Soup and Serve

 Soup and Serve was a great time of fellowship and meeting new people.  Our Women Ministries team put in so much effort to make this happen!  Thanks Gals!  We started the event with time to meet other women.  We enjoyed great soups, breads and desserts for lunch.  Kinsey gave a short devotional about Ruth and Naomi and the value of friendship and mentorship. 

Then we started our service projects!  We heard from the Missions Sewing Circle.  They showed us how to "rip and roll."  We ripped sheets and rolled them into bandages to send to medical clinics in the Congo. 

Hope House shared their heart for the teen mothers in our area.  They are instrumental in providing them support and hope for the future.  What a great way to show the love and heart of Christ.  We made "Mommy Bags" for these teens.  Our girls at this event helped paint the canvas fabric of these bags.  Then they went on a "treasure hunt" to find the right items to fill the bags.  Everything from shampoo to lotion to Children's Tylenol was put in the full bags.  To finish the bag they wrote an encouraging note to the teen mother.

Theodora House is a ministry in Denver that ACC supports.  Women from our church help prepare meals and take them to Theodora House where they spend time talking with homeless women.  Many of these women have been in abusive situations.  Theodora House provides not only shelter and food for these women but also provides help and resources to get them back on their feet.  We filled "Purses of Love" with all types of toiletries and supplies for them.  Here's an example of  one note written by a 10 year old from our church to a women at Theodora House:

"Please never forget how much God loves you.  He is never far away and will always love and believe in you"

It warms my heart!  What a great event!  I love that so many girls and women from our church took the time to serve women going through challenging circumstances!  Check out the pictures:

Our beautiful centerpieces with a verse from Ruth:

 Merry works her magic in the kitchen:

Kathy and Kiesa putting the finishing touches on food and decorations:

Our helpers...maybe future Women Ministries leaders!

The gals from the Missions Sewing Circle display their quilts:

Women Ministries gear:

The items donated by the women in our church that will go into Purses of Love and Mommy Bags.  It took forever to set up.  Glad to have the team to help!

Cards wait for the girls and women to write notes of encouragement for the bags:

Now that the set up is done, time for fellowship, food, and service!

Linda and Kinsey lead us in a time of food and connection before doing a devotional on Ruth and starting the service projects.   

Women writing notes for the Purses of Love:

 Love the finished project:

Painting supplies for the Mommy Bags:

The finished project! We had to wait overnight for them to dry and put the supplies in.  It was worth the wait!  Our girls did a great job!

Rolling bandages to send to the Congo:

The finished product:

Thanks to all the girls and women who came to serve!  We love that we were able to pair a time of food and connection with a service project.  Great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

A Traditional Christmas...

Can you believe it’s already time to start talking about the holidays? Soon life will get busier as we all prepare for guests, shop for food and presents, decorate, bake, and participate in any number of holiday festivities. I always find myself a little frazzled. I’m sure I’m not the only one!

As I was contemplating ways to get overcome the holiday craze, three ideas come to mind. Proverbs 3:5 was the first thought I had. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” It sounds so simple, yet is so hard to put into practice. Being a new mother on top of working and leading a ministry puts this into a whole new perspective. I have to confess that often I fail to trust in the Lord. What would it look like if I took this to heart every day during the holiday season when I divide my attention between being a wife, mother, employee and leader? I’m not sure yet, but I feel God challenging me to do this. I’ll let you know how it goes!

My other two answers are not quite as scripture based. But I can promise you they will meet needs in your life over the holiday season!

Number 1: Check out our latest idea! We like to call it: “Meals Made Simple, Friends Made Quick.” Come join us the morning of Nov. 12th. You will get to connect with other women while preparing easy meals that can be frozen. This will alleviate the stress of figuring out what to do for dinner during the holiday season. What’s better than having dinner that is already made when you’re too busy to cook?

Number 2: Prepare your heart for the Advent season by coming to Advent Brunch. Join us in this mutigenerational event and bring your friend, mother, daughter, or grandmother. You will get to enjoy a relaxed breakfast where you get to connect with other women. Enjoy special music and carols led by women in our church. You will get to hear women from different generations in our congregation speak about their favorite Christmas tradition and how that has enriched their relationship with Jesus.

While I know my 3 suggestions to overcome the holiday craze don’t provide all the answers, I hope in some way they will bless you this holiday season! More info to come in the SPICE newsletter/ACC website/Facebook! 

Fall Missions Conference

Missions Opportunity! 

Join the Mission/Outreach Commission for a mini conference and a free lunch!  On Oct. 9th in the Family Life Center at noon, you will get the opportunity to hear Drs. Jim and Anna Marie Jackson. They are the founders of Project Cure.  You will hear about their work and testimony.  Arok Garang, a Lost Boy of the Sudan, will also be there to speak about his experience and about the Seeds of Hope ministry. 

A love offering is encouraged to pay for the shipping of a PROJECT C.U.R.E. pallet of medical equipment destined for Africa!

Sign up on Oct. 2nd via tear offs in the bulletin!

From Generation to Generation

Quite often, when we describe who a woman is – we tell her roles. She is so-and-so’s daughter, his wife, their mom, she works at such-and-such, she is a programmer, gardener, student. The list could go on and on… But inevitably when you describe a woman by her roles you are stating what is unique and different with her as compared to other women.

In Lamentations we find this statement about God:

Lamentations 5:19 NIV - "You, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation."

And then in Daniel, Luke, Psalms and Hebrews…

Daniel 4:3 NIV - "How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation."

Luke 1:50 NIV - "His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation."

Psalm 90:2 NIV - "Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God."

Hbr 13:8 NIV - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Now, what we can surmise from knowing these scriptures is this: If God is the same for eternity than we know that he loved Eve the same that he loved Ruth, Tamar, Jaal, Gomer, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Lydia, Martha, and Priscilla. You see, He is the same and loves women the same regardless of ethnicity, relationship, generation or role! He loves Women!!

Let us then demonstrate this same love to the women in our church and community. We must therefore get back to what we all have in common. What is it that makes us uniquely WOMAN?

I believe that what make us a woman is the blending of strength and beauty. Like a horse charging across a field toward you, you are enthralled with the beauty and terrorized at the fierceness at one time.

Our culture alludes to this with statements such as: “If momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!” In one statement we learn that “Momma” is both beautiful and we desire to see that side of her but she is also fierce when not happ. One sufficient and succinct warning to the power of influence God entrusted to us as women.

So – when we know that God is the same from Generation to Generation – than we should put our hope in that. What is the same across our generations of women? What do we have in common rather than focusing on what is different?

Are there unique places of pain in groupings of women, such as newly divorced single moms? Absolutely, and those needs can be addressed as the Lord leads, but all our events this year should be centered around what we share in common and honoring to those things that make us different.

As Paul encouraged in his letter to the church at Phillipi…

I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. - Phl 4:2 NIV

Let us make this year in Women Ministries our year to agree with each other in the Lord!

 

~Cheryl Meakins~

Performing Arts Tour

11 women joined a tour of the Performing Arts Center featuring the back stage areas where we could witness the production of costumes, stage backdrops, props, etc.  We were amazed to learn that the theater complex is the second largest in the US, second only to the Kennedy Center in DC.  Our guide explained that there are 10 performing spaces capable of hosting 10,000 guests.  We were able to stand on the stage of the Buell Theatre and "perform".  It was a fascinating look at the top fine arts center in our city.  The icing on the cake was lunch at "The Corner Office", a trendy restaurant just across the street which features a unique menu including sweet potato fries.  Debbie tried the Downward Dogs.  There were some interesting statues outside the complex so we took pictures there.  What a great time to connect with other women!

Back into the Swing of Things

Can you believe that it is fall already? Kids are going back to school. The weather is starting to cool and the leaves are changing! If you are like me, you have missed Sunday services at church here and there this past summer. We go out of town, visit family, take time in the mountains and participate in any number of activities that takes us away from church on Sundays. For me, the fall signifies routine again. Now that it’s fall, Women Ministries is “Back into the Swing of Things” too.


I would like to say, “Welcome back!” We have so many new and different ideas for this year. Our Women Ministries theme this year is “From Generation to Generation.” Our hope is to focus on what makes us the same and not what makes us different. We may be different because of our age, marital status, children, hobbies, career, and the list could continue. But, we are the same because we are women and we love Jesus. When we focus on why we are similar, it makes it easier for the different generations of women in our church to feel connected!

We hope this newsletter will help you to feel linked to the women in our church. You can find information on our events, the monthly calendar, and interesting articles in this newsletter! We hope to see you at one of our events soon!

~Kinsey Ringenberg ~ Women Ministries Chair

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Don't forget prayer this Sunday in between services in Room A202!

Recap on Spring Retreat

Spring Retreat 2011

What an amazing weekend.  We were so glad that so many of you could be a part of it.  If you were unable to attend, hopefully this will convince you that you need to be a part of this weekend next year!  We plan to hold our 2012 Spring Retreat the weekend after Easter.  Plan on it!  How could you not attend with Barb's smiling face to greet you as you come in!

We had great facilities and food at the Westin!  And not to mention beautiful decorations!

We tried several new things this year including a marketplace with proceeds going to help women in ministry around the world!  The marketplace got such positive feedback we may need to bring it back for next year!

 This year we were blessed to have Ginger Millermon as our speaker.  She is a talented speaker, author, and recording artist.  Friday night she captivated us with her singing and testimony.  She has a powerful testimony about God's miraculous healing in her son's life and an adoption of a sweet girl from India.  She shared music with us from her latest albums.  If you missed out on this check out her website for her books and CDs at http://www.gingermillermon.com/.  Her daughter has also released a CD recently.  If you're looking for music with a positive influence be sure to check her out at Ginger's website.  You can find both of them on itunes as well (her daughter is under ckenzi millermon in itunes). 

Ginger also shared with us that she will be taking two of her children on a missions trip to an orphanage in Uganda in June.  Keep them in your prayers!  For updates you can follow her on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Ginger-Millermon/31484061066. 

On Saturday Ginger began her series about living a Worthy Life from Colossians.  What a challenge and blessing it was to hear from her on this topic! 

Worship with Ginger on Saturday:

Between Ginger's teaching sessions we tried something new...Breakout sessions.  We gave you the option of choosing 2 breakout sessions from the 6 that were available.  We were blessed to have several speakers willing to give their time to come speak with our women. 

Debbie Hardy discussed the challenges of step parenting in one session and moderated a panel that discussed how to deal with a health crisis in your family.  Thanks to all the women who participated in that panel!  Debbie has also written a book that recently debuted that acts as a guidebook for a journey through cancer.  You can check out her blog at: http://www.steppingthroughcancer.com/, http://steppingthrulife.blogspot.com/ or at http://steppingthroughcancer.blogspot.com/. 

Debie Montoro led a session about spiritual gifts!  Several of the women wanted more information on this topic!  Debie will be leading an Oasis seminar starting on April 13th!  Don't miss out!

  Kinsey discussed ways to talk to your kids about God's plan for purity.  She is passionate about teaching parents how to do sex education for their kids! 

Great resources for how to discuss sex with your children.  Check out authors Vicki Courtney (http://vickicourtney.com/about/) and Dr. Stanton Jones for great resources on sex education for the Christian parent!

KC Dierenfield was a guest speaker from Reigning Peace Ministries.  She has a heart for leaning to solve conflict in a Godly manner and led a seminar about peacemaking in friendships.  If you would like more information about her ministry be sure to visit her website: http://www.reigningpeace.org/.

Cheryl Meakins discussed how fasting can make a difference in your spiritual walk and shared her personal testimony about the role fasting has played in her life.

Great resources about fasting:

Friends and fellowship during the retreat:

After our last session with Ginger, many women took the opportunity to stay the night again and connect with their friends!  It was a great way to deepen friendships and develop new ones!

Sunday morning started with a prayer walk that was a powerful way to recap the retreat.

The prayer walk was a personal experience with God that ‘sealed’ the work God started in the retreat.

Each of us journeyed through a time of worship, confession, communion and blessing.  The back hallway of the conference center became our chapel and God truly walked with us. 

Many women said that the prayer walk was a powerful time and perfect ending to the retreat.

Ginger was able to lead worship and share her testimony at ACC Sunday morning!  It was great to continue to worship with Ginger in that way!   It is amazing how God can use a weekend away from distractions to do His work in your heart!