New Year’s Eve Message – Launching into 2026

As we stand on the threshold of a new year, we pause with grateful hearts. New Year’s Eve is both a sacred ending and a hopeful beginning—a moment to reflect on where God has met us and to trust where the Spirit is leading us next.

This past year has shaped us. Through prayer, study, fellowship, and faithful action, we have grown—sometimes quietly, sometimes through challenge, always through grace. Spiritual growth is not about perfection, but about becoming more open to God’s transforming love, and together, we have continued that holy journey.

As we launch into 2026, we do so with intention. We carry forward our commitment to deepen our faith, to listen for God’s voice, and to live out our calling as United Women in Faith—women rooted in prayer and bold in love. We step into the new year ready to grow spiritually, to serve faithfully, and to respond courageously to God’s call in our communities and in the world.

May 2026 be a year where our spiritual practices sustain us, our connections strengthen us, and our faith moves us to action. Let us trust that the same God who walked with us this year is already present in the year ahead—preparing new possibilities, new insights, and new opportunities for growth.

As we cross into this new year, may we do so with hope, with joy, and with a renewed commitment to love God and neighbor with all that we are.

Happy New Year, and may God bless our journey into 2026.

The True Meaning of Christmas!

 

Click here to view Linus' speech!

Emma Norton Needs Help by December 17, 2025!

Urgently seeking holiday donations ahead of our holiday gift picking and wrapping day for families next week!

Due to economic uncertainty, organizations that provide holiday gifts to those in need are both receiving less donations, and more requests for support. This means fewer donations had to stretch further to support more families, resulting in us currently only having 1 gift per young child, and not enough gifts for all the older kids.

We're seeking donations of toys, activity kits, stocking stuffers -- anything to help make the holidays brighter for the families in our programs! Please bring donations by 12/17 if you are able, as we have the first gift wrapping event the following day!

You can also support our ability to buy gifts so we can fill in any gaps by giving at www.emmanorton.org/give-now/.

Advent Journey Blessing – 2025

Sisters in Christ,

As we enter this holy season of Advent,
may God bless our journey of waiting, watching, and welcoming.

May Hope rise within us
as we trust God’s promises yet unfolding.
May Peace settle our hearts
as we rest in Christ’s steady presence amid a restless world.
May Joy shine through our lives
as we celebrate God’s light breaking into the darkness.
May Love guide our steps
as we live our calling to faith, justice, and compassionate service.

As United Women in Faith,
may we walk together with courage and grace,
strengthened by prayer, united in purpose,
and renewed by the Spirit’s transforming power.

May this Advent prepare us not only to welcome the Christ Child,
but to carry Christ’s love into our homes, churches,
and communities throughout the coming year.

Go forth in faith,
serve with joy,
and live expectantly—
for Emmanuel, God with us, is near.

Amen.

Every blessing to you and yours ...

Happy Holidays from the

Prairie Winds United Women in Faith

2026 Leadership Team

 

 

Background: Rev. Dr. Charles Alkula (who installed officers)

L-R: Nancy Iverson, Sylvia Farrells, Betty Stancer, Rev. Judith Clark, Deb Anderson, Melody Sanders, Belinda Alkula

President, Betty Stancer

Secretary, Deb Anderson

Treasurer, Melody Sanders

Coordinator Spiritual Growth, Belinda Alkula

Coordinator Member Nurture and Outreach, Sylvia Farrells

Coordinator Education & Interpretation, Nancy Iverson

Communications Coordinator, Rev. Judith Clark

Emma Norton Representative, Marilyn Nickel

Thanksgiving 2025 – A Spiritual Reflection

 

As we gather for Thanksgiving 2025, we pause to remember that gratitude is not only a response to what we receive—it is a spiritual practice that shapes who we become. In the United Methodist tradition, thanksgiving is rooted in our belief that God’s grace is present, active, and abundant, even in seasons of uncertainty. We give thanks not because life is perfect, but because God’s presence is steadfast.

This year, United Women in Faith invite us to look at gratitude through the lens of courage, compassion, and community. Gratitude is courageous because it refuses to let fear or scarcity define us. It is compassionate because it opens our eyes to the needs around us, reminding us that blessings are meant to be shared. And it is communal because we recognize that God often works through the hands, hearts, and prayers of one another.

As we reflect on the months behind us—marked by change, challenge, renewal, and hope—we are reminded of God’s quiet work in the everyday: the kindness of strangers, the resilience of communities, the bold witness of women who lead with faith, and the call to pursue justice with joy.

This Thanksgiving, may we cultivate a gratitude that leads to action:

• Gratitude that notices the overlooked.

• Gratitude that advocates for the vulnerable.

• Gratitude that builds bridges where the world builds walls.

• Gratitude that sees all people as beloved children of God.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Let us give thanks not only with our words, but with our lives—living generously, loving boldly, and serving faithfully. And may the peace of Christ, which surpasses understanding, guide our hearts into deeper gratitude today and in the days to come.

Jamaica in Desperate Need for Help After Hurricane's Hit!

Midwest Mission is responding after Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm, made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday, October 28. With 175 mph winds, 40 inches of rain, and 13-foot storm surges, this is the most destructive hurricane in Jamaica's history.

The storm caused widespread devastation — flooding communities, destroying homes, and cutting off electricity across the island.

How You Can Help

Pray: Pray for those who have lost loved ones, those still looking for loved ones, those who have lost everything, those who are need of basic necessities, and for the country as a whole as they begin to recover from this tragedy.

Give: The best way to help is through the Midwest Mission's Hurricane Relief Fund. Gifts allow a quick response to purchase urgently needed items in bulk. 

Click on this link to send help and hope to those in need in Jamaica.