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Empowering Women in Leadership

Women shape the history of Methodism through their music, ministry, teaching, and service to their surrounding communities. According to data from the United Methodist Church’s website, roughly 800,000 members of the UMC belong to United Methodist Women, and approximately 25% of clergy in The United Methodist Church are female.

In our local church, women serve in many positions, including musicians, committee leaders, lay speakers, and more. We honor each of them women in our church and the roles the play. Explore our stories and the ways we celebrate women in ministry!

The Jane Blair Memorial Service Award

This award is given to members of First United Methodist Church in Barbourville for their service to the United Methodist Women and to the church. 
 
Jane Blair was a member of First UMC and was an active in all aspects of church life. She was a very generous contributor of both time and finances to the efforts of the church and it’s many ministries. From her obituary:
 
“Jane’s family founded the Minton Hickory Mill, which produced automobile spokes, walking canes, and golf shafts; and Minton Hickory Stable, famous worldwide for its prize-winning saddle-bred horses. Jane was born and raised at 202 Black Street. She graduated from Barbourville High School, attended Centre College, received a degree from Sullins College in Bristol, VA and earned a BS from Union College later in life. She had a myriad of interests and hobbies: swimming, tennis, gardening, traveling with Doug, meeting new people and lunch with the girls. Jane’s love of life was only out-shown by her devotion to her community. She was a member of the Barbourville Woman’s Study Club (third generation), Barbourville Garden Club, Daughters of the American Revolution and was an ambassador everywhere she went for Barbourville, Union College and the First United Methodist Church. Her most cherished award was the Cemetery Board Shell Casing for Exemplary Community Service.”
 
The 2021 Jane Blair Memorial Service Award was presented to Luanne Mitchell for her work in the church. Luanne is a dedicated member, working hard at many functions to ensure the congregation is well fed and taken care of. 
  

Mother’s Day

Each Mother’s Day, the women of our church are honored through song and celebrated with a gift and a rose. True to our Methodist heritage, it is important for our congregation to recognize all the women who do mothering work, whether it’s through birth, adoption, fostering, teaching, etc. Read more about the Methodist history of Mother’s Day.