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Leaders’ Meetings (Part II)

As mentioned last week, our women’s leaders meet once a month.  Denise our pastor’s wife and head of the women’s ministry, has an agenda. Here are some things we have learned over the years regarding these meetings:

  • We have a “secretary” who takes notes during the meeting.  These notes are forwarded to all leaders after the meeting.  If someone has to miss the meeting, the notes keep her updated on everything that was discussed at the meeting; Also, the notes include “action points” which basically list who has volunteered to do what.  For instance, “Kathy will make calls to find a venue for our women’s event;” “Debby will make a flyer;” “Cheryl will fill out forms requested by the church.”  Any leader can look back at this email if she has forgotten her assignment.
  • We always begin the meeting with prayer.  And the agenda always includes an extended time of prayer for the women’s ministry and upcoming events as well as personal prayer for one another;
  • We always bring our calendars so that we can all record any upcoming dates/events and check for scheduling conflicts.  Our preference would be to not schedule an event or meeting when several of our leaders would be gone for a school break or vacation. We always check with the church calendar before making a final decision.
  • We discuss the current issues in the women’s ministry.  If we are in the midst of a women’s study, we always touch base to make sure no one is experiencing any problems.
  • This is where we plan for upcoming events, and delegate responsibilities among the leadership team women. We also keep one another updated on our progress.  For instance, if we are planning a women’s event several months in advance, we would delegate someone to be in contact with the venue and she would report back at the next meeting.

Posted in: Developing Leadership, Lessons Learned, News & Information, Retreat and Event Planning

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Leaders’ Meetings (Part I)

graphics-agenda-603334-1Our pastor’s wife, Denise, has always been the head of the women’s ministry.  But she has a group of women serving under her to support her in the ministry.  These are women she has seen to be faithful not only in attending church regularly, but in their involvement in and commitment to the women’s ministry.  She has been able to observe firsthand that they have a heart for the Lord, a heart for women and a heart for serving others.

Our leadership team has grown over the years, and we currently have nine women involved in leadership.  In our case, that is not too many because Denise is limited by her health, and she needs extra hands.

We currently get together for a once-a-month meeting.  Denise normally has an agenda, which may include delegating responsibilities for upcoming events,  discussing issues and problems which have arisen, and touching base with the leaders personally. We pray together for our women and for one another.  Denise shares her heart and the leading God has given her for the women’s ministry. This meeting assures that we are on the same page as leaders.

More about our meetings next week.

Posted in: Developing Leadership, Lessons Learned, News & Information, Realities of Ministry, Retreat and Event Planning

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Being Lifted Up

Praying_for_you02In the weeks preceding our recent women’s retreat, more than once I had a call from the pastor’s wife saying “I’m praying for you.”  What a comfort that was, know that I was being lifted up by her in prayer!

Leaders, spiritual attack can be intense as your retreat or event grows near.  Be aware that you are not the only one having a face-off with the enemy.  Your assistants and helpers are also on the front lines of battle.  They may be waging spiritual warfare on the personal front as well as dealing with the spiritual attack that is to be expected in the planning and preparation for a women’s event.

Pray for them and let them know you are doing so.  It makes a difference.

Posted in: Developing Leadership, Little Things Make a Big Difference!, News & Information, Retreat and Event Planning

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Teenagers at a Women’s Retreat

images_ec90d8afc876b13f973038ea0173cad3Traditionally, we have opened our women’s retreats to teenage girls.  Sometimes they come with their mothers and room with them; other times, we have had a “teen room” with a teen leader with them, who also leads them in some activities and/or workshops specifically geared for teens.  Either way, the teens join us in all the main sessions.

This year, I heard some discussion on this question “Should teenagers be allowed to come to a women’s retreat?”

One one side, there are those who think that moms should have their retreat as a time away from their kids. They argue that the teens have their youth camps and youth events, and moms should have something that is theirs alone.  On the other side are moms who want to bring their teenage girls so they can have this experience and share it with them.

Actually, I can understand both points of view to an extent.  But having had a daughter who attended our annual women’s retreats from the moment that she was allowed to attend (for us, age 13) my personal opinion is that these teen girls are preparing to be women.  I wanted my daughter to see and hear godly examples of women worshipping God, praying and fellowshipping together and serving Him.  Don’t get me wrong–we loved youth activities also, and were fully involved with the youth group.  But this had its place also.

So, I asked my now-adult daughter for a comment, and here is what she said:  “How can you grow up if you don’t sit with the grown ups and learn how they know God?”

Something to consider!  Read more about teens at a retreat here and here.

 

 

 

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Including Other Churches

Come Join Us Register buttonFor years, we have invited small Calvary Chapels in our region to join us for our retreats.  This website was created to encourage churches of every size to consider doing their own retreats for their women; however, there may be others who want to join you and learn from you before they do their own.  Or it just may make more sense economically and practically to combine efforts when doing a bigger event such as a women’s retreat.  If you do invite other churches to join you, here are a few things that we have learned over the years:

We send other churches information and registration materials far in advance, and we ask them to handle their own registration and rooming.  They set their own cut-off date for registration for their women, based on the date that we have given them that we need their list of women attending and full payment to guarantee the rooms.  We normally require this information from outside churches at least a week before our own registration cut-off date.  Payment to us is final, so if they have women cancel at the last minute, they are asked to find someone to fill the reserved space.  We also ask them to do their own rooming.  Trust me, this saves you a lot of headaches, because you will already be dealing with your own ladies and their late payments and/or cancellations, as well as rooming issues.

On the Retreat-in-a-Bag website, we have a downloadable copy of the letter we send with registration materials to other churches.  Check it out here.

 

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