Rev. Margaret Ann Williams

Northern Illinois Conference/United Methodist Church

Ministry

·         Consecrated Diaconal Minister, June 1978 Ordained Permanent Deacon, June, 1997

·         Clergy Retirement, June, 2006

  • Served on Boards, Committees and Task Forces across the Conference-Including:

o   Annual Conference Committee (Chairperson -5 years)

o   Conference Board Global Ministries ( Board of Missions-President -2 years)

o   Committee on Episcopacy (Chairperson- 4 years)

o   United Voices for Children ( President – 2 years) ( Board member 31 years)

o   Black Methodists for Church Renewal (Several leadership positions served since 1970)

o   Metropolitan Mission Strategy Commission (Various positions)

o   Operation Commitment ( Public Relations Chairperson)

o   District Superintendency Committee ( Chairperson)

o   Conference Council on Ministries, Chairperson of Research & Planning

o   Commission on Religion and Race

o   Bishop’s Team “Many Gifts, One Spirit”

o   “Toward Shalom in the City” Task Force

o   Bishop’s Initiative “ Vital Congregations, Faithful Disciples”

o   NIC Stewardship Campaign Steering Committee (Public Relations Chairperson)

o   Conference Board of Higher Education & Campus Ministries

o   Committee on Nominations (Chairperson-4 years)

o   Black Pastoral Counseling Institute (Secretary)

o   Board of Ordained Ministry (10th year) – Deacon’s Registrar (8 years)

o   District Council on Ministries

o   Board of Health and Welfare Ministries

o   Taught as the UMW School of Christian Mission-(“Faces of Poverty in Our Midst”)

Maple Park United Methodist Church: Chicago

(Former Member: St. Luke United Methodist Church: Chicago, merged with Hartzell Memorial UMC)

  • Lay Member, 1965-1997
  • Secondary Appointment 1997-2006
  • Retired Clergy Status 2006-(Current Ministerial Staff)
  • Served various leadership offices-including:

o   First Council on Ministries Chairperson (2 years)

o   First Laywoman Administrative Board Chairperson ( 8 years)

o   Strong Center Board President (5 Years)

o   Staff-Parish Relations Committee Chairperson (8 years)

Jurisdictional Committees

·         Committee on the Episcopacy

·         Committee on Ordained and Diaconal Ministries

Director: General Board of Global Ministries (1992-1996)

·         National Program Division

·         Mission Personnel Program Management ( Finance Chairperson) Cultivation Committee (Vice-Chairperson)

·         Cultivation Committee (Vice- Chairperson)
 

National Committees:

·        

U.S./Mexico Border Bilateral Mission Advisory Committee

·         Alaska Conference Consultation Committee ( Meetings in Anchorage, Alaska)

·         National Advisory Committee for Church & Community Ministries

·         United Methodist Association of Health & Welfare Ministries: Strategic Planning Committee

Educational Background

·         Graduated from R.S. Abbott Elementary and Wendell Phillips High School in Chicago

·         Attended Illinois State Normal University (2yrs)

·         Bachelor’s Degree-Roosevelt University-Elementary Education

·         Masters Degree- University of Chicago-Social Service Administration/Social Work

·         Continuing Education/Supplemental Advanced Training, Workshops & Seminars

Employment Background

  • Woodlawn Community Services Agency, * Special Projects Coordinator (1963-1965)
  • Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Committee, * Director: Jobs for Teens Program (1965-1971)
  • Marcy-Newberry Association, Inc., *** 1956-1963 (7 years), 1972-current (38 years)

o   Group Worker, Neighborhood Work Supervisor, Program Director, Associate Executive Director and Director of Church Relations

Special Accomplishments

·         Chicago Defender Newspaper “Woman of the Year Award”

·         Delegate to Decade of Women’s Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, Africa (1985)

·         Delegate to World Methodist Conferences in Singapore (1991) and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1996)

·         Delegate to ’84, ’88, ’92, ’96 and ‘2000 Jurisdictional Conferences

·         Delegate to ’88, ’92, ’96 General Conferences and elected alternate year 2000

·         1994 Resourcing Leader Award of $1,000 from the Mid-America Leadership Foundation

·         1994 Community Service Award from Berean Baptist Church/African Heritage Outreach Community Center

·         Wendell Phillips High School “ Hall of Fame” for outstanding contribution in the field of Social Work

·         The Rev. MAW “ Joy of Serving” Award Presented Annually/NIAC by B.M.C.R

·         The “MAW Scholarship” established by Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

·         The “MAW Service Award presented annually to a Metro Women’s Auxiliary Member

Traveled Extensively

  • Europe:             Yugoslavia, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, England
  • Africa:               Nairobi, Kenya
  • Asia:                 Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok, Thailand
  • Latín America:   Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • Holy Land:        Jerusalem, Nazareth & Bethlehem
  • Across the United States and Canada
  • Recent years:    Caribbean Islands, Hawaii, Mexico, Jamaica
Personal Data

·         Born in Laurel, Mississippi, moved to Chicago at age 8

·         Only child, parents are deceased, divorced

·         Lives in Hyde Park community in Chicago, have a son and daughter and 2 grandaughters
·         Ward/Williams Family Matriarch