Song, dance, Scripture, celebration, prayer, dialogue, play, drama, new friends, old friends, even a cascade of balloons – all were part of the National Gathering for Teens and College/University Women in United Methodist Women Dec. 28-31, 2000, in St. Charles, Ill.

Sponsored by the Women’s Division, the gathering brought together close to 800 teen and college/university women, plus older women mentors for an inspiring weekend. The event focused on developing leadership skills; sharing highlights from United Methodist Women’s history; and empowering young women for Christ’s mission with women, youth and children.

"Walking through the door to this event was meaningful and fulfilling," said Stacey Matthews, 26, of the Baltimore-Washington Conference. When Ms. Matthews applied to attend the gathering, she was in college. She has since graduated and continues her involvement in United Methodist Women as a mentor to young women.

"I want to motivate young women for mission, and this event has given me a much better understanding of how I can do that," Ms. Matthews said. "It’s time to get out there and help young women rise up. I’d like to start a district unit for young women in my conference." Such a unit could involve young women from a number of churches.

Ms. Matthews was one of 14 women from Baltimore-Washington Conference who attended the gathering. Conferences across the United States sent similar delegations.

The gathering’s three days of activities – workshops, music, large-group gatherings and small-group discussions called Soul Sister times – were based on Mark 5:21-24 and 35b-43, the story of Jesus raising Jairus’ daughter from apparent death. The theme was "Young Women, Rise Up!"

A key goal of the weekend was to empower young women for mission. Jolind Dizon, 25, of Rocky Mountain Conference, testified to the success of the gathering in meeting that goal when she said she came away feeling comfortable communicating what young women want and need to be included in the Church and United Methodist Women.

"There are a lot of new things I will share with church leaders, like how to get the youth more involved with United Methodist Women’s activities and how to get them excited for mission," Ms. Dizon said, adding networking was the most exciting part of the gathering. "I met people from all sorts of places, and I discovered what a big group United Methodist Women really is."

Sylvia White, 14, of New York Conference agreed.

"I’ve liked just hanging out and meeting new people," Ms. White said.

Networking included daily discussion groups, known as Soul Sister time, during which participants of various ages from various conferences met to pray, talk about the day’s activities and ideas, and brainstorm how to take information home.

Young women led the Soul Sister groups and were involved in every aspect of the event from planning to leading worship and workshops to sharing their talent through performances.

Music during the large-group gatherings was led by a team of musicians from around the world. Participants learned songs from a number of countries in various languages.

Each large-group gathering introduced one or more stories from the history of United Methodist Women.

For example, a video featuring Theressa Hoover, retired deputy general secretary of the Women’s Division, was premiered at the opening session to introduce participants to United Methodist Women’s longtime and ongoing work for racial justice. Ms. Hoover explained creation and dismantling of the Central Jurisdiction, the all-black jurisdiction formed when the Methodist Episcopal Church and Methodist Episcopal Church-South merged as the Methodist Church.

In the video, Ms. Hoover speaks about the relationships Methodist women built across racial barriers and the importance of these relationships in bringing down the Central Jurisdiction. She urges young women to know their world and what’s happening in it, so they can be effective mission agents.

An interactive skit, written as a melodrama complete with thunder and lightning and audience responses, told the story of how women first organized for mission on a stormy night in 1869 in Boston, Mass. And an historical musical review relayed the justice struggles of women in the United States as they battled against slavery and alcohol, and for women’s suffrage, the right to unionize and equal opportunities despite gender.

Robin Harper, a college student from Yellowstone Conference who now lives in Pittsburgh, Pa., was impressed by the review.

"The justice singers helped me remember why we fight for justice for women in our own country and around the world," Ms. Harper said. "We still have a long way to go."

Ms. Harper listed struggles she sees for women today:

"Young women have a lot to offer," Ms. Harper said.

Katherine Maninga, 17, of Virginia Conference, and Ms. White of New York Conference said they appreciated learning the history of United Methodist Women.

"I learned so much about United Methodist Women -- the mission, how women first organized," Ms. Maninga said. "This event, through skits, music and the gatherings has inspired a lot more young people to become interested in United Methodist Women."

Ms. White said, "I’ve learned a lot about how women have not always been appreciated for what they’ve done."

She said she believes women still are not always appreciated or recognized for their work in church or society. When women are not seen as equals, it can lead to low self-esteem, she said, adding, "But it doesn’t need to be that way."

Teen and college/university women who helped plan the National Gathering said it was a success. Planning-team member Paige Mount, 15, of Southwest Texas Conference, explained:

"It was an amazing thing, working with a planning team for two years and being a part of something this big. It brought us close together for the Purpose of United Methodist Women. We helped give everyone ideas for working together and getting involved in the organization’s mission."

Tiffanie Fairweather, 21, of New York Conference, agreed.

"I thought everyone was crazy organizing such a big event," Ms. Fairweather said. "Then we split into groups and things began to come together. The reactions of the young women here have been amazing. We do have a voice, and it can and will be heard."

Marva Usher-Kerr, New York Conference United Methodist Women president, who brought 20 participants to the event, made a request of all United Methodist Women members and those who support them:

"Pray. Pray that these young women can convey what they experienced."