Save the Dates!
—August 15, Smoky Mountain District Annual Celebration, FUMC Fellowship Hall. 9:30 a.m. – Noon. Brunch with ZOOM meeting to follow.
—August 16, Annual Backpack Blessing. Our goal for this year is to donate 75 backpacks to be distributed amongst the Murphy Elementary, Middle and High Schools. Please participate by donating a back-pack, supplies, or money. We will do the shopping to purchase remaining backpacks and supplies. Please bring them to the Church on Sunday, August 16, 2026. We will also place a collection box in the Narthex if you wish to bring the items in prior to August 16.
–August 17, Sorting and distribution of Backpacks at 9:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.
–August 19, 10:30 a.m. Greeting Card Ministry, 11:30 a.m. United Women of Faith monthly Meetings in the Fellowship Hall.
–August 21, Blood Drive, 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., in the Fellowship Hall

The Willing Hands Circle of United Women in Faith is an active unit which meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. We are part of a worldwide organization that works to improve the lives of women, children, and youth locally and around the world.

Our mission is to “connect and nurture women through spiritual formation, leadership development, creative fellowship, and education so that they can inspire, influence, and impact Local and global communities.”  In 2026, we aim to accomplish our mission through a framework of four committees.

  • Throughout the year, we provide supplies to various community organizations in our area, e.g. REACH, Hurlburt Johnson Friendship House, The Still Place, Choices, etc.
  • Whenever needed, the Cherokee County schools contact us and we provide them with clothing, shoes, and other items which the students require.
  • Preceding each monthly meeting, the Greeting Card Ministry works together to prepare personalized, handmade cards for people in our community.
  • We fill, decorate and deliver Easter baskets to shut-ins and ill members of our church family.
  • We provide doughnuts to Murphy school teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week.
  • We donate birthday bags for children up to 12 years of age, who are having a birthday and visit the Cherokee County Sharing Center with their parents, etc.
  • We provide a meal for our annual Vacation Bible School participants.
  • In conjunction with our entire church family, we provide backpacks and school supplies at the end of August for Cherokee County students.
  • Along with our entire church family, we prepare Christmas Shoeboxes full of necessities and games to be sent to the children of Project AGAPE in Armenia. This war-torn country has struggled for years. Our Western North Carolina Conference and the North Carolina Conference of UMFaith joined in a partnership a number of years ago to help support the children and families of Armenia.
  • In Fall 2025 we raised funds for these projects by serving as a food vendor (popcorn and prepackaged bars and other snacks) at the John C. Campbell Folk School Fall Festival which occurs in October and brings many crafters, artists and other displays to participate.
  • In the fall, along with our church family, we work on a Christmas Box Project by raising funds to finance gift cards, clothing and other items for many of the students in our Cherokee County school system.
  • In early December, we host a “Memories with Santa” for small children in Murphy. They come to meet Santa Claus and get their picture taken with him. They decorate frames for the pictures they receive and get goodie bags filled with seasonal items.

Feel free to contact any member of our United Women in Faith group with questions, comments, ideas, etc.