GLOSSARY

Annual Meeting: An annual meeting is held by all districts and conferences of United Methodist Women.  A program designed to meet the needs of the women of the organization and in harmony with the PURPOSE is presented.  Officers are elected, business transacted and pledges are made for the next year.

Book of Reports: The Book of Reports is a compilation of reports from Conference Officers, District Presidents and Standing Committee Chairpersons of their work for the previous year, as well as minutes and records of the Conference Executive Committee.  It is usually dedicated to a person whom the committee feels has given dedicated service to the United Methodist Women.

Director, Women’s Division: A director is one of the 50 persons elected to serve as a volunteer on the Women’s Division for a period of four years.  A director has voice, vote and sets the official program and policy for the Division, including the specific use of undesignated funds.

DO-IT-DAY: District Officers in Training.  This is a day when District Officers receive training for their respective officers by their Conference counterparts.  For example, the Conference President will train the District Presidents.

Executive Committee: This is also known as the Mission Team.  This committee is the administrative body of United Methodist Women on the local, district and conference level.  The president chairs the Executive Committee.

Love Offering: This is an offering that is taken each year for a specific project or to honor a special person or group.

MATCH: Mother and Their Children.  This is a ministry approved as a United Methodist Women Project for ministry with Incarcerated Women and Their Children.

Mission Studies: There are three areas of study chosen annually by the Women’s Division for use at all levels of the organization and they are spiritual growth, geographical and general issue.

Mission Today:  A program designed to recognize units which have special emphasis on some or all of the suggestions for mission participation found in the “Mission Today” brochure.

Reading Program: A program of United Methodist Women encouraging members to expand their understanding of and participation in God’s mission through reading and the study of books chosen by the Reading Program Committee of the Women’s Division.

Seven Avenues of Mission Giving: Pledge to Missions, Special Mission Recognition, Gift to Mission , Gift in Memory, World Thank Offering, Candle Burning and a Penny and a Prayer are the seven avenues of Mission Giving. Also referred to as Seven Star Unit giving.  The Local, District or Conference treasurer can assist in the purchase of special cards or pins.

Pledge to Mission : (1) The amount of mission giving money an individual commits herself to contribute to United Methodist Women for a year.  (2) The amount of mission giving money the unit, district or conference approves to contribute to the Women’s Division each year in support of mission.

Special Mission Recognition:  A gift given in honor of the recipient for mission work.

Gift to Mission : Honoring an individual with a mission gift in his or her name of at least $5.00.  A card is sent to the person for a special event, a thank you, a get-well wish, etc.

Gift in Memory:  Honoring a deceased family member or friend with a gift to mission giving..

World Thank Offering: Responding to God’s abundance and grace with a spontaneous gift of gratitude by contributing money each day in a jar or box marked for World Thank Offering.

Candle Burning: A donation given by an individual member to mission giving in memory or in honor of an individual or group.

Penny and a Prayer:  A penny is placed in a box as you pray each day as a way of maintaining the connection with the past and the future.

Standing Rules:  Rules of procedures followed by the North Carolina Conference United Methodist Women supplementary to the Constitution and By-laws of Women’s Division.

Study Jewel: A pendant presented to a District for exceptional work in Mission Studies.

Mission Giving: A contribution given by a donor for a program of mission with “no strings attached”.  The funds are available for use in any part of the mission program of United Methodist Women.  The Directors of the Women’s Division determine their specific use.

Women’s Division: A program unit of the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church .  The Women’s Division is the national policy-making body for the United Methodist Women.