Dancing Dottie: MISSION U 2023

Mission U was held at the Westin Lake Mary in Orlando North on July 14 to the 16. 150 women from all over Florida were in attendance. The study was Living the Kin-dom Exploring the Lord's Prayer as a Spiritual Practice for Social Transformation.

Saturday and Sunday we had a morning prayer watch in the courtyard.

Throughout the weekend these two women, Courtney Schulz and Talia Bianco, lead us in songs.

Linda Parrish was the Dean for this Mission U. She did a great job.

Easter Kim was my class leader.

There were 24 in the class. Linda, Yvonne, Evelyn, Janet Tracey and myself from ECD. The study was very interesting and Ester added so much background and different activities.

Throughout the study we added notes about what we heard or thought.

When the District puts this study on I hope you can come. It is very interesting.

Edith Zewadski-Bricker always has a great Social justice presentation.

She started with a skit about stopping the prison pipeline for those who have mental illness. Gillian was the police.

Angels are needed to surround and support those with mental illness. Linda is an angel.

Talking to someone who understands helps those suffering with mental illness. Yes, it is an illness.

We need to create alternatives to incarceration, homelessness, and hospitalization for people with schizophrenia, bipolar and depression disorders.

This is Edith's beautiful daughter, Annabelle. She was a very smart outgoing successful young lady in high school and college.

In 2017 she started

withdrawing, making unusual noises and acting differently. They went through the arrest, hospitalization and homelessness. She was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Suicide becomes higher and the life expectancy of a person with mental illness is much shorter.

The risk of police use of force is much higher for those with mental illness. They are also in increased danger of rape and being attacked.

If you know someone that needs help contact NAMI.

There is a new national help line 988 for suicide prevention and mental health crisis.

Today Annabelle lives in this RV on her family property. Unfortunately for many, especially in the black community, the story doesn't end like this for family members with mental illness.

Ww thank Edith for sharing this very personal story and helping to inform us of the need to stop the prison pipeline for those with mental illness.

Ubuntu of humanity " I am because you are" All of God's creation is interconnected as one body. This year the ubuntu project was packing menstrual kits for UMCORE. Kathy and Evelyn helping pack kits.

Linda helped get the trash bags ready that were put in each kit. A lot of hands made fast work and 95 kits were put together. Thanks to all the Clermont ladies that contributed tampons. the kits are now on there way to Sager Brown.

Grace Epperly from Wesley House Family Services in Key West spoke.

They had made a new video that highlighted the 5 services that are available to help families at Wesley House. This is one of the National Missions in Florida that UWF support.

Saturday evening we had an East Central District gathering. Janet had an Hawaiian theme, with lots of good food. Not that anyone was really hungry for the meals were very good.

There was 17 people from the ECD. Yvonne, Tracey and Cyd in the picture.

Diane, Evelyn, Linda, Cathy, Pam Gillian and Mary Ann.

Pam presented Diane a special SMR pin for the work she does getting the Christmas stockings and hats ready to donate to South Lake Hospital for the babies born in December.

Rev.Debbie Allen had the message on Sunday morning. It was a good summary of the Lord's Prayer and then we had communion.

There were two workshop on Saturday afternoon. I attended chair yoga and found it very inspiring. It was lead by Pastor Phil from Oakhurst UMC. through out the movements he would repeat " Breathe in with Our Father in heaven, breathe out with Your will be done.'

The other workshop was playing chimes. They then performed at the worship service on Sunday.