Nominees for Western Jurisdiction Leadership Team
2024-2028
President
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Recent UWF Involvement:
Cal-Pac Conference CON Chair and Member Shepherd of the Hills UMC Local Organization President Cal-Pac Conference Vice President Cal-Pac Conference President Other Church and Community Involvement: SPRC Board Member Conference Laity Member District Co-Lay Leader Girl Scouts of America Scout Leader Church Liaison to Girl Scout Troop Lay Servant Ministry English as a Second Language Ministry Life Experiences: I’m a retired educator that has worked in the public school system for 40 years. I’ve seen programs come and go; I’ve been able to participate in innovative programs that provide life changing experiences for those who are willing to try and muddle through the challenges. New experiences: new challenges offer new avenues of learning! I find that exciting and continue to offer those opportunities to my Scouts, my ESL students, and the women in UWF. More about Me: My husband, Bob and I have been married for 49 years. We are blessed with 4 grown daughters, 3 wonderful sons-in-law, and 5 energetic, computer savvy grandchildren. We cherish our family get-togethers and know that we are blessed beyond our means… We thank God for his provision and grace and look forward to seeing where God will be leading us in the years to come. All Honor and Glory is HIS! |
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Recent UWF Involvement:
Cal/Pac Conference UWF Committee on Nominations Member, Wahiawa United Methodist Church UWF Unit President, Hawaii District President Hawaii District UMW Social Action Chair (2 terms) Limitless Team Mentor Other Church and Community Involvement: WUMC Board member and Chair of SPRC Wesley Foundation-Hawaii Board Chair Atherton YMCA Board Vice Chair Youth Service Hawaii Board Chair Life Experiences: For the past 35 years, I have been encouraging our next generation to give back to our communities and have a heart for service as an educator. I do this through my professional work in higher education as a University of Hawaii Faculty member and the Director of Civic and Community Engagement and through my volunteer service as I try to lead by example. I am also a wife, mother and friend that gets excited about spending time together with loved ones and creating venues for everyone to learn, grow and have tons of fun! More about me... I strive hard in my daily life to be the light for others especially to help inspire young people to reach their full potential. This aligns with our UWF purpose and was where I began my work with UWF, as a Limitless mentor. And in all of my roles, I strive to have my words and actions reflect my love of God and family, to do what is fair and just and show compassion to others. I would be honored to serve the Western Jurisdiction as the Vice President to help plan another incredibly uplifting, educational, and joyous Quadrennial! |
Vice President
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Secretary
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Recent UWF Involvement: President of local unit for several years. District Communications Coordinator (4 years) Conference Communications Coordinator (4 years) Conference Secretary (4 years) District Secretary (2 years) Dean of Mission u (1 year) Other Church and Community Activities: Administrative Assistant at Klamath Falls FUMC (10 years), now retired; currently secretary of Northside Garden Club (1 year); help serve at KFUMC’s PALM Dinners (Provide a Loving Meal) regularly; currently Church Council secretary (1 year); church Worship Team; co-dean Needlework Camp (4 years). Interests and Hobbies: Quilting and gardening; grandchildren. How God Is Calling Me to be a Western Jurisdiction Leadership Team Member: God started calling me to be a part of United Methodist Women 40+ years ago when I was invited to a circle Christmas party and a few months later given a scholarship to attend School of Christian Mission. Throughout those years, I have frequently been asked to take on secretarial/communications positions and told “you can do this!” I believe God gave me the organizational skills needed to do these jobs and the people to give me that push to try. I believe in the mission of United Women in Faith to help and support women, children, and youth all over the world. I have grown considerably because of my involvement in this organization. |
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Recent/Current UWF Involvement
President of Local United Women in Faith (2 years) Nominations Chair for Central Valley District (1 year) Board of Trustees for Galt UMC, (1 year) Board member Committee on New and Vital Congregations, (6 years) CANV Conference COSROW Team member, (4 years) Past Positions Conference Vice President – (3 years) Conference Mission u Dean – (2 Years), Mission u Co Dean – (2 years), Mission u Registrar – (2 Years) Conference Nominations Chair – (2 years), Conference Nominations Team member (1 year) Central Valley District Treasurer – (4 years) Delta District Treasurer (4 years) Hobbies: Engaging in ongoing soul care (moments with God), spending time on the UWF website, Spending time with family especially grandkids, attending UWF events retreats, Mission u etc. Reading, Sports, planning events, Travelling and making new friends. How God is calling me to be a Jurisdiction Leadership Team member – Treasurer With over 20 years of membership with the United Women in Faith; serving as a leader in the District and Conference Levels and along with professional experience of a banker and project manager, I feel God has equipped me well to satisfy the position of the Treasurer. Additionally, I am well skilled in planning and presenting (PowerPoints, documentation and sharing ideas) which will help me to contribute effectively to Team meetings and be able to share ideas/suggestions. I believe myself to be a spiritual person who values God’s presence in my family and life and feel that this position will allow me avenues for sharing my faith and uplifting the needs of others as a Team and nurturing and supporting the work on a spiritual level as well. I have been instrumental in organizing spiritual retreats and even a soul care event at the conference level and an ongoing spiritual support to the Conference and District Teams. I am strongly advocating towards onboarding ethnic speaking sisters and young adults to our Leadership Teams in diversifying our organization. |
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Chair, Committee on Nominations
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Recent and Current Involvement: Presently I am President of my local UMF unit. I am also on the Inland Missional District Committee as chair of nominations and spiritual growth coordinator. Prior to that I served terms as president, Social Action Coordinator and Vice President of the district.
Other Church and Community Activities: At my church - Chair of the Mission and Service Team, facilitator of Disciple Bible Study, member of Staff Parish Relations Committee. In the Community - Board Member and volunteer for Naomi (a community of women seeking healing in addiction), volunteer for Mission Community Outreach Center (free clothing bank), and coordinate/volunteer for 55 Plus Luncheon and Program, Crosswalk, Young Adult Shelter and Neighborhood Sunday Lunch (free meal programs). Interest and hobbies: I enjoy learning something new, reading, Bible Study, being with my family especially grandchildren, knitting Prayer Shawls, having lunch with friends and serving where needed. |
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Laurie Fujinami is a Deaconess in the Mountain Sky Conference of The United Methodist Church. Passionate about love, justice, and service, Laurie has been active in the United Methodist Women at the local, district, conference, Jurisdiction, and National levels for the last 18 years. Over the years as a United Methodist, Laurie has served many committees for her local congregation and United Women in Faith including nominations, finance, stewardship, children, youth, young adults, worship, and program resources. She has also taught Sunday School for children, youth, and adults, led book discussions, and Bible studies. Since 2018, Laurie has served on the Colorado Front Range DCOM. With a Master of Arts in Public Administration, Laurie uses her gift of service as a Program Analyst for the Managerial Cost Accounting Team of the VA VISN19 which serves Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, and Oklahoma. Laurie and her husband Todd currently attend Broomfield UMC in Broomfield, Colorado. They have two daughters, a son-in-law, and are looking forward to welcoming a grandson in April of 2023! During hard to find down time, Laurie enjoys time with their family pets, reading, watching movies, listening to music, and drinking a cup of hot tea.
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Member, Committee on Nominations
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Jenn Miller is someone who has a heart for community and through United Woman in Faith is able to share that heart with others. Year round she works as the office Admin at First UMC Anchorage. Then during the summer month, she is working on building up a volunteer mission to provide mobile showers to those that are unhoused. Showered in Grace has been her dream for the last 3 years, she has put her heart, soul, blood, sweat, and tears into making it a reality. She feels blessed to be in partnership with not only the local United Woman in Faith community but also the Alaska United Methodist Church to make this amazing mission happen. At this point in time because there is not a warm place to store the shower trailer in the winter, she only runs the showers when it is above freezing and is working with local churches to offer showers out of the church during the winter. BUT during the winter months Jenn volunteers twice a month to spend the night at an overnight Family Emergency Cold Weather Shelter to provide a safe place for families who would otherwise be unhoused. Jenn believes it is her calling to be a role model as a mother and wife on how we are to be in community with others. She hopes to be able to help the organization grow by showing that we are doing the work that we are called to do and that what we are doing means the world to someone!
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Recent involvement UWF:
North District President, Treasurer: Local Unit Social Action Chairperson, Other church and community activities: Desert Southwest committee member Spiritual Formation, DS committee member Foundation, Emergency Response team, Life Health instructor, Spiritual Formation Director, Stephens Ministries Leadership, Deaconess, Facilitate weekly Disciple Bible Study group, Christian Yoga instructor, member of Women of Worship bible study (local group) 5 years, Covenant group member for 25 years, Worked with Human Trafficking survivors, Founded mission for people in poverty situations in TN. Interests and hobbies: gardening, reading, Yoga, family, cleaning and taking care of family cemetery, traveling to summer home in Oregon. How God is calling me to be on the Western Jurisdiction Leadership Team Member: As a Deaconess God has been working on my heart for many years to advocate for the least of theses. My life is deep within the Methodist church, and I believe in the beliefs of the church. I stand for all but strongly for the women and children that have no voice. Stand tall and march with armor of God. |
Member, Committee on Nominations
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Member, Committee on Nominations
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Blessings to all! I am a member of Valley Faith in Sunnyvale, California my home church for 26 years. In the beginning of my Faith journey, I would just attend worship service with my family on Sundays and was not involved in any of the church activities or interested in being an officer of the Church Council. However, as the years went by, I got involved in the Young Adult Single Couples Ministry led by Rev. Fel Cao and took on the position as Co-President. From that time on I have been involved in many other positions in the Council. I was involved in the SPPRC Committee, BOT Committee, Lay Servant, Nomination Committee Chair for our El Camino District, President of the UWF and Executive Member of our Senior Ministry.
I enjoy being a part of our UWF & Senior Ministry, and currently serve as Secretary for both groups. I find joy in serving my gifts and talents to all the ministries our church provides and mostly take pride in involving myself with the UMW Ministry. I have one member to thank and that is Evangelina Albano in encouraging me to always join the annual gathering of the UMW and to take on the leadership role in our local church. I look forward in working with the women of United Women in Faith as well as learning more in how to make a difference in our community, better equipped our Women, Children and Community. |
