Shannon Priddy first attended a circle in Albion, Michigan. Now she is the national President of the UMW Directors.

KAY DEMOSS
Senior Editor-Writer, Michigan Area

Thousands around the globe have been touched by the organization know as United Methodist Women. Many join a unit as adults. Others, like Shannon Priddy, were born to be UMW.

In June of 2016, at a meeting held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Shannon was one of four women elected by the North Central Jurisdictional UMW to be a Director for 2017-2020. Three short months later, as the UMW met in Houston to organize for the new quadrennium, Shannon was elected as the President of their 25-member Board of Directors.

When asked about her vision for the next four years, Shannon said, “I tell all United Methodist Women, regional and local, share your story!” Given her conviction about the value and power of story, it seems appropriate to share Shannon’s journey from kid in Albion, Michigan to leader in New York City.

UMW training wheels

Shannon was baptized at First United Methodist Church in Albion. Her mother was active in the congregation including service as president of  United Methodist Women. “She tells me that as kids we didn’t play school. Instead, my sister and brother and I played, ‘It’s time to go to UMW!’” Shannon relates.

With a mother serving in the local UMW unit and active in the district as well, Shannon grew accustomed to attending circle meetings in members’ homes. “Growing up we had circle meetings in homes. That’s what you did,” she recalls. Later, as a young woman coming to a new church in Indianapolis, Shannon remembers asking, “Whose house are we going to for circle?” Told the circle met in the church, she thought, “No! Circles meet in houses!”

Shannon moved from Michigan to Illinois with her family in 1984. “I attended Sunday School, confirmation and all that stuff,” she says, “and found a home in The United Methodist Church because of the belief in equality, mission and social action.” After college in Missouri, she moved to the east coast. It was during her time in Boston that her mother, Dottie, first invited Shannon to School of Christian Mission. Then a flight attendant with a flexible schedule, Shannon notes, “I didn’t say no to such invitations.” And mom kept inviting: “Next mom said, ‘You know how I leave every four years and go to Assembly…” Shannon went to Assembly and it “was wonderful.”

The Peace Corps was the next step in the horizon-expanding journey that would take her out of Boston. But Shannon reports, “Before going to the Peace Corps for 2 ½ years, I wanted a support system so I joined a circle in my local church. These senior women took me under their wings and taught me about being a woman of faith. They talked about hardships. It was mentorship I totally needed.” She took that mentoring with her to her Peace Corps assignment in Armenia. “There I was, a woman of faith going out on her own to the oldest country professing Christianity as a state religion.” The years spent in Western Asia deepened that faith.

More doors open

Back in the U.S. in October 2011, Shannon took a job in Indianapolis with KIB (Keep Indianapolis Beautiful). KIB organizes “hands-on programs and initiatives to create vibrant public places.” She continues there as Manager of Individual Giving and Annual Fund. Shannon found her spiritual home at North United Methodist Church Indianapolis, “a congregation on the forefront of social justice and action in the city.” Those things also being “the cornerstones of her life,” she joined North. “It was time to find UMW!” Shannon says. Walking through the narthex one Sunday morning she saw someone selling Prayer Calendars. “I want to be part of you!’ she shouted to the startled United Methodist Woman at the table, who then said, “Perfect! Come to my house for Christmas dinner next week.”

In true UMW style, North UMC continued to nurture Shannon. By the next spring she was saying, “I gotta go to Mission u. I am born and raised Methodist. Mission u is my place!” She received a scholarship and had a great time at Mission u with several other women her age. “We were referred to as the young rabble rousers,” she laughs. When asked what she had been up to, she answered in Spanish and Armenian. “We need a Language Coordinator!” came the enthusiastic response and Shannon became the first Language Coordinator for the Indiana Conference UMW, serving for the next four years.

Visibility and competency in that role resulted in a phone call in the fall of 2015 from the Indiana Conference Committee on Nominations. Shannon was asked if she would be willing to accept nomination for a Director position when the jurisdictional meeting was held in June 2016. “I looked at my life and career. I prayed,” Shannon remarks. “I really wanted to say yes.”

Yes, indeed. Finding herself in the middle of the North Central Jurisdiction’s election process, Shannon admits, “I was the young vote.” So when Minnesota’s Cindy Saufferer was elected, Shannon believed support for her would end because of UMW’s passion for equal representation and diversity. She was elected, however, and reflects, “I am truly honored. The election was for a time such as this.” Another invitation followed asking her to participate in a national nominations process in August where her name was subsequently lifted up for Board President. Thinking back on that moment, Shannon says, “Jonah has nothing on me. I prayed and put it in God’s hands. I found I could do nothing else. When you are called, you are called.”

A month later, at the moment of election, her response was, “Holy cow! I’m the youngest president ever elected? How can that be? UMW has been around forever!” Now this woman who has been active in UMW for her own personal “forever,” is finding joy mixed with some amazement regarding her new role. “I open my Christmas card from UMW and see my signature on it,” Shannon enthuses. “It’s an amazing learning curve!”

Vision and voice

Chairing the UMW board and committee meetings, writing monthly messages, attending general agency functions and collaborating with UMW staff are now important tasks for Shannon. But her attention focuses on women’s stories. “I work in fund raising and know the benefit of a good story,” she explains. “So make sure the young ones know the story of your unit. In churches large and small, women want to be involved in something that stands the test of time!” And her focus is not just on the past. “My vision for 2017 and beyond is to invite women to become the next chapter of the story.”

Shannon encourages persistence. “I tell women all the time, ‘Invite! Invite them more than once! That person is a perfect United Methodist Woman even if she doesn’t have time for us YET.  Keep inviting and then be there when that person IS ready.’”

Shannon also encourages positivity and possibility. “I wrote for the January Response magazine that I wake up every morning thinking today will be an awesome day.” She urges all women to recognize the power of raising a positive, passionate voice. “Now more than ever, we have seen what women can do and we must push even farther. Good will win. It takes longer, but the good will win.”

“My vision for 2017 and beyond is to invite women to become the next chapter of the story.”

Shannon cites the four priority issues for UMW and says what’s key is for each individual to find her passion then follow it. “If it’s climate justice, embrace it and do it; if it’s maternal health, embrace it and do it…” Division in the church and the world cannot be denied. The new president responds, “United Methodist Women are following Christ’s teaching to love all. We simply take judgment out and put love in.”

Many ask Shannon how she can balance life as a young professional and the leader of a global women’s movement. “I tell them I am not doing this alone. I partner with 24 other Directors,” she replies. “UMW is not a one-person organization. I learned in the Peace Corps that if you are in development work, you are not doing it by yourself. Same with United Methodist Women.”

Bottom line, Shannon Priddy takes a close-up approach to her global responsibility. “I believe in a ‘small’ world and that’s why I believe in the United Methodist Church,” she concludes. One story after another — placed end to end, generation by generation — stretches and expands into a world-wide connection of faith, hope and love in action.

Last Updated on January 11, 2023