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Profile: Karen Hewitson

Karen Hewitson "We've been asked to be stewards of God's Creation." Lanark United Methodist Church Lanark, IL, USA

Karen Hewitson travels the country on behalf of UMW's Green Team.

"[We need] to do what needs to be done to save our earth, to save our planet, to go green, to make a difference."

Karen Hewitson describes herself as a "doer." When she was a fourth-grader she struck out on her own and walked four blocks to the neighborhood's Disciples of Christ church. "I'm not what you would call a cradle Christian or a cradle Methodist," she says.

She became involved in The United Methodist Church after attending DePauw University, Greencastle, Ind. DePauw is a United Methodist-related institution. She joined the United Methodist Student Movement and a mission trip with the organization started her on the mission path, she says.

"One experience that I think changed my life was we went to Farmington, N.M., to the Navaho mission school. I knew at that time the seed was planted, that I wanted to be in mission, to serve others and help others as I could."

As a member of Lanark (Ill.) United Methodist Church, she facilitates spiritual growth retreats, leads Bible studies, teaches mission studies and works with youth and older adults. She says she enjoys helping people find their "special gifts."

"There is not a day when I look at the end of the day that I don't feel there's been something I could do to serve," she says. "I feel that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ and that's my job ... to follow Jesus' teachings."

Hewitson is president of The United Methodist Northern Illinois Annual (regional) Conference and a member of the United Methodist Women's Green Team. The team advocates for environmental justice issues.

"We have been given by God a wonderful creation, and we’ve been asked to be stewards and to take care of that creation," she says. "And frankly we’ve done a lousy job."

Hewitson says people need to be open to God's calling and not be afraid to take the first step. She also believes each person can make a difference. When one door closes, God will open another one she says.

"I try to continue to listen and to what God wants me to do. I’ve also learned through the years that I’m a leader and that my gifts are in organizing and detail work and following through to the bitter end. That’s been a long process for me to learn."

"I love reading the stories of the New Testament, Jesus’ stories, and meditating and figuring out how they affect my daily life. It’s always amazing to me when someone will come up to me afterwards, especially a youth, and says 'I didn’t know the Bible was that much fun.' Because I can relate to that. Because I want to make this wonderful book come alive and be part of everyone’s daily lives. And I think that’s what Jesus’ teachings in the New Testament have taught me to do."

The following people contributed to this Profile:
Print story by Kathy Gilbert; audio story by Mike Hickcox; videography by Susan Gieseler and Susal Dal Porto of the Northern Illinois Conference. Special thanks to the Women's Division of The United Methodist Church for the use of video footage from "Water Is a Gift from God" and "Lighten Up! A Religious Response to Global Warming."

UMC.org Profiles are produced by Pam Price, 615-742-5405.