Five Washington County women honored by Church Women United group

June 26, 2008

WILLIAMSPORT - Planting Seeds of Hospitality was the theme for Church Women United May Friendship Day celebration at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. The Rev. Doris Doub led the Bible study.

An ecumenical women's organization organized in 1918, Church Women United is 90 years old.

The organization was known by several names prior to 1941 when it became Church Women United.

Honored at this year's celebration were five Outstanding Young Church Women.

Amy Renner, a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Funkstown. A third grade teacher at Eastern Elementary School, she holds a certificate in church music from the Church Music Institute at Shenandoah University.

At her church she is a member of the chancel choir, the evangelism committee and the congregational council and will be working with Vacation Bible School this summer.
Kathy R. Woodson of Zion Baptist Church in Hagerstown holds a bachelor's degree from Howard University and a paralegal degree from Professional Career Development Institute.

She is employed as a District Court commissioner. At Zion she is director and member of the adult choir, director of the youth choir, a member of the Praise Team and participates in the singing ministry at nursing homes.

Woodson was recently consecrated as a deaconess at Zion Baptist.

Diana Socks of Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren is a homemaker and a consultant for "Tastefully Simple Foods."

At Beaver Creek Church, she is chair of the Nurture Commission; a member of the Church Executive Board and vice chair of the church board. She teaches Sunday school and Vacation Bible School.

Socks plans and leads children's fellowship activities; is active in WINGS - the women's group and is a member of the tree planting committee. She also volunteers with MOPS at First Christian Church.

Sarah Marie Ickes of Smithsburg Valley Baptist Church is a member of the ministry management team, chairs of the fellowship activities, is a youth Sunday school teacher and co-director of Vacation Bible School.

Ickes is also active in the Washington County Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition. She and her husband, Brian, are certified instructors for the "Just Say Know" curriculum - a 10-session study on human sexuality from a Biblical perspective. They have just completed a course at Beaver Creek Church of Brethren.

Ruth Stenger Japzon of St. Andrew Presbyterian Church taught for 12 years at Clear Spring Middle School.

She now gives private piano lessons and operates Handy House Kitchen Appliances. At St. Andrew, she is director of music. She serves as a soloist for weddings and funerals, teaches and plays music for Bible School and has written a children's cantata and other music.

|

|

|