Appreciation for a remarkable ministry

"Has the Women's Division changed the scope and program of United Methodist Women until it no longer resembles the organization held in the hearts of the women of the church?" That's a question Mrs. L. Faye Short, the president of Good News' RENEW Network for women, has asked often during her two decades of leadership.

Faye began by heading up the Evangelical Coalition for United Methodist Women (in 1989) which, in 1993, became the RENEW Network. This was also the year she began her regular column in Good News magazine. Faye feels the Lord has released her from her leadership post with RENEW, even as she and the network's Steering Committee have been casting a new vision for RENEW and women's ministry. At the first of the year, Mrs. Elizabeth (Liza) Kittle of Augusta, Georgia, will become the new president of RENEW.

Why does this women's ministry exist? In Faye's own words, "The RENEW Network is a support network for evangelical, orthodox women within our church, providing a voice for their concerns and providing supplemental resources for their program needs. We also exist to promote renewal and accountability within the organization of UMW." As I have visited Faye's past columns and RENEW's website recently, I have been impressed at how she has maintained a balance in fulfilling those two ministry goals.

Faye came to this ministry as a former local, district, and conference United Methodist Women (UMW) officer. Thus, she understands well the organizational dynamics of the Women's Division and the marginalization of those who raise tough questions or refuse quiet conformity. She also understands the local church as her husband, Dennis, serves effectively as a member of the North Georgia Annual Conference.

Faye is joined by many others in the church who believe that while there are many good and faithful UMW units in our local churches, the agenda of the Women's Division nationally is seriously out of touch with most women in our United Methodist churches. Through regular monitoring of the Women's Division's spring and fall board meetings, Faye and her RENEW representatives have made a compelling case that the Women's Division is left-leaning in its political advocacy, supportive of unrestricted abortion (reflected in its continued membership in the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice), is affirming of homosexual behavior, is supportive of radical feminism and religious pluralism, and sadly, reflects a virtual neglect of evangelism. No, "this is not your mother's organization," as Faye has written, and she is right.

The UMW is also "not your mother's organization" in terms of membership, with 2006 numbers showing UMW membership has dropped to 666,984 from 1.3 million at one time. Only 15 percent of women in our UM Churches are members of United Methodist Women, meaning that a whopping 85 percent are not involved! This explains why RENEW has petitioned the last two General Conferences to allow for other recognized women's ministries in the local church. Many are already doing non-UMW women's ministries and others would if they had the vision and resources.

I have been impressed anew at how impressively Faye and the network has made the case for their concerns. Visit the RENEW website (www.renewnetwork.org) and you will find quality program books, well-documented reports of Women's Division meetings, thoughtful Mission Study Reviews, the Call for Reform Packet, and Financial Files I through IV—providing in-depth analysis of the Women's Division's finances.

This spring, Faye and Mrs. Katy Kiser, a laywoman from Carrollton, Texas, teamed up to publish an outstanding book, Reclaiming the Wesleyan Social Witness: Offering Christ (Providence House Publishers, 2008). The book has jacket blurbs from two of our bishops (Lindsey Davis and Will Willimon), which attests to the book's importance.

It has been a joy to share in ministry with Faye. Her visionary leadership and gifted writing have always been scripturally grounded, theologically sound, and bathed in prayer. She has touched more lives than she will ever know. We give thanks to God for her two decades of leadership in our midst.

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