August 2009 Mission Voice Page 3
trict Committee on Nominations. She is employed as Senior versity and received her RN from Bryan Memorial School
Accountant at Semo Tank/Baker Equipment Co., Perryville , of Nursing. She served as Dean and Assistant Dean in the
MO. Missouri West School of Christian Mission. Rachel is cur-
rently Missouri Conference Coordinator for Social Action.
Class of 2013: Judy Thomas is 50 years old and married to
She has been active on District UMW as Christian Social
Denzil, a UMC pastor. She has two grown children and 4 Involvement and Christian Personhood. In her local unit,
grandchildren. She has just recently moved to Mark Twain Rachel serves as the Spiritual Growth Coordinator. She has
District to churches in La Plata, Atlanta and Mt Zion East. led Retreats and been involved as a Study Group Leader for
She first joined UMW in Gainesville, FL in a “mothers of Schools of Christian Mission since 1983. Rachel enjoys at-
young children” circle. Since then, she has been in UMW in tending National Assembly every four years and has not
Titusville, FL, Rogers, AR, Marion, IA, Champaign, IL, missed one since 1982. She was privileged to attend Na-
Kansas City, MO, Sumner, MO, Eagle Rock, MO, Sarcoxie, tional Seminar in 1991. She served as a volunteer consultant
MO and now La Plata, Atlanta and Mt Zion East. Judy has in the UMW Membership Campaign. Rachel was a US-2
been unit president, unit vice president, district spiritual person in mission serving at Epworth Village in York, Ne-
growth chair, district ribbon corsage chair, and district sec-braska from 1981-83. Rachel is a Registered Nurse working
retary. “Until I moved to Missouri, I didn't know there was at Truman Medical Center in the Neonatal Intensive Care
anything beyond the local unit. The Kansas City ladies took Unit. She collects textiles and loves cloth from all over the
me to School of Mission and Annual Meeting. And the la-world and uses them for many worship centers. She also
dies in Sumner took me to district events.” She is looking loves to read and travel. In 1995, she attended the UN's Fo-
forward to being on the conference nominations committee. rum on Women, and in 1998 she travelled to Indonesia with
the General Board of Global Ministries Culture and Mission
Class of 2013: Lynda Moore Walker, a native of Crossett,
Tour. It is a well-kept secret that she can be bribed with
Arkansas has resided in Kansas City, Missouri since 1968. chocolate and even though her sister (the dietician in the
Her education includes a BA from Arkansas A.M. & N. family) does not agree with her, she KNOWS that it is one
(University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff) and a Masters of Li-of the major food groups!!
brary Science from Emporia State University, Emporia,
Communications: Katie Willis is 31 years old and lives in Kansas and additional studies in computers from Central
Missouri State University. Lynda retired from Kansas City,
St. Peters, MO with her husband of 8 years, Robert. They
Missouri School District after twenty-eight years in 1999
were married in a log cabin in St. Louis, MO. She gradu-
and then as Librarian at Grandview Middle School in
ated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a de-
Grandview, Missouri in 2006. Following retirement from
gree in Biology in 2000. Katie has worked at the St. Charles
Grandview Schools, she was blessed with the opportunity to
County Pet Adoption Center for 9 years. She is a Veterinary
travel to Jos, Nigeria to serve as school librarian at Hillcrest
Technician who helps take care of dogs and cats at a local
School for two years. She has been an active member of St.
animal control facility. She has 3 pet rabbits, a pet cat and 2
James United Methodist Church in Kansas City since 1974
pet dogs that are her children. Katie is a member of Church
where she was active with United Methodist Women prior
of the Shepherd, where she is currently the local UMW
to her departure to Nigeria. Some of the previous UMW
President and has been the Vice President. She has been the
activities were: United Nations Advocate for the Women’s
Communications Coordinator for the Gateway Regional
Division representing South Central Jurisdiction, a study
District from 2006-2009. She has been to School of Chris-
leader for Schools of Christian Mission in the Missouri Con-
tian Mission for several years in a row and attended the
ference and various offices with the local unit at St. James.
Spiritual Growth Retreats. She also enjoys scrapbooking,
Lynda has been a Certified Lay Speaker with the United
quilting and reading “anything I can get my hands on”.
Methodist Church for a number of years and has enjoyed

Committee on Nominations every opportunity to speak at Women’s Day events and to
organizations like Church Women United. Since she re-

Class of 2013: Brenda Neumeyer lives in Jackson, MO turned from Nigeria in June, 2008, Lynda has been settling
into a new residence and adjusting to retirement. Perhaps
and is a member of the Gordonville Zion United Methodist
God has another ministry for her to participate in soon. 
Church. She is the current President of the local UMW.

Brenda has served on the UMW Southeast District Mission
Team as Treasurer and has served as a member on the Dis-
SHARING FOOD: Christian Practices for Enjoyment enjoyably. That, in turn, will lead us to thank God for our
This book explores how everyday eating practices contrib-
daily bread and to see even the preparing of meals as a spiri-
ute to delight and sharing, the twin purposes for which God
tual practice. This can be used as an additional resource for
designed eating, and help us discover the path toward eating
the 2009-2010 study, Food and Faith.

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