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by Wild Flower Art House © 2008
~
A message from the current President of Friend's Women Fellowship, taken from the
Yearly President's Report.
~
FWF President
2005-2008
"No one has the right
to hear the Gospel twice,
while there remains
someone who has
not heard it once." ~
it is hidden to them that are lost:
in whom the god of this world
has blinded the minds of them
which believe not, that they might
not see the light of the Gospel
of the glory of Christ, who is
the image of God."
(II Cor. 4:3-4) ~
- Judy Shetley, FWF President
Friends Women Fellowship has had a remarkable year! New Fellowships have been added across the MAYM. Many young women are joining our ministry, providing fresh faces and fresh ideas for the future. Our new website, blog and revamped newsletter are all part of the innovative direction our ministry is moving. Our goal is to be a ministry that is continuously moving forward in what God is doing with His Church today!
As reflected in our quilting theme this year, “Jesus Puts the Pieces Together,” we have seen that happen before our very eyes. Though we haven’t closed out our giving for the year yet, we’ve given to organizations across the globe, including projects from
Lots of exciting changes are taking place in Friends Women Fellowships. As an organization that has existed for over a century, one of our challenges is making sure we don’t get mired in the past. We want to hold firmly to our primary mission – “working, giving and praying for missions” – but we also want to be flexible enough to change when needed. Let us never be afflicted with the “We’ve-Never-Done-It-That-Way-Before” disease!
At Mid-Year Boards quite a number of significant changes in the administration of Friends Women Fellowship were approved. Here are the highlights:
Our official calendar year will no long run from July-to-July. Effective January 1st, 2008, the FWF calendar year will be January 1st through December 31st! This will primarily effect our financial year and the terms that our officers serve. To accommodate this transition, we will simply extend the current calendar year. It will run from July 2006 through December 31st 2007. This extended year will also give us more time on current offerings and projects.
Because of new government regulations in place concerning charitable organizations and their tax exempt status, our bookkeeping guidelines have become stricter. One of the ways we will accommodate that is by choosing a specific software program that the Treasurer, the Yearbook Secretary, and the Quaker Bonnet Editor will all operate from. There will be defined categories that will be universally used. Merle Kinser, the Chairperson of the Stewards Board of MAYM, is overseeing and auditing the new guidelines and compliance.
As part of the new financial guidelines all future Friends Women Retreat Committees will have a specific reporting form that will be used for all finances concerning our yearly retreats. This will be effective immediately and will be used by this fall’s Retreat Committee. Merle Kinser (mdkinser@juno.com) will also be auditing these reports. (As you look over these new financial guidelines, please know they have been put in place as safeguards to make sure we keep our tax-exempt status. A number of church organizations across the country have lost that privilege due to failure to comply with new, stricter guideline and reporting regulations.)
The distribution of any monies raised by the Yearly Women’s Retreat must be approved by the Executive Board. The Retreat Committee for that particular year will be asked for their recommendations. Last year the money raised was donated to Dr. Samson in
Officers whose terms would have ended in July 2007 will continue to serve until Dec. 31st, 2007. New officers will now begin their terms on January 1st, starting in 2008. Officer terms will now run from January 1st through December 31st.
We are no longer collecting Duty Money. Any Duty Money sent in this year will be put in the General Fund.
We will not have a Prayer Breakfast/Luncheon at this year’s Ministry Conference. Due to increased travel expenses and scheduling changes it has become increasingly harder for many women to attend this event. This is event will now become part of our yearly Women’s Retreat.
The FWF Officers will no longer meet at Ministry Conference. We are also doing away with Mid-Year Boards. We will continue to have two meetings per year – now known as Spring Board and Fall Board. This year Fall Board will take place on September 8th, 2007 at Camp Quaker Haven.
We will no longer hand out President’s Packets at Ministry Conference. Instead you will receive these in December by mail. We will mail them directly to FWF’s. If a church does not have a FWF, it will addressed to the appropriate church contact.
Books ordered from the FWF
Projects and offerings for 2008 will be announced at the Fall Women’s Retreat.
To accommodate the extended transition year, supplements to the Yearbook and Program Book will be sent out with the Quaker Bonnet and also made available on our website.
If you have any questions about any of these changes, please feel free to call me (405.842.6877) or email me (judy@friendswomen.com).
The overall goal of these changes is to make our organization run as smoothly and efficiently as possible, so we can spend the majority of our time and energy focusing on supporting our missionaries instead of shuffling endless paperwork!
I look forward to seeing all the ladies at the Friends Women Retreat in
In the Service of Christ,
Judy Shetley
Friends Women Fellowship President
judy@friendswomen.
~