United Methodist Women Rebrands with New Name, Website, Programs

Public Perceptions, Declining Membership, Schism Threat Influenced Changes

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After five years of research, United Methodist Women launched a new name – United Women in Faith – and a new identity March 3 that seeks to engage newer, younger members and adapt to the changeable circumstances of today’s world while maintaining connections despite the threat of impending schism in The United Methodist Church.

In a Facebook video and subsequent “Faith Talks” online program, leaders and staff announced the name change, a new website, new programs and encouraged current members to embrace the changes as a natural evolution of the 150-year-plus mission organization. The announcement came on the third day of Women’s History Month, which the spokeswomen said was an intentional link to the organization’s legacy.

‘Ainise ‘Isama’u, United Women in Faith board president, noted that over its history, the women’s organization had undergone 25 name changes along with continuous adaptation of its programs and operations to meet changing times. While the timing of the announcement took some by surprise, a press release issued the day prior to the official launch said the mission agency had conducted research, focus groups and interviews across the denomination since 2016. Online panelists said that research included some 24,000 women.

During the online panel, UMW transition officer Sally Vonner said the organization’s board of directors decided to go ahead with the rebranding despite two delays of General Conference, the church-wide legislative assembly. Ms. Vonner said that the corporate name of the organization will continue to be United Methodist Women “doing business as United Women in Faith.” She likened UMW’s change to a similar move some years ago by the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits, which now operates under the name Wespath Benefits and Investments.

In addition to updating its programs and operations, Ms. Vonner said UMW directors were motivated by a strong desire for women’s mission efforts to remain connected “whatever may happen” with a possible division of The United Methodist Church. United Methodist Women, the parent agency of United Women in Faith, will continue to be governed by the denomination’s Book of Discipline, which mandates that each local United Methodist congregation must have a UMW unit, although not all of them do.

'God is inviting us to change'

“God is inviting us to change and be transformed for Jesus’ sake to serve him,” said Ms. Vonner, noting the many changes that the UMC and other denominations have made as a result of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. “Our legacy represents women who have been disrupters of injustice and that’s still our work to do.”

Ms. Vonner said the name change in particular resulted from in-depth research about women’s perceptions of United Methodist Women as an organization. At the height of its current tenure, United Methodist Women numbered more than 1 million members; the total number of members today is around 800,000 and continuing to decline like the UMC as a while.

“We entered a time of overall assessment and self-examination beginning with member feedback on how to engage new, younger women,” Ms. Vonner said during the online program. “We began looking at who we are, what we have to offer women, what women are seeking, if women know who we are and what we do.

“We found that women did know about United Methodist Women and its work, yet they couldn’t see themselves as UMW members,” Ms. Vonner continued. “The name United Methodist Women gave a perception that we’re all older women, less flexible to younger women, and didn’t align with what women of faith were seeking, even though all our members have a passion to see women, children and youth thrive.”

Ms. Vonner said that no local unit will be required to adopt the name United Women in Faith, but “we certainly hope they will embrace the change.” Both Ms. Vonner and deaconess Mollie James Vickery, national operations officer, stressed during the online panel that details will be outlined in the future, especially during the Women’s Assembly slated March 20-22 in Orlando, Fla.

Major innovations coming

A press release in advance of the March 3 events cited the following major innovations coming throughout 2022:

  • A new, easier to navigate website, uwfaith.org, with a homepage designed to pique new women’s interest in United Women in Faith and a special portal set to come online later this year where members can log in to access additional resources. 
  • A new “All-Access” National Membership Option enabling women to join United Women in Faith via the new website and participate online or in person at local units or larger events. 
  • Soul Care Retreats, a pilot recruitment program for members and their nonmember friends and new women focused on nurturing women’s bodies, minds, and spirits. 
  • Innovations to Mission u, the organization’s longtime spiritual growth and transformative education program. Beginning in spring 2022, Mission u will introduce new curricula each year—one for children, one for youth and one for adults—all focused on a shared biblical theme. The new Mission u curricula will be more adaptable for use in small groups, local churches, vacation Bible schools, retreats, and other settings. Through these vibrant, relevant, justice-oriented, and biblically centered curricula, Mission u will continue its commitment to learning together for the transformation of the world and expand its impact. 
  • More targeted giving options and new interactive online resources for members. 

Harriett Jane Olson, who retains her position as top executive officer, stated in the formal announcement that “This is an exciting time for our organization!

“Looking back, we see the through-lines for our organization—faith in God, love for each other and commitment to putting our faith into action supporting women, children, and youth. These commitments have been expressed in different ways at different times using different names, always calling women to world-changing action. The combination of a new look, more accessible resources for members and new ways to participate, positions us for impact in our own journeys and in how we engage the world that God so loves."

UWF board president ‘Isama’u said in the press release,“I’m confident our members will be excited about these changes. Together we are creating more opportunities for engagement with more women through new programs and updates of long-standing programs that embody our core values. Things change. People change. But God remains, and that continues to be the purpose behind everything that we do in this organization.” 

Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011. To reproduce this article elsewhere, request permission.