South Shore United Methodist Women (SSUMW) at South Shore United Methodist Church (SSUMC) invites other ladies in the community to join it for a ‘Rejoice Tea Party’ on Saturday, September 11 at 11 a.m. It will be a blessed time of fellowship and praise, as well as supporting a great cause. Along with music, finger foods, desserts and, of course, tea, the event will also host a guest speaker, Pastor Kris Schonewolf.
Schonewolf runs a Christian ministry called The Oasis for women in Ocala at the Lowell Women’s Correctional Institute. The Oasis offers spirit-filled worship and study opportunities to the women of Lowell Correctional Institute—a place that can feel to some like a desert wasteland. The ministry strives to create an oasis where the chains of shame, trauma and hopelessness can be broken by the transforming presence of Jesus.
SSUMW has held a fall tea every year, except for 2020. Valerie Taylor has been president of SSUMW for a several years and is excited to bring back an in-person tea.
“This year, our ladies were thrilled to be back in person, and we rejoiced in that,” said Taylor. “One of our members said we should call this tea ‘The Rejoice Tea.’ We all agreed.”
Hosting a yearly fall tea event is part of the history of SSUMC.
“Our ladies and guests love our tea, the food, the music, the tea sets and the fellowship,” said Taylor. “We are a diverse church and it is one of our strengths. We have many members who are very educated in ‘teaology.’ This is a loving and caring group. It is not a business meeting, but much like breaking bread together. Time to talk, catch up and thank God.”
SSUMW is asking for a $5 donation to directly support The Oasis prison ministry. For more information about attending this event, text Taylor at 440-670-1220 by Thursday, September 9. South Shore United Methodist Church is located at 11525 Big Bend Rd. in Riverview. For more information, visit www.southshoreumc.com. For more information about the Lowell Women’s Correctional Institute, visit https://theoasislci.org/.
