Women's Ministries

Comment

Comment by Deie Jackson Jones on December 9, 2009 at 9:33pm

The women of my church are meeting at my house for a Christmas party and a discussion about launching a women's ministry on Dec 19. Any suggestions on how to get started, ladies. I could use the advice and suggestions and stories of some seasoned folks.
Blessings and thanks!

Comment by Penny Phipps on September 25, 2009 at 7:24am

Thanks, Adonna. I have Fullness (have for a while), but was looking for something a little more condensed. I was also looking for out-of-the-box ideas to use as well. Fullness of TIme is a great resource. More Disciple womne need to read it!

Comment by Diana Tyler on September 24, 2009 at 9:06am

To answer your question, Trunk or Treat is simply a safer version of trick-or-treat. Held in a parking lot (of a church, community center, etc.), candy and treats are handed out from decorated cars by their costumed owners to a parade of young (or not-so-young) trick-or-treaters. Other components may include games, refreshments for all following the "treating", a campfire, singing, etc.

Comment by Adonna Bowman on September 24, 2009 at 8:28am

If you haven't already included it, the Disciples Women history book, In the Fullness of Time, is a great resource and tells the story of our foremothers up to almost current time. It's available from the Office of Disciples Women for $5.

Comment by Penny Phipps on September 24, 2009 at 7:26am

Tonight begins our "season" of CWF. As we begin, I realize that many women's groups begin their programming during the month of September. My prayers are with those groups that they may be blessed and be a blessing

Comment by Penny Phipps on September 16, 2009 at 9:55am

First of all, welcome to this group. Secondly, what is Trunk or Treat? Sounds interesting.

You can read what I said about our groups. I would add one other thing. What I've found is that when all of the age groups get together, there is, like you say, a lot of conversation and community building.

We have to learn that some small groups need to meet on their own schedule. And, that different age groups have different concerns. That doesn't mean we can't learn from each other, though. In our "young" group is a 90 yeear young and several "senior citizens." All of those women also participate in the traditional group.

At the end of the programming year in May, we have a women's outing. Everyone is invited, even encouraged, to participate. Everyone generally does.

Comment by Elizabeth Vincel on September 15, 2009 at 8:10pm

Hi! I am working as the DCE at a church in Virginia. We have 1 day circle - older women who follow a very traditional format but are not able to participate much outside their group. We have a night circle - various ages - that follows a somewhat traditional format and is very involved in community and church outreach. They always have a project going. I have just started a young women's fellowship which will be a circle for all practical purposes but their meeting times may fluctuate due to job and family changes, and they are often texting those not at the meeting to get their opinion or input. They are setting up a flu clinic, sponsoring a Trunk or Treat, and plan to also help the night circle with some of their bigger projects. I see lots of energy in this young, small group of women. I am allowing them to follow their way of thinking and operating while keeping them focused on their mission as women of faith. I have recently put in an order for the "Just Women" magazine so that they can try it for a year at the church's expense and then decide if they want to continue. I think as a church we have to provide a way for each generation to work out their own way of doing business, but it is real encouraging when we have all circles get together on a project and watch how well they interact and enjoy each others company. I also found that I had to carefully explain to the other circles why a new group was forming - not because they didn't want to be in an "older" group, but that their schedules and lives did not allow them to meet on the schedule in place. I asked them for their support and prayers and encouragement for these young women of our church. So far it is going well! I am really interested to hear how others are working out these issues and what materials are being used!

Comment by Penny Phipps on September 5, 2009 at 9:51am

Thanks, Diana. I think you are right. We are sometimes stuck with trying to honor the social change and inner-church support of our preceeding groups. We, too, have two groups. One is very traditional and I am currently leading the study for them. The other is a group formed out of reading the Sisterchix books by Robin Jones Gunn. They even call themselves Sisterchix. They meet every so often, when someone is willing to host and their schedules permit. They have undertaken some unsual projects and often support the work of the older group.

I still call them a Disciples Women's Group. They are women and they are Disciples!

Comment by Diana Tyler on September 4, 2009 at 10:27pm

"Hi, Penny!" from another Ohio Disciples woman.

In answer to your question, I'm involved in two churches in my area (in one as an employee, in another as a member of the congregation). Both have active women's circles:

- One circle (older women) meets during the daytime. They maintain ties to Church Women United and are involved in those gatherings and service projects.
- Another circle meets in the evening and usually utilizes Disciples study materials in one form or another.
- Funeral luncheons are a form of ministry at both congregations. While not an "official" activity of the women's circles, those who help provide this ministry are usually women's circle members (although men often help, too).
- There are 3 circles at the other congregation. As I'm too involved with other areas of ministry at that congregation to also be very active in any of these small groups, I'm not sure what their meetings are like, but two meet during the day. (The one that meets in the evening is led by a Messianic Jew!) In the past, some of these groups have sewn lap robes and bibs for care centers as service projects. More recently, they've become involved in local missions (a women's shelter, a pregnancy center, the Cleveland Christian Home, etc.) and they also do fundraising projects for the church, particularly to address areas of hospitality (i.e., kitchen needs, etc.) which ultimately touch groups within the congregation as well as others from the larger community who use the church's facilities.

(Personally, one thing I decided I *could* do as an individual was subscribe to our denomination's, "Just Women" magazine. I've also been making available to others my copy to read. In addition, I've attended one or two women's retreats at Camp Christian, and also attended The Mix in '06 [as a contributing musician and also as a church office professional]. I'm currently considering attending Quadrennial in 2010.)

On an outreach note, this year's Women's Ministries program focus on helping to eradicate human trafficking is just one component of an "alternative gifts" fair being held by one of the congregations in which I'm involved. Through the fair, we hope to encourage others to more carefully consider giving holiday (and other occasion) gifts which truly honor "the reason for the season". (Offering clothing and jewelry made by women who have survived the bondage of being unwilling participants in the sex trade who are now making new lives for themselves through legitimate commerce, is a fitting nod to Disciples' efforts on several levels...)

Finally, as Ohio Women's Ministries looks at its past and considers it's future, I'll share my first taste of "women's ministries" from over 20 years ago: At the time, I didn't consider myself much of a cook OR a handicrafts person. And, while I appreciated what what was happening within women's circles then (the larger-world learning, the friendships, the service to others), their activities didn't really mesh with who I was as a working woman with non-traditional hobbies. (Daytime luncheons didn't work with my schedule, and my epicurean efforts towards funeral luncheons would have been met with the comment, "Hasn't the family of the deceased suffered enough?")

Seriously, there is a place--and a need--for women's ministries, in both traditional AND non-traditional roles. There IS a need for lap robes, funeral luncheons and similar projects which represent the more-familiar nurturing roles of women. But I also applaud the Woman-to-Woman study trips, Habitat Blitz Builds and other forms of non-traditional active service which speak more to women of a different generation whose interests and skills lie beyond hearth and home. (I've often joked that, had there been a "beer and darts" women's circle meeting combined with "good works", I'd be there every week!) However, my daughter and her generation of friends loves to knit--so what do I know?

But as technology continues to ever-more-rapidly shape the schedules, communication styles and skills of future generations of women, "women's ministries" will need to make way for their gifts and areas-of-service interests.

Yeah, I know--defining the problem is the hard part. "So what's the solution?" I wish I knew...

But I'm glad we recognize the problem, and that we're talking about it and are looking for answers...

For me, I guess part of the problem is the perception of women's circles. Does a hospital have to bear a red cross to be considered a hospital? Similarly, can a women's circle still be considered a women's circle if it throws out the rituals, prescribed officer titles and other organizational elements which seem to mire it in traditions to which it does not feel kindred? Surely larger-world learning, strengthened friendships, deepened faith, and good works can be found in less-structured gatherings (whether face-time or on-line) of women who want to bring Christ's love and healing to the world, but who need to craft their own way of doing so?

Please don't misinterpret my position as one of lack of respect for what has gone before. Tremendous strides in societal change have been made by those who have founded--and carried on--the traditions of women's ministries. I think women of today want the same positive force to continue--we "simply" (Hah!) need to find more workable models in which to do so...