United Women in Faith - Western North Carolina Conference

Mission Today 2025

MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Become a Mission Today Unit!

The purpose of becoming a Mission Today Unit is to:

• Energize United Women in Faith members to be more involved in mission through prayer, study and action.
• Increase contacts between units and mission personnel and mission projects so members understand where their money goes.
• Encourage the use of mission resources through UWFaith. Expand concepts of mission, including social justice as mission.

What is a Unit?

A unit is any organized group of UWFaith within a church or district. Some units are composed of several circles or members from different churches which periodically meet as a unit.

How Do We Become a Mission Today Unit?

To be recognized as a Mission Today Unit (Gold, Silver or Bronze), a unit must complete a number of the following criteria as indicated below.  Activities conducted between January 1-December 31 of the reporting year will be recognized at Annual Celebration the following year.

Mission Today Categories: 
Gold – Complete 10 criteria: 6 with asterisks (*) and 4 other.**
Silver – Complete 8 criteria: 4 with asterisks (*) and 4 other.**
Bronze – Complete 6 criteria: 4 with asterisks (*) and 2 other.**
**Note: “Other” may also include items with asterisks (*).

CRITERIA:

*1. Make and meet the unit Pledge to Mission. Send Pledge amount and funds to the District Treasurer.

*2. Use the Daily Prayer Guide at each unit, general, or circle meeting to pray for mission personnel and

mission projects. The Guide is updated annually and may be ordered from UWFaith Resources. Daily

Prayer Guide entries are posted on the UWFaith Facebook Page.

*3. Use at least two programs from the Program Resource book during the year. A new Program Resource is

printed every year and may be ordered from UWFaith Resources.

*4. Conduct or participate in at least one mission study (virtual or in person). Contact your District or Conference

Mission Coordinator for Education & Interpretation to learn more about the studies. If members of your unit

attend all sessions of Mission u or a District Mission Study and your unit takes an action growing out of the

study (Gift to Mission, ministry related to the study, etc.), your unit will meet this criterion.

*5. At least two members will subscribe to response magazine (1 member for units with fewer than 15 members;

local unit subscription may count as one). Order information is provided at the bottom of p. 2. A one-year

print subscription (includes digital subscription) is $24; a one-year digital-only subscription is $20. More

information may be found at https://uwfaith.org/resources/response-magazine/.

*6. Implement the Charter for Racial Justice in at least two ways during the year. If you are a “Justice Today”

      unit, you have met this criterion. Possibilities include:

• Read and discuss books and articles about other ethnicities and cultures.
• Sponsor or attend an interethnic or intercultural event between two or more units.
• Intentionally recruit women of various ethnic or cultural groups to be unit members and officers.
• Use the Racial Justice resources available on our Conference website on the “Downloads Available” page under “Mission Resources” or at this link: https://uwfaith.org/what-we-do/serve-and-advocate/racial-justice/

*7. Have a program or take action addressing a United Women in Faith justice campaign (current campaigns are

Just Energy 4 All and Ending Mass Incarceration and Criminalization of Communities of Color). More

information may be found at https://uwfaith.org/what-we-do/serve-and-advocate/racial-justice/

*8. Add at least two new members (1 member for units with fewer than 15 members).

*9. Have a program from the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church 2025-2028. This resource may

be purchased at www.Cokesbury.com for $9.99 plus tax and shipping; available in paperback or eBook.

*10. Contribute to all Five Channels of Giving (Pledge to Mission, Special Mission Recognition, Gift to Mission,

Gift in Memory, and World Thank Offering).

*11. Recite the UWFaith Purpose at each general and/or circle meeting, including virtual meetings.

*12. Contribute $189.60 or more to the Legacy Fund during the reporting year.

13. At least one member of the unit will attend Mission u and report back to the unit on the experience. Virtual participation qualifies.
14. At least two members (one member for units with fewer than 15 members) will attend the District or Conference Annual Celebration and report back to the unit about the experience; virtual participation qualifies.
15. At least one person will join the United Women in Faith e-mailing list to receive and respond to advocacy information at least three (3) times a year. Attach the issue and action that was taken to Mission Today report.
16. Members will correspond with five people listed in the Daily Prayer Guide at least once a year.
17. Co-sponsor, with the local church, a “Children’s Sabbath”. This is a worship service highlighting the needs of children. Materials are available at https://uwfaith.org/event/childrens-sabbaths
18. Include a “response moment” at each unit or circle meeting where an item from response magazine is shared as a way to tell the mission story.
19. Sponsor a teen member (ages 12 to 17) and/or a young woman member (ages 18 to 39) to at least one Conference event during the year.
20. At least two members (one member for units with fewer than 15 members) will attend a District Prayer Breakfast/Day Apart, Conference Spiritual Growth Retreat, or any other special District or Conference event (other than Ubuntu Day of Service). Virtual participation in any of these events qualifies.
21. At least two members (one member for units with fewer than 15 members) will participate in an Ubuntu Day Units may develop their own Ubuntu event in their communities.
22. At least two members (one member for units with fewer than 15 members) will complete Plan I of the United Women in Faith Reading Program and report to the unit on one of the books read. Find information here: https://uwfaith.org/resources/reading-program/
23. Invite a District or Conference officer, other than a member of the unit, to one of the unit meetings (may be virtual) and/or for a United Women in Faith Sunday. This qualifies as a local unit visit in the Nurturing Partners program.
24. Add one new teen (ages 12 to 17) and/or one young woman (ages 18-39) member or circle during the year.
25. 100% of the unit’s active members will make a gift of at least $18.69 to the Legacy Fund.
26. Meet the 2025 Conference Financial Goal: To increase our “Gift in Memory” giving by 10% over 2024 giving.
27. Support at least one local mission project and participate in at least one Conference hands-on mission project during the year. List the local mission project on the Mission Today report.

Updated February 2025