General Conference
United Women in Faith Takes Center Stage
Lively presentation informs, invites new members at General Conference 2024
by Audrey Stanton-Smith
United Women in Faith staff and members took to the stage at General Conference Monday morning, the sixth day of business at the Charlotte Convention Center, to bring their message of love in action to delegates and visitors.
“Women are 58 percent of The United Methodist Church. How different would our Church be if we were also 58 percent of General Conference?” program advisory group member Karen McElfish asked the crowd.
The organization’s seven-minute plenary presentation featured dancers from Pfeiffer University, a 135-year-old United Methodist liberal arts college in Charlotte and one of United Women in Faith’s national mission institutions.
As the old logo of United Methodist Women morphed into the current United Women in Faith logo, upbeat music highlighted the words of United Women in Faith CEO and General Secretary Sally Vonner.
“We support nearly 90 community centers across the U.S. and give millions to women’s projects around the world,” Vonner said. “We train women leaders and transform through education.”
Vonner and accompanying slides educated those attending in person and online about the national and international work of United Women in Faith.
“Did you know United Women in Faith is bold?” Vonner asked. “With United Methodist Communications we surveyed many, many women. We listened. We learned. And we acted. We have a new online digital community, new national membership model, new podcasts and webinars—and we changed our name.”
United Women in Faith members Karen McElfish, Darlene Alfred, and Bethany Amey joined General Secretary Sally Vonner to remind the church of the crucial leadership of laywomen and invite it into inspiring, influencing, and impacting their communities alongside our members.
Photo by Larry McCormick for United Methodist News.
Vonner also pointed out that United Women in Faith nurtures through its soul care programs and brings the Church together.
“Get to our website for more on soul care retreats, Mission u events, and Get Together! Jurisdiction Events happening all over the country,” she said. “And join our largest gathering, Assembly, when thousands of women come to Indianapolis May 15-17, 2026.”
The presentation also informed the audience about the agency’s ongoing work with racial and environmental justice.
“When the church formed the racist Central Jurisdiction, we wrote the first Charter for Racial Justice,” said board member Bethany Amey. “When the United Nations built its headquarters in New York, we built The Church Center for the United Nations right across the street. It is our headquarters today.
“When enslaved people were being freed, we built colleges,” Amey continued. “We still support HBCUs Clark-Atlanta University and Bennett College.”
Dancers Briana Hanson, Annika Schneider, and Katelyn Lentz expressed themselves individually to different styles of music while also coming together for choreographed team dances throughout the presentation.
“We want a church that elects, hires, ordains, and appoints women equitably, a church that is antiracist and multicultural,” said Darlene Alfred, member of the United Women in Faith Board of Directors. All presenters are United Women in Faith members and General Conference delegates.
Monday’s presentation also reminded those in attendance that Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren laywomen have been serving the Church and communities for 155 years.
“Laywomen are the backbone of the church,” McElfish told the crowd. “As the laywomen’s organization of the United Methodist Church, our Methodist roots run deep.”
And they will continue to do so, Vonner said.
“As United Women in Faith, we believe in a bright future,” Vonner concluded. “And we believe that love in action can change the world. Join us.”
Audrey Stanton-Smith is editor of response.
Cover photo by Mike DuBose for United Methodist News.
