Women's MinistriesSummer 2008 E-Network Newsletter Where to Start"Where do we start if we want a ministry designed for women in our church?" It is difficult to find a general answer to that question, but let me offer some suggestions. Perhaps they will fit the needs of the women in your congregation. Begin by thinking beyond your congregation--consider the global picture and find out how you can become part of the answer to the needs of women around the world. One way to do this is through Sister Share, an initiative of Women's Ministries. Becoming a part of the ministry of Sister Share doesn't require lots of organization; just contact the office of Women's Ministries to order flyers that introduce the ministry of Sister Share and distribute them to the women in your congregation. For more details about Sister Share's ministry opportunities, visit www.rca.org/women and click on the Sister Share logo. One woman or a hundred women can make a difference through Sister Share by learning more about the needs of our sisters around the world and then choosing to be part of the solution. It's always healthy to look beyond ourselves and offer a blessing to those whose circumstances are different from our own. This is not only true for individuals, but also for groups of people. There are women in your congregation who are looking for ways to make a difference--this is a powerful and effective way to do so. Second, offer to lead a Bible study for anyone who is interested. There is a great study available for the fall of 2008 on the book of Luke called Jubilee! Luke's Gospel for the Poor. For more information, see the article toward the end of this newsletter. Studying the Bible does more than just keep us growing as disciples of Christ; it brings us into a space where we form a circle of friends who help keep our spiritual lives healthy. We can't sustain our spiritual health on what we might remember from our childhood Sunday school lessons; we need more information and inspiration from Scripture to help us understand our adult lives. The recipe for spiritual health consists of growing together through prayer and study as well as sharing our lives and helping our sisters cope with what life dishes out. Add a large dose of joy and laughter and you've got what God has intended for our lives! Finally, plan an event just for women and encourage the women of your congregation to invite their friends. Make it fun--consider including chocolate and holding the event outside the church, perhaps in someone's home or at a retreat center. (Okay, I was just kidding about the chocolate--that's optional.) Make it personal and fun, and begin to build relationships with women outside your normal circle. We all need excuses to invite our friends to meet women who follow Christ. Women need to be spiritually nurtured and cared for--many are running on fumes and are opting out of their traditional roles in the church because they give and give but aren't taking the time or given the opportunity to receive. So I urge you to prayerfully consider using any one of these three ideas in your congregation. Will you be the one to get things started? Sister Share We have been searching for an effective way to connect women to the ministries of RCA missionaries and their partners for the benefit of women and children. The history of women's involvement with RCA global missions is remarkable, but so much of that picture is based on women's organizations that no longer exist. The missions programs of our denomination are something to be proud of--people and ministries we can trust--but how do we connect you to them?
After much prayer and consideration, the concept and language of Sister Share emerged. The words "Sister Share" are clear and the idea is so simple--you, as an individual, can give to an RCA Global Mission project that will change the lives of your sisters around the world. Through your gift, a woman in India will receive a sewing machine that will help her bring her family out of poverty and secure their future; a child living at a city dump in Nicaragua will be given food and medical care; a woman in the Sudan whose life has been torn apart by war will receive trauma counseling; a marginalized woman in India will be offered employment opportunities; or a young mother here in North America will be taught parenting and life skills from a Christian perspective. Only 1,000 of the more than 100,000 women who are members of the RCA receive this Women's Ministries e-newsletter. How can we share this opportunity with others? Will you help? Consider the following ways of sharing with others how they can make a difference in the lives of women around the world: 1. Ask your congregation to help spread the word about Sister Share.
2. Encourage your friends, family, and congregation to commit to a monthly pledge to one of the Sister Share projects.
3. Think beyond RCA members--this is a trustworthy opportunity to make a difference in the lives of women around the world.
4. Order the Sister Share bulletin board kit (email Mary Clark at mclark@rca.org) and create an informational bulletin board in your building.
5. Use your email address book to tell friends about how Sister Share works and why they should become involved.
6. Make a commitment yourself, and remember to pray for the women who are serving and being served through the sharing of sisters around the world.
Did You Know?According to recent Barna surveys (www.barna.org): - 49 percent of women have read the Bible in the past week, compared to 35 percent of men. (2007)
- 44 percent of women, compared to 35 percent of men, attend church on a given Sunday. (2007)
- Women are 5 percent more likely than men to participate in a small group. (2007)
- In general, women pray more often than men--89 percent of women compared to 77 percent of men report that they have prayed in the past week. (2007)
- Women are more likely than men to be born again: 44 percent of women have accepted Christ as their savior, compared to 35 percent of men. (2007)
- Women comprise 56 percent of the adult born-again population. (2007)
- 53 percent of women believe that the Bible is totally accurate in all of its teachings, compared to 46 percent of men. (2007)
- 75 percent of women, compared to 62 percent of men, believe that God is the all-powerful, all-knowing, perfect creator who rules the world today. (2007)
- 77 percent of women, compared to 63 percent of men, say that their faith is very important to them. (2007)
- 68 percent of women describe themselves as "deeply spiritual," compared to 55 percent of men. (2006)
Women's Ministries FAQsQuestion: What are "dues," and do we still have to pay them to belong to Women's Ministries? Answer: No. In the past, the women's organization was self-funded and dues were the financial support system for the ministry. We are now part of the structure of the RCA and its financial system, so dues are no longer necessary. However, regional coordinators are supported through Blessing Box offerings. This is a departure from the past, when offerings were only taken for our mission projects. Today we realize that mission is just outside the doors of our churches, and that regional synods are assisting congregations with many area-specific ministries. Having a coordinator who connects women to each other and to the ministries of synods and classes makes sense. Question: Who are the members of Women's Ministries? Answer: You are--we all are. This is a ministry that helps you and other women to find Christ as the center of your life and then to pass along the gifts God so graciously gives you. So enjoy! Membership in the family of God is all that is required. Regional Coordinator: Synod of Canada The women of the churches of Ontario Classis dug deep and made a commitment to filling their Blessing Boxes. As a result, we have the pleasure of introducing their Women's Ministries regional coordinator, Christina Labbé. As you read her message, I know you will be as excited as we are to see how God is working in that synod. Words from Christina Labbé, Regional Coordinator of Women's Ministries for the Synod of CanadaI would never have guessed that I was going to struggle so much with writing my brief autobiography. It seems that the older I get the harder it is to tell my story, partially because the details are all starting to run together, but mostly because it's not mine. I no longer belong to myself; rather, I belong to Jesus, my faithful Saviour. I can no more separate out the life he lives in me than I can sever my arm from my body. There seems to be only one story that I can tell--the story of his love and grace to me. So, it is here that I begin. My name is Christina Labbé and I am a sinner saved by the grace of God. I grew up in a wonderful Christian home with two brothers and a sister (who was born when I was 15), next door to grandparents who used every opportunity to teach me about what it means to follow Jesus, both in their words and in their actions. Even though life at home was good, I struggled with rejection by my peers. Being an emotional girl, I was hurt by their exclusion. God has redeemed that time in my life, using it to draw me to himself and to give me a heart for those who are rejected and excluded from society, outcasts whom he loves. I was educated to work with emotionally disturbed children and youth and have had the privilege of working with young offenders in a maximum-security facility, pregnant teens, single mothers, those who struggle with addiction, and people who are homeless. These are the people that God was preparing me to love, people that society tells us are unlovable. Here's the real truth: if society really knew you and I, we'd seem unlovable too. Hallelujah, he loves us! I've been married for just over 8 years to Ken, who day by day shows me the grace of God. We worship and minister to and with the congregation at Faith Reformed Church in Kingsville, Ontario. God seems to consistently call us to ministries where he leads us to connect people to Jesus and to each other, and to encourage, empower, and equip--women's ministry is no different. I look forward to how God will lead us in those areas as together we follow him, our risen Saviour and the one who makes us ALIVE WITH CHRIST. The following is an excerpt from an article Christina wrote for the Synod of Canada's Northern Lights publication: "Connecting is about sitting down in a comfy, overstuffed chair with a cup of coffee and a friend for a nice chat; a time to be yourself, to share. Connecting generally comes pretty easily for me; I love people, I certainly have the gift of the gab, and I love hearing people's stories. As I begin my time as the Regional Synod of Canada's coordinator for Women's Ministries, I think that connecting might be the best place to begin, so feel free to find a comfy chair and grab a cup of coffee and I'll share with you a little about who I am. My desire is to help you encounter Jesus, to assist you in connecting with your sisters in the church across Canada, and to help you engage more fully as together we follow Christ in mission. So, my sisters, I look forward to getting to know you, connecting with you, and hearing your stories. Feel free to contact me as well--my email address is clabbe@reformed-church.org. The coffee and chairs are ready, and my ears and heart are open." Bible Study: Jubilee! Luke's Gospel for the PoorAs Dale Lindsay Morgan explains in the introduction to her book Jubilee! Luke's Gospel for the Poor:
The word jubilee is from the Hebrew yobel, meaning ram's horn or trumpet blown at the beginning of the fiftieth year as slaves and debtors were released from bondage and debt...In Luke's Gospel...jubilee came to describe the beginning of the Messianic Age, the "year of the Lord's favor" (4:19), the time when the Messiah would come and turn the world upside down.
This nine-lesson study focuses on how Jesus did just that--turned the world upside down, first by simply following in the tradition of the Hebrew prophets, then by going beyond that role and proving himself to be the anointed one of God, the Messiah. Morgan points out that a central theme in Luke's gospel is the exaltation of the poor, the forgiveness of sin and debt, the inclusion of the outcast and outsider, and the reconciliation of people to God and to each other. Within the framework of Luke's narrative, Morgan offers wonderful insights into the time in which Jesus lived, giving new meaning to the things which often seem culturally remote to us. The study includes a thorough introduction, a guide for group leadership, and suggestions for mission and outreach. Please consider using Jubilee! Luke's Gospel for the Poor, by Dale Lindsay Morgan, in your fall Bible study this year. You can order the study through Faith Alive Christian resources, (800) 333-8300 or www.faithaliveresources.org. Church HeraldDid you know that 71 percent of Church Herald readers are women? Your continued support--through readership, story suggestions, financial contributions, and prayer--is vital to the continuation of this print ministry of the Reformed Church in America. Encourage your whole church to subscribe, or order your own subscription. Information is available on the Church Herald's website, herald.rca.org, or by contacting the magazine's staff at (616) 698-7071.
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