United Methodist Women

United Methodist Women is now United Women of Faith!

United Methodist Women is now United Women in Faith!

We’ve changed our name to better reflect how we answer our calling today. It’s an exhilarating time, as we commit to even greater inclusivity, activism and impact. Yet we remain women of passion and power, united by God’s love in our mission to help women, children and youth.

Our local group is still called United Methodist Women (UMW). We meet in small groups, called circles, on various days of the month. We also meet several times a year as a whole group to share fellowship and/or a program. Joining a circle is a comfortable way to get to know members of our church. Many women have been circle friends for years, and you’ll find that newcomers are always warmly welcomed.

Supporting Java Jive 

You folks are AMAZING! Our sales of Authentic Fair Trade products are as good as ever, even a little better!! Thanks - Thanks- THANKS. Your purchases are spreading your love of God to God’s farmer’s and God’s planet in 15 countries including U.S. [includes Wisconsin, and working with Wisconsin farmers to help form co-ops]. These farmers, men and women, use the premium from their fair trade practices with Equal Exchange to invest in their communities.

And we receive excellent organic products produced sustainably and no child labor in Equal Exchange chocolate! We have coffee, tea, baking cocoa, hot chocolate mix, chocolate chips, olive oil, candy bars, almonds, cashews, crackers and pita chips.

You may shop at the display area anytime the church is open (Sunday mornings, weekdays 9am-2pm). Just place your payment in the container, with checks made out to Monona United Methodist Women, MUMW.

Thanks again for your faithful participation in this UMW Mission.

Jackie Hull and Karelyn Hopkins, Coordinators

 The Roots of the Tea Trade

Did you know that tea is the second most popular drink in the world—second only to water?

Most of Equal Exchange’s tea partners are small farmers: they own just a few hectares of land and cultivate a mix of tea and other commercial crops like spices for export, as well as crops for their own kitchen. Through their democratic organizations, farmers can pool their resources and their harvests to trade at a viable scale. The top four tea producing countries today are China, India, Kenya, and Sri Lanka, respectively.

While Equal Exchange’s purchases of tea are important to our partners, our relationships with them goes far beyond commercial trade. Over the years, Equal Exchange has contributed funding to help Potong Tea Garden in their tea bush replanting efforts, replacing many of the bushes originally planted in the 1800s. And in 2017, Equal Exchange, together with our supporters, raised funds to help Potong through a challenging time. That year, Potong lost about 70% of their annual harvest during a 104-day shutdown stemming from political unrest in the region. Equal Exchange’s support helped farmers make ends meet despite the lost income.

Through good times and bad times, our futures as consumers are intertwined with the futures of small farmers. We are proud to celebrate 35 years of changing trade and more than 20 years of solidarity with tea farmers in India and Sri Lanka.

Thank you for your support as we continue to build a market for small farmers and work for positive change in the tea industry, together.
Jackie Hull and Karelyn Hopkins, Coordinators of Monona UMW Authentic Fair Trade Mission