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Despite the mid-June date, Opal Ransom, president of Tennessee Conference United Methodist Women announced:
"Today is Christmas for United Methodist Women!"
Christmas indeed came early to United Methodist Women in the Murfreesboro District when they gathered in Murfreesboro, 30 miles south of Nashville June 14. A nationwide dream became reality as United Methodist Women welcomed into their fold the first district teen unit of United Methodist Women in the United States.
YGTT -- Young, Gifted, Talented Teens -- is the name of this 17-member unit of teen women, ages 14-18. Currently African-American in composition, the unit is open to all teen women across the Murfreesboro District who want to make a difference in the world today.
"Today is Christmas for United Methodist Women, and we've come to Murfreesboro to see the gift," Ms. Ransom said. "God gave the gift of his son, and Jesus charged us to train up a child. Today, we salute you for the path you have taken."
As a district unit, the teen group represents a new way of
organizing United Methodist Women in which women from several churches choose to organize outside local churches. A district unit is ideal for teen units; college and university units, like the newly organized college unit at Clemson University in South Carolina; workplace units; and retirement-center units.
YGTT was born after the Rev. John Young, pastor of Key Memorial United Methodist Church in Murfreesboro, presented the church's youth advisor with an idea for a junior circle of United Methodist Women. The advisor proposed the idea to the church's United Methodist Youth Fellowship, which unanimously voted to form a teen unit.
When the district's United Methodist Women membership chair learned of the plans for the teen unit, the idea of a district-sponsored teen unit emerged.
Under the guidance of Dorothene Woods, local advisor, and Rachel Givens, coordinator of membership, nurture and outreach for the Murfreesboro United Methodist Women, the young women worked for weeks to organize, define their purpose, select a name, nominate officers and raise money.
Nine young women were installed as officers and members received United Methodist Women membership cards at the June 14 celebration. The unit also received a recognition banner.
Officers are Heather Strode and Jaretha Whittaker, co-presidents; Ciji Jackson, vice president; April Sawyers, secretary; Mary Awokoya, treasurer; Kim Woods, communication coordinator; Jada Whitlock, secretary of program resources; Isha Faye, mission coordinator for social action, membership, nurture and outreach; and Bintou Faye, mission coordinator for spiritual growth.
With the slogan "Young Women on the Move" as an umbrella, and the Purpose of United Methodist Women as an anchor, YGTT adopted a mission statement that identifies who they are and hope to become:
"In a time lacking in truth and certainty, and filled with anguish and despair, no woman, regardless of her age, should be shame-faced in attempting to give back to the world, through her works in Christ, a portion of its lost heart.
"We are a 20th-century movement called Young, Gifted, Talented Teens. We are a group of young Christian women with many gifts and talents who are unified by one Spirit. We participate in God's mission in all areas of life."
The Rev. S. Renee Franklin, campus minister, Tennessee State University Wesley Foundation, spoke to the new teen unit during a service of commitment and celebration related to the unit's installation.
She challenged the young women to be like the biblical character Queen Esther and overcome their fears to do good and to make a difference in the lives of people.
Franklin told the teens that because Esther took a risk, she saved the lives of her people. "What you are doing ... the mission you will carry out ... will impact others and not just the church," Ms. Franklin said.
"You will change the world; you are changing it." "You have grasped the vision and are setting the course to change the world. Your ministry is needed in such a time as this."
Before the service, the young women talked with Cheryl A. Hemmerle, executive secretary for teens and college/university women for the Women's Division, and with Sue C. Johnson, executive secretary of leadership education, based in Nashville, to voice their concerns and needs. Concerns intertwined with all others were peer pressure and teen pregnancy.
"This is a very significant day for UMW across the world," Hemmerle said. That these young women are ready to put their time and energy into mission service affirms the work of the Women's Division to develop programs with teen and college/university women.
Ms. Hemmerle stressed the importance of the teen unit having support of adult members of United Methodist Women across the Murfreesboro District as mentors. She encouraged the young women to "make noise to remind adults that you are equal partners, and the conference United Methodist Women needs to include you."
Linda Green is news director of the Nashville, Tenn., office of United Methodist News Service.
