EDUCATION, EMPOWERMENT, AND EXPERIENCES FROM THE LORD

Jennifer Ferariza-Meneses has
been serving as the executive
secretary for the Board of Women’s
Work of the Philippines Central
Conference of The United Methodist
Church from 2013 to the present.
Her faith, education and
experiences shaped her to be an
empowered woman leader. She
dedicates her life to serving the
Lord by being an instrument to
empower other women leaders as
well.

Jennifer is one of the women leaders
from the Philippines that the United
Women in Faith helped finish their
studies. Her program of study is a
Master of Science in Pastoral
Sociology. A Master of Science in
Pastoral Sociology is the study of how

faith should be rooted in the socio-
cultural context of people’s lives. The

role of a pastoral sociologist is to

support the transformation of socio-
cultural structures for the deepening of

faith. Thus, the program is designed to
form sociologists who will contribute
effectively to pastoral tasks.
This program has been one of her
guiding directions in her work with
women and the church through the
Board of Women’s Work. She was
given an opportunity to be equipped
with skills, talents, and competencies
to serve and work better for and with
women, youth, and children.
She said that the Board of Women’s
Work strengthened the existing
programs and also built new
programs in partnerships with the
different women’s groups and
organizations of the United Methodist
Church in the Philippines, such as the
UMWSCS, the deaconesses, the
clergywomen, the clergy spouses, and
the United Methodist young women.

Over the years, the United Women in Faith
have been a constant, faithful presence in the
life and ministry of the United Methodist
Church in the Philippines, particularly among
our Filipino women.
The vision of the United Women in Faith to
empower women, youth, and children in the
margins, which translates into programs and
ministries with her mission partners across
the Methodist global connections, is indeed a
living testament of God’s love, hope, and
grace.

The United Women in Faith,
through her regional missionary
initiatives in Asia and the Pacific,
and the women’s leadership in the
Philippines Central Conference
have been partners in nurturing
the leadership of women and
youth by supporting their
continuing education and
professional development.
“Serving with the Board of
Women’s Work as one of the
mission partners in the Philippines
of the United Women in Faith has
given me an opportunity to
further my study and a space to
grow as one of the Filipino women
leaders of the UMC in the
Philippines,” shares Jennifer.

Through the leadership development
initiatives of the United Women in Faith,
Jennifer was humbled to be part of the
various programs and events organized and
sponsored by the organization.


UNITED NATIONS COMMISION ON THE STATUS
OF WOMEN (2015, New York City)
One was her participation in the 2015 United
Nations Commission on the Status of Women
in New York City. She was part of the United
Methodist Women’s international delegation
then.
“My participation taught me the value of
global connections and international
solidarity among women—how important our
respective women’s work is in the local
setting and in our home countries in
pursuing gender equality and women’s
empowerment through this United Nations
platform.
I witnessed how huge United Women in
Faith’s work is in her global advocacy and
engagement through the United Nations
Commission on the Status of Women,” recalls
Jennifer.
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE BY THE UNITED WOMEN IN FAITH
(2018, Philippines)
Jennifer shares another very important event in her life as a leader. It is also an
important event in the lives of women in the Philippines. It was the Leadership
Conference event organized by the United Women in Faith on January 2018 through
the Regional Missionary Initiatives in Asia and the Pacific under the leadership of
Deaconess Emma A. Cantor.

“It was very memorable and historic for me
because, for the first time, we met in person
some of the leaders and executive staff of
the United Women in Faith. Their presence in
the Philippines was an expression of the
historical relationship and partnership
between our women in the USA and the
Philippines. It is an affirmation of our
fellowship and sisterhood as women of faith,”
Jennifer stated.
The leadership conference event was a
thanksgiving celebration of women’s
leadership and missions as they continue to
fulfill their tasks as leaders in their
communities.
UNITED WOMEN IN FAITH ASSEMBLY
(2018, Ohio)
The United Women in Faith has also given
Jennifer a chance to attend the 2018 UMW
Assembly in Columbus, Ohio, and this year’s
Assembly through the virtual platform.
“The UMW Assembly 2018 was indeed a very
memorable and powerful experience for me,
as it was my first time attending and I was
overwhelmed witnessing the community of
around 6, 000 women and sisters on that
side of the globe gathering, praying,
resisting, and celebrating. I couldn’t believe
that I was there,” recalls Jennifer.
For her, her experience was so powerful that
she returned home full of inspiration and
excitement to share with other women what
she had experienced in the Assembly. She
returned to her work with more passion, love,
and renewed commitment.

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ASIAN YOUNG WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Jennifer’s current leadership engagement for
the Asian Young Women’s Leadership
Development Program was through the
mentorship of Rev. Heasun Kim, executive
director of the Scranton Women’s Leadership
Center in Seoul, Korea; also one of the
executive staff of United Women in Faith, Rev.
Hikari Kokai Chang, executive director of the
Wesley Foundation Japan; and Deaconess
Emma A. Cantor, both regional missionaries
of United Women in Faith.
Jennifer has been a part of the planning and
leadership team for the Asian Young
Women’s Leadership Development Program,
held every year in different countries in Asia.
“I am always grateful for their welcoming leadership and their recognition of the
gifts and potential of the young women,” says Jennifer.
Finally, Jennifer expresses her heartfelt gratitude to the United Women in Faith,
who helped her in her journey towards education, empowerment, and
experiences that shaped her in her ministry for the Lord and for other women like
her.
Definitely, no words would suffice to express my deepest appreciation and our sincerest gratitude to the
United Women in Faith for sustaining their active presence in our lives through their prayers, love, and
support, and for putting their faith and trust in me and in us.
As one of the many women around the globe that United Women in Faith has been helping with
leadership development, I am with you, and we at the Board of Women’s Work are with you, in
expressing and doing to preserve the legacy of our foremothers in faith and to forge courageous new
paths, wherever needed, without hesitation, amidst all the challenges of time.
Maraming maraming salamat; thank you so much for embracing and loving the Philippines.
Mabuhay, United Women in Faith! Carry on, United Women in Faith!

Thank you for the women of great Faith
that shared their stories to us and shared
their love to the world through their
ministries. We are proud to be a part of
your training to be who you are today:
women of courage and strength, as well
as compassion and humility.
May we all move forward this 2023 with
our missions to spread God’s love, justice
and peace to this world!
God bless!

Thank You!

The United Women on Faith – Regional
Initiatives in Asia and the Pacific would
like to express our heartfelt
gratefulness to God our Father, Jesus
Christ our Savior and to the Holy Spirit
that guides us for all the blessings we
continue to receive.
We deeply thank God for the
sisterhood of United Women in Faith
worldwide. We thank the UWiF for their
continuous support and
empowerment of the women in Asia.
Thank you for sharing your love, faith,
hope and resources to all of us. May
God continue to bless you to be a
blessing for others!
We also thank all of those selflessly
dedicated themselves for the mission
work, programs and projects of the
UMWiF in Asia.