Page 8 Mission Voice June 2009
Women’s Division Directors Explore New Partnership with General Board of Global Ministries
Women’s Division directors voted to explore a new model and the world was different,” said Women’s Division chief
of partnership with the General Board of Global Ministries executive Harriett Jane Olson. “The Agreements of ’64
that would transfer oversight of United Methodist Women- were important in their time for their vision of working
supported national mission institutions, relationships with together as a whole church while protecting the interests of
international partners and regional missionaries to the women. We have inherited both their vision and their limi-
Women’s Division. tations. I am firmly convinced that if we are to continue
meeting, and perhaps exceeding, our Pledge to Mission,
United Methodist Women have not had direct oversight of we will need to be clearer and clearer that our giving
work they support since 1964 when, during the church makes a difference in people’s lives,” Ms. Olson said. “We
merger process, the then Board of Missions was restructured have always carefully allocated these funds…. However,
and Woman’s Division of Christian Service’s home and for- the level of complexity and detail has grown to the point
eign field operations were transferred to the board’s national that it can obscure our purpose rather than illuminate it. “
and world mission divisions.
Ms. Olson explained that Women’s Division and Global
To move forward, Women’s Division and Global Ministries Ministries would continue to share administrative costs
staff would present a plan detailing how the proposed and work together on mission initiatives, financial respon-
changes could be implemented when the directors convene sibilities associated with the proposed changes and the na-
for their annual meeting in October. ture of a revised relationship with mission institutions.
The executive cabinets of both the Women’s Division and
Upcoming Events
Global Ministries endorsed the proposed board structure June 1 Deadline: Joyce Raye Patterson Award
changes now being explored. Applications to District Presidents
June 7 Mission Walk III
“In 1963-64 when these structures were put into place, the June 26 Deadline: Cooperative School of Christian
staff was larger, the needs of people we serve were different Mission Registrations
ested Return Service Requ
t, MO 64063 s Summi Lee’
SW 4th Terr 703
eaux, Editor Terri May
United Methodist Women
of the Missouri Conference
ice o V The Mission
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