June's Women's Ministry Revised  article was the spring board to this month's MMCW issue. Beba Schlottman shared that while fundraising is an important part of women's ministry, it is not its sole purpose. Women are stepping outside preconceived roles of selling chicken dinners and hosting banquets for Mother's Day. Today's Christian woman is not just raising money for missions, she is on the mission field whether at home, in her neighborhood, or around the globe.
    Women's ministry in 2007 to me is about equipping women through Biblical mentoring to operate in the gifts of the Spirit to reach a lost world in these last days. Unique in the sense that not every woman will serve in "women's ministry," every woman should take advantage of the teaching, training, and mentoring it can provide.  As women's ministry leaders, the responsibility is not planning social events, but as Henry Blackaby says in Experiencing God, finding out where God is at work and joining Him. Women's ministry is about joining God and encouraging women into the areas He has called them--not just signing up women for committees or events. As lay-women, the responsibility is to serve God. If you do not know how, where, or when, it's time to pray and join with women's ministry in the local church to find out. Women's ministry is a powerful training ground when modeled after Titus 2 as we are commanded.
    If you are not involved in women's ministry, I encourage you to do so. It can be as simple as attending a Bible study, becoming a mentor or mentee, a prayer warrior, or helping fund raise and plan banquets. It could also mean stepping outside your comfort zone and into the mission field, starting an outreach ministry, witnessing to your neighbors, or dare I say it--volunteering as a board or committee member. The bottom line--what has the Lord called you to do? Women's ministry should offer the support and encouragement to do it.
    Blessings,
       Kellie

   Kellie Renfroe, Editor-In-Chief
   mentoringmoments@aol.com
   MentoringMoments.org

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Menu Planning for Retreats & Reunions
Loi Palmer, Art of Homemaking Editor
    Plan out the menu and assign meals. Be specific with the food quantity you are expecting everyone to bring. To make clean up quick, use paper plates and pastic utensils. To keep those plastic cups and water bottles distinguishable, write each person's name with a Sharpie on their drink.
    Breakfast
    First person up makes the coffee. Provide regular coffee for breafast and Decaf for after dinner. Other essentials to include: half and half, one flavored creamer, sugar, and Splenda. Three different types of cereal for those who are up early before the cook or staggle out of bed late after breakfast dishes are cleaned up. You can include: Granola, Captain Crunch, Raisin Bran or Bran Flakes with cranberries. Two percent milk generally makes everyone happy.
    Day 1: Assorted sweet breads. Place in pretty baskets an assortment of banana bread, apple and bran muffins, bagels with two jelly choices and cream cheese and assorted yogurt with granola and fruit (strawberries and bananas) to sprinkle on top.
    Day 2: Scrambled eggs with chopped ham. Use left over ham from last night's dinner, shredded cheese, salsa, and English muffins with jelly.
    Day 3: French toast. This breakfast menu is great for the last day because all the leftover sandwich bread can be used. To go along with the French toast, provide pure maple syrup, a fun kid syrup, strawberries and blueberries.
    Lunch
    Day 1: Build a sandwich. Assorted deli meat , cheese, and bread, such as ham, turkey, Provolone cheese, Swiss cheese, potato rolls, wheat and white bread. Assemble plates of sliced tomatoes, onions, lettuce, assorted pickles, and olives. Go ahead and slice extra tomatoes, onion, and lettuce--you will use them for Day 2's cookout. Don't forget mayonnaise and mustard. Include a side dish of potato salad purchased from the deli section of the grocery store, two kinds of chips, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
    Day 2: Burgers and Hotdogs. Provide mustard relish, catsup, chopped onions, sauerkraut, lettuce, and sliced tomatoes. Side dish of cole slaw purchased from the deli section of the grocery store, chips, and brownies for dessert.
    Day 3: Tacos. For this lunch you'll need browned ground beef (which can be done ahead of time and frozen),  chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, sour cream salsa, refried beans, guacamole, soft taco shells, corn chips. If you have a health consious crowd they can make this into a great taco salad.
    Dinner
    Day 1: Baked ham. Reserve the leftover ham to chop for scrambled eggs on Day 2's breakfast. Side dishes to include: string beans, cheesy scalloped potatoes, tossed salad, Sister Shubert's frozen yeast rolls. And who who can resist  Ice Cream Sandwich dessert?
   Day 2: BBQ pulled pork and chicken. This can be done several ways the easiest of which is purchasing the BBQ from a restaurant by the pound along with smoked chicken. Side dishes to include are baked potatoes, salad, and cornbread. Homemade ice cream for dessert.
    Day 3: Lasagna. Server with salad and roasted Parmesan bread. Blueberry pie for dessert.

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Divas In Denim
Kellie Renfroe
    For a women's ministry event focused on bridging the generational divide between women and to encouraging mentorship, Divas in Denim is a fun idea. This was presented by the women's ministry, Women on the Move, at Lawrenceville Church of God in Lawrenceville, GA, to kick-off their new mentoring program.
    Fashion Show. Have a fasion show highlighting jeans from the decades, beginning with the 50's and going through the 90's. Dress models in the style of their era and give interesting reminders of fashion and entertainment from the period.
    Message. Share about how jean styles may change, but God never changes. While every generation may look at God in a different way, God is the same--it is we who change. As women we need a strong foundation in Christ. We also need mentors who will hold us accountable and encourage us in our spiritual growth. Titus 2 admonishes the older women to train the younger women. As Christian women there is always someone older than us to learn from and someone younger to train. We must bridge the "GAP" between generations and be the women of God we are called to be despite generational gaps.
    Decorations. Create blue jean centerpieces by purchasing children's jeans (sizes 3T to 7) at Goodwill. Look for jeans with embellishments and shading variety. The cutest centerpiece was made using a girl's blue jean skort. Cut excess jean legs off and fold under. Stiffen jeans with a fabric stiffener, using a balloon in the waist band to keep the form as the jeans harden. Decorate jeans with plenty of bling. Centerpiece creator Rosemary Peacock used bright bandanas and various styles of ribbon for belts. Complete centerpiece by using floral foam, moss, and flowers. To create the standing version (perfect for welcome and food tables) place wooden dowels in legs anchored in a platic cup filled with sand (place sand in a baggie).
    For close-up pictures of the centerpieces go to Women's Ministry.

Summer Film Festival
Kellie Renfroe
    During the time here at the end of summer when your women's ministry Bible class is in between studies, offer a summer film festival. This is an innovative way to reach women with the gospel both inside and outside the church. I recently did this in the women's class I teach on Wednesday evenings. It was a fun time of fellowship and strengthening of our faith with inspirational Christian movies.
    For our chick-flick festival we watched: Chonda Pierce: A Piece of my Mind, One Night with the King, China Cry, and The End of the Spear. Two other movies I highly recommend are The Last Sin-Eater based on Francine Rivers novel of the same name and Facing the Giants. Keep the clock in mind as most of these movies run close to two hours in length. The week The End of the Spear was shown, class began 15 minutes early to accommodate the movie.
    Don't forget munchies! Have ladies rotate bringing in snacks and drinks each week. We served one snack with either sweet tea or bottled water.
    Some of you may be reading this and thinking it can only be done at church. Wrong! Host a movie night for your girlfriends. If you are a small group home leader, this can work in that setting too. In fact, a home setting does away with the strict time constraints plus you can add a devotional leading up to the movie or a discussion following. Many of the Fox Faith movies come with booklets with questions just for this purpose.
    If you would like to view clips of the movies listed, read online reviews, and even order then visit Books & Media where we have links set-up for you.

New For Fall
Queen Esther's Reflection...A Portrait of Grace, Courage, and Excellence
    Author Ann Platz's newest release Queen Esther's Reflection is an insightful study on one of God's most provocative stories of women of faith. This timeless account is one of feminine beauty, hospitality, social graces, marriage, and a life on mission. From it  women will glean priceless lessons: when to talk and when to be silent, choosing words carefully, being "still," expressing love in the home, living a life of faith in the workplace, appropriately using influence, and much more. Gracious living--it is the beginning of kingdom living.
    Written for today's woman and with thought provoking questions at the end of each chapter, it is perfect for Bible studies, book clubs, and small groups. This study is for all ages, from young girls to seasoned women.
    Many people know Ann Platz as a well-known interior designer, with her work featured in leading magazines from Architectural Digest to Southern Living. Others know her as a writer and speaker who has written more than fifteen books. But for countless people who have benefited from her warmth and generosity, she is known as friend and mentor.
    Author of Social Graces and The Best Is Yet To Come, Ann Platz, as one would expect, is extremely warm and gracious. She delights in encouraging others to reach their maximum potential personally and spiritually. However, if you ask Ann Platz what she is most proud of she'll likely tell you about the young girls she mentors at an Atlanta detention center. Investing her life in the lives of others is Ann's true passion.
    In 2004 Ann founded Mentoring Virtuous Women, a mentoring series established to promote Christian maturity in women. The 2008 series will include bringing leadership to a group of 40 dynamic women in the city of Atlanta.
    For ordering information go to Books & Media.
   
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