United Methodist Women

Organizationally, United Methodist Women is the successor to the home and foreigh missionary societies, the ladies aids, parsonage societies and guilds of the seven predecessor denominations now comprising The United Methodist Church. It is that group of women in each congregation organized for mission. Local units relate directly to district and conference organizations of United Methodist Women and to the Women's Division of the General Board of Global Ministries.

Its purpose is "The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall be a community of women whose purpose is to know God and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to develop a creative, suportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church."

For 85 years the women of Bellamy have been active in missionary work, concerned with the needs of women, children and youth in the community, the nation and around the world. In 1918 Mrs. Nora Vaden was elected as thefirst president of the Society. Members of the unit have been active in district and conference events and members have served as officers of the district and the conference. Over the years the unit has made and met its annual pledge to mission (in 2003 this $3,700.00), supported Call to Prayer and Self-Denial offering, Campaign of Children, Bethlehem Communities, Henry Fork Service Center, Wesley Community Center, the World Thank offering, the church sponsored missionary and the United Methodis SAssembly Center in Blackstone. Annually the unit presents Special Mission Recognition pins to persons for service to missions. Other projects include collecting old eyeglasses for the needy, boxes of children's books for one of the national projects, coordinating the World Service Kits, supporting the Laurel Shelter, the Gloucester-Mathews Free Clinic, the Mattaponi Healing Eagle Free Clinic, and collecting money for Christmas presents forthe patients at Eastern State Hospital. We have a prayer chain and try to meet local needs as they arise.

Nan Pointer is the president of the Bellamy Unit of UMW and there are two circles. All the women of the church are invited to participate. Anyone interested in joining the unit may call the church office for information. The names of the circles, the leaders and the meeting dates are as follows:

FANNIE ROBINSON/LOLA BLAND CIRCLE

Meets the 2nd Thursday at 1:30pm. Circle Leader: Daisy Horsley

VIRGINIA ROBINS CIRCLE

Meets the 2nd Tuesday at 7:00pm. Circle Leader: Rita Reese

WE NEED YOU!!!

We are very thankful for the wonderful group we have here at Bellamy, but we want to enlarge the Circles. So won't you join us today for enriched fellowship and mission projects? "Let us be doers of the Word and not hearers only." Please call the church office at 804-6934-5142 for further information.