NEW YORK, N.Y., Mar. 2, 2022: United Methodist Women is now United Women in Faith! The move is part of a refreshing of the organization that includes a new logo and an array of new and improved programs to nurture current members and welcome new women to join to put their love in action on behalf of women, children, and youth.

The organization announced the new operating name in the March-April edition of response, its bimonthly magazine for members, and is launching the rebrand with a new website and Face Book event March 3 at 1 pm ET.

The new programs are fruits of research conducted over the past five years with more than 24,000 United Methodists and women of other Christian traditions participating in the surveys, focus groups and interviews. This input informed the prayerful discernment of staff and elected leaders.

The changes are designed to address the different needs and life stages of current members and new women and expand options for membership and engagement. The new name also aims to welcome current members whose local churches may choose to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church as well as women of other faith traditions who want to join.

New and innovative programs will be rolled out throughout 2022, including:

• A new, easier to navigate website with a homepage designed to pique new women’s interest in United Women in Faith and a special portal set to come online later this year where members can log in to access additional resources.

• A new “All-Access” National Membership Option enabling women to join United Women in Faith via the new website and participate online or in person at local units or larger events

• Soul Care Retreats, a pilot recruitment program for members and their nonmember friends and new women focused on nurturing women’s bodies, minds, and spirits.

• Innovations to Mission u, the organization’s longtime spiritual growth and transformative education program. Beginning in spring 2022, Mission u will introduce new curricula each year—one for children, one for youth and one for adults—all focused on a shared biblical theme. The new Mission u curricula will be more adaptable for use in small groups, local churches, vacation Bible schools, retreats, and other settings. Through these vibrant, relevant, justice-oriented, and biblically centered curricula, Mission u will continue its commitment to learning together for the transformation of the world and expand its impact.

“This is an exciting time for our organization!” said Harriett Jane Olson, CEO of United Women in Faith. “Looking back, we see the through lines for our organization—faith in God, love for each other and commitment to putting our faith into action supporting women, children, and youth. These commitments have been expressed in different ways at different times using different names, always calling women to world changing action. This combination of a new look, more accessible resources for members and new ways to participate, positions us for impact in our own journeys and in how we engage the world that God so loves.”

‘Ainise ‘Isama’u, United Women in Faith board president, said the changes express the organization’s core values in ways that will excite current members and invite new women to join us.

“I’m confident our members will be excited about these changes,” she said. “Together we are creating more opportunities for engagement with more women through new programs and updates of long-standing programs that embody our core values. Things change. People change. But God remains, and that continues to be the purpose behind everything that we do in this organization.”

The organization remains incorporated in New York as United Methodist Women and is doing business as United Women in Faith.

United Women in Faith seeks to connect and nurture women through Christian spiritual formation, leadership development, creative fellowship, and education so that they can inspire, influence and impact local and global communities.

https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/united-methodist-women-is-now-united-women-in-faith