Ladies' Ministry

For many years, I have had the opportunity to speak at an annual Bible Teacher's Workshop in Duncan.  Most of the time it's just a ladies' class, but for the past two years I've done a classes geared towards ladies ministry.  I enjoy teaching the Bible to young children, young girls, and even babies at times, but I would say that my passion is more directed towards teaching ladies.  So teaching and talking to others about different ideas to grow a ladies ministry within the church, is very important to me.

One thing that helps a ladies' ministry grown is to provide opportunities for Christian sisters can get together and get to know each other better.  There are many possibilities to accomplish this goal, but for me one of the best ways I've found is by hosting a yearly spring salad supper for all of the ladies.  It is something that many of them look forward to each year and I do, too.

Unfortunately I forgot to take any pictures of the yummy food or the sweet guests!  I NEVER forget photos, so I don't know what happened!!!  Oh, yes.....I think the talking and fellowshipping got me sidetracked :).  What a wonderful thing to sidetrack my thoughts!!

The scripture at the end of this post is the commandment for the older Christian women to teach the younger women.  For me, as a middle-aged woman, I can learn from those who are older, but also be a teacher to those who are younger.  And actually, when we get together and get to know one another, we can all learn from each other.  We are fulfilling the scriptures and commandments of God and having fun and fellowship with one another while doing it!

For the salad supper, I find inspiration from the tableware in the party shop.  These plates just seemed to be the perfect thing for this years' spring get-together.  For many years I've used square plates, but these seemed bigger on the bottom - and I was hungry at the time! :)  The only downfall to pretty plates, even at more expensive prices, is that they aren't made quite as sturdy as they used to be.  So be careful and aware of that fact.

One of the highlights of the evening each year is the "ice breaker".  This year I titled the activity "Getting to Know You!".  It featured five questions and each guest answered them either on the paper or in their mind, the we went around to each lady as they shared their memories.  Because not as many were able to come, it worked out having this many questions.  It would be too many for more than 10 people.

It's a blessing to get together and learn more about your sisters in Christ.  I look forward to the next event!

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.  Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children,  to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Titus 2:3-5

Ladies' Salad Supper 2011

Tonight was one of my favorite traditions of the year - an annual Ladies' Salad Supper that I host each spring (with the exception of last year) for my sisters in Christ.  The favorite part of the evening for all of us, I'm certain, is getting to know each other better.  Hearing stories and memories from times gone by.....reminiscing about those who are no longer with us here on earth......learning more about each other.  It's all so special.  And, as an added benefit the food is always great, too!

Here are some of the pictures from the evening:

These plates were bought in November from Hobby Lobby. I liked the brown and cream design, but I wasn't sure how to make them look "Springy", then decided on chocolate bunny centerpieces.  My mother-in-law made the fabric carrots years ago.  They're so cute!

This big bunny was the chocolate bunny inspiration.  He used to be pink, but with my red/gold/brown tones, pink doesn't work.  So, he got painted a few years ago.

Lots of wonderful salads!  Yum!!  A few of these are on my family recipe blog:  Avocado Potato Salad and Ramen Noodle Salad.  They are both delicious!  I've asked for some copies of other salad recipes, too.

There were 19 ladies in attendance tonight. We were blessed to have four out-of-town guests....Sojourners who are in town with their husbands working at Tipton Home for a few weeks.

 I asked each lady to bring three things (hidden in a box or bag) that were special to them.  One by one, I opened the bags and showed the items.  The ladies tried to guess whose items they were. 

  This is my mother-in-law showing a camera that was her mothers.  It still has film in it!  Attached to the camera she had a large picture of herself as a little girl.  The picture was taken with that very camera.  How neat is that?!

 This sweet sister brought a picture of her late husband.  He was wearing his Navy uniform and the photo was in an official U.S. Navy frame.  So neat!  She brought lots of pictures.  I had to laugh when I grabbed her bag.  It was in an Avon bag and SHE'S AN AVON LADY!!!  I teased her that it sort of gave it away when everyone knows she's the Avon lady!

Deb brought a package of seeds, as she loves gardening, but also two small Bibles.  One from first grade, given to her by a Bible class teacher.  The other given to her from her parents after she was baptized.  So special!

Phyllis had a handkerchief that was (I believe) her great-great grandmothers.  She and all of her sisters used it in each of their weddings.  It was over 100 years old.  She read a cute poem called "Grandma's Shoes".

The poem was about a "grandma's ugly shoes" from a grand-daughter's perspective and her dreading wearing them when she got older, only to find by that time she was wearing Reebok's and the teen girls were wearing the ugly "grandma shoes"!

Margie brought dog tags that belonged to her dad, her husband, her son and her father-in-law from their years in the service.  It was so neat to have all of them on the chain and to see the inscriptions.

Judy brought a beautiful quilt she designed for her granddaughter.  The quilt has a Noah's Ark theme and has the song, "Noah's Big Boat" quilted in a corner on the back.  She said that song is what the granddaughter always wanted her to sing when she was little and still wants to her from her now - years later.

Verna had several jewelry pieces to share.  One ring was her grandmothers and was over 100 years old.

Renee' shared three special items that were made by each of her three children and her daughter-in-law.  The Mother-in-Law poem embroideried by her daughter-in-law was really sweet.   

There were lots of special "things" talked about during the evening, but we all realized that it wasn't the "things", but the people that made those "things" special.  Without the people attached and etched in our memories to those things, there wouldn't be anything special about them.

After the sentimental journey, for some reason, our conversation turned to skunks.  For the next 15 minutes or so, we laughed and laughed about skunk stories!  You'd be amazed at how many there were! 

Thank you, ladies' for a wonderful evening of fellowship, friendship, food, and fun.....and even skunks!

Sweet Fellowship, Precious Memories

For the past 6 years I've hosted the ladies from our congregation in my home for a spring salad supper. Everyone brings their favorite salad and we enjoy the meal together. After the meal, we do some kind of activity to get the ladies talking about themselves. This is always the highlight of the evening.

This year I announced for everyone to bring one or two things that were special to them. They all mentioned how hard it was to narrow it down to one or two! Several brought pieces of jewelry and knick knacks that were given to them by their children or passed down from their parents or grandparents. One Christian sister brought a silver dollar that her husband had as a teenager. He was going to use that silver dollar to take her to the movies, but she had some money and "bought" the silver dollar from him. She didn't want him to use it. She has had that silver dollar in her billfold for over 50 years now!

Several women brought Bibles that were their own when they were younger or had belonged to their parents or grandparents who are now deceased. It was interesting seeing how they were written and marked in. Our preacher's wife brought two letters that had been written to her by her dad and her son many years ago. The one from her son was written the night before he left for Japan. He wrote it not knowing for sure that he would ever see his parents again. She read the letter to the group. Very heartwarming! Thankfully her son did return home and is doing fine, but what a special letter she now has.

Another Christian sister brought an old 7up bottle. This bottle is used when she bakes angel food cakes. It holds the pan upside down while the cake cools. But, what is special about this bottle is that it was given to her when she and her husband were houseparents at Tipton Home. A teenage girl in their cottage became very sick with a rare type of pneumonia and later passed away from complications of the illness. That bottle has a sticker with the name of the young girl on it and is a reminder of her memory each time the angel food cake is made.

We know that all of these earthly "treasures" will some day be gone and that our real treasure is in heaven, but it's the special memories of the people associated with the "things" that make them special.

Christian fellowship was one of the main goals of the early church. Acts 2:42 tells us, "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." Hmmmm. They "devoted themselves....to the fellowship". What does that mean? What is fellowship? A potluck dinner? No. It may include a potluck dinner, but that is not what defines Christian fellowship. Fellowship in the Greek means "to share together, take part together". Christian fellowship is being together. It is sharing together. It is having a relationship with one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Precious memories are made when Christians come together and share sweet fellowship with one another. Is Christian fellowship important to you? Are you "devoted" to the fellowship as the early Christians were?