Dear Members,

We are united in faith. Through Christ, we know that life has deeper meaning. As a family of Methodist ministries, you strive to help those you serve find faith, purpose and direction in their lives. It is not easy work, but it is meaningful work. Because of this, I feel enormously privileged to serve as your new President and CEO.

As I step into this leadership role, I want to first thank you for the work that you do and the needs that you fill in each of your communities. I believe that you have powerful stories to tell. I look forward to sharing your story and the UMA story to the broader community.

During my first days, I appreciate the tremendous welcome I’ve received from the UMA board, EAGLE Commissioners, staff and members. I am especially grateful for the warm reception from the team at Asbury in Germantown, Md. where the new UMA headquarters is based. It’s clear that, together, we share an overwhelming enthusiasm for our collaborative partnership in support of UMA.

Our association is embarking on an exciting new journey. For generations, Methodist ministries have lead with intention – and attention – toward excellence in meeting the needs of those they serve. The rich heritage of the Methodists, pioneered by the radical vision of John Wesley to reach out to our world’s most vulnerable populations, continues today. And yet, the landscape for each of these ministries is transforming dramatically, and so we must change to meet those needs.

The dedicated UMA board has set a course for us by developing a solid strategic plan with a clear vision to improve quality of life for the populations you serve. Already, many of our members, who have excelled in their ministries, are sought by their peers because of their firm commitment to the principles of EAGLE.

Our aim is to support all of our members on this path toward EAGLE excellence through mentoring and shared learning. We have been hard at work planning a series of regional meetings throughout the country to bring EAGLE best practices closer to all UMA members and their staff.

The UMA is the gateway to EAGLE, and we invite UMA members and business partners to support our efforts to promote quality as we strive to expand the service footprint of the United Methodist Church.

I firmly believe that the strength of UMA is the scope of its ministries united in the roots of Methodism. In my early conversations with members, I’ve learned that all types of ministries are joining together locally to create strategic partnership to meet their communities’ needs together. They’re working smarter and sharing expertise. In this new era, we will work to strengthen these relationships and those with the United Methodist Church and other faith-based organizations who share our vision. I invite you to get involved in UMA and join us in this effort. I am incredibly excited to work will you.

Blessings,

Mary Kemper
President & CEO
United Methodist Association of
Health and Welfare Ministries

Save the Date

We are thrilled to announce that the UMA is planning several shared learning and networking experiences across the country. These content-rich events will highlight EAGLE best practices relevant to all ministry types with an emphasis on critical areas identified by the EAGLE commission and broader membership. We will explore valuable principles of governance, philanthropy, spiritual life and more. In each of these events, we are excited to be able to take advantage of regional and national expertise and include member tours to enhance the learning experiences. Save these dates for you and your team. More details to follow!

• January 25-26 Aldersgate | Charlotte, NC
• May 15-17 | Asbury Methodist Village – Gaithersburg, MD (Annual Meeting)
• August 1-2 | Frasier Meadows – Boulder, CO
• A fall meeting in the Midwest is in the works. Stay tuned!

Lives transformed through our healing and caring ministries.

The United Methodist Association promotes, inspires, empowers and recognizes excellence in healing and caring ministries. We represent more than 380 health and welfare ministries that provide loving care in the name of Christ and the Church. Learn More