com.

stephaniepounds Fall Meeting, Mission Giving

Mission Candle to burn at 2023 Annual Fall Meeting

Photo by lil artsy on Pexels.com

Each year Texas Conference United Women in Faith and their units honor the memory of members of their congregations and families by donating to the Mission Candle. Members and units send Mission Candle funds to their district treasurer through the remittance process, and the candle burns during the Annual Fall Meeting. The amount of money donated determines how long the Mission Candle will burn. In 2022 over $3000 was donated, which resulted in the Mission Candle burning for a little over 2 ½ hours.

How is the burning time calculated? Each year the National office calculates how much money United Women in Faith spends each minute on national, international, and partner missions. This is known as the Mission Minute. In 2023 the Mission Minute is $16.56. So a donation of $16.56 to the Mission Candle fund ensures that the candle will burn for a minute–and a minute of missions is funded. A donation of $33.12 ensures the candle will burn for two minutes and two minutes of missions are funded, and so on.

This year, units and districts should download and complete the form below to send the names of individuals to be recognized and the amount donated to the Conference Treasurer no later than September 23, 2023. District Donation checks should be sent to the Conference Treasurer by October 14, 2023, with the district’s third quarter’s remittance report. Since the 2023 Annual Meeting will be in person at Lakeview on October 7, it will great to be able to see the candle burning during the morning session.

6texas-conference-uwf-mission-candle_23Download
stephaniepounds Events, Fall Meeting

New Officers Installed During 2022 Fall Meeting

Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”

Ezekiel 47:12

Healing and Joy in our Journey to God was the theme of the 2022 Fall Annual Meeting of the Texas Conference of United Women in Faith. Led by President Carolyn Milby, women from across the conference joined together on Sept 10, 2022, via Zoom to conduct business, be inspired, and install new officers.

Milby welcomed the group with the hymn, My Jesus, I Love Thee, which was followed by an 9/11 remembrance led by Spiritual Growth officer, Lue Wenzel.

Treasurer Kathy Aubin led the Candle Burning special recognition ceremony. As part of their mission giving, units from across the district donated money in honor and in memory of special individuals in their unit to recognize their service to the organization. Aubin announced that the Conference had received over $3,000 this year as part of the Candle Burning donations.

Two women were recognized for their special service to the Conference. Vice-President Krystal West presented outgoing President Carolyn Milby with a Special Mission Recognition. Rev. Cheryl Smith received the Hazel Decker Award, which recognizes an outstanding woman in the Conference, for her work in Africa.

Kathy Kraiza, Education and Interpretation officer, presented a report on the 2022 Hands on Project. Districts from across the conference assembled kits of toiletries and supplies, which were combined to create care bags for disaster survivors. Over 200 adult care bags and 200 child care bags were assembled representing over $28,000 in donations from Texas Conference districts.

Paulette Moore-Hall updated the group on the new UWF brand standards and encouraged everyone to incorporate them in their communications and presentations.

Stacie Hawkins urged members to donate to the Legacy Endowment Fund by becoming a Legacy Builder, a Friend of Legacy, or by being a part of the 1869 Society. Created in 2014 with a goal of raising $60 million as a source of ongoing income, Hawkins reported that as of May 31, 2022, the Fund total stood at $35,920, 237.

The keynote speaker for the event was Dr Marilyn Stinson. Speaking on the meeting’s theme and scripture, Stinson invited members to follow Ezekiel’s example and:

  • Focus on God
  • Trust in the Lord and do good
  • Be aware of God’s care each and every day

After a break, the business portion of the meeting was called to order during which new officers were elected for 2023 and the 2023 budget was adopted.

Milby led the group in the closing hymn, God Be With You Till We Meet Again, and then adjourned the meeting.