The Women’s Ministries (also known as the Women of the Church) is active again! We want to share our vision, some activities we have planned, and changes you will see over the next year.
Our vision is similar to that of the Synod level of Women’s Ministries. First, we want to encourage every woman to cultivate a personal relationship with Christ. This includes providing opportunities for group Bible study and fellowship such as the Circles and the Tuesday morning Bible study. We also seek to encourage women to use their gifts for Christian service through service to HARP and outside of the church. We want to help the women of HARP appreciate the opportunities offered for women through the entire ARP denomination.
The changes we have implemented include updating the structure of the board for Women’s Ministries at HARP. In 2005, Laura Navarro was the last elected President of the WOC at HARP and no further elections have occurred since. We are now working to reactivate the board structure. To get this started back up, two representatives from each Circle have met to form the first board.
At our first meeting we identified the basic officers from within our board to fill the positions through 2012. That gives us time to advertise that we will elect new officers for 2013 and have time for the board to identify people interested in filling the positions. At the Presbyterial and Synodical level, a specific nominating committee is identified each year to pursue nominees for each position. At HARP we decided that the board will also be the nominating committee at this time.
The board for 2012:
- President – Patti Snyder
- Past President – Laura Navarro
- Vice President/Secretary – TBD
- Treasurer – Barbara Birdsong
- Historian – Tina Aldridge
- At-large members: Millie Brown, Kathy Young, Sue Barnette, Myron-Alice Ingram, Jill Gazzaway
Upcoming actions include the Tuesday morning Bible study restart up October 4. This study had been led by Nancy Winburne, and it is one of the many reasons we miss her. Through a series of announcements in the bulletin, at the start of Worship service, and phone calls, Jill has identified a number of women interested in attending and ensured we have babysitting provided. She is starting with the study book suggested by the Synodical Women’s Ministries for this year, David: Encountering the King Who Reigned in Power by Michael Bentley. We are still looking for a few more people willing to facilitate and of course.
We also have three Circles (a traditional name for a group of women that meet for Bible study and fellowship) that meet each month. The Covenant-McDowell Circle meets in the middle of the day on the third Thursday of the month. The Friendship Circle meets the evening of the first Monday and the Circle of Grace meets the evening of the third Monday of the month.
Of course, there is the annual Beach Trip the first weekend of November. Contact Donelle Whitby if you haven’t reserved a spot yet. This is always a time of fellowship and fun. The devotions this year are from the book The 7 Hardest Things God Asks a Woman to Do by Kathie Reimer and Lisa Whittle (they probably aren’t what you think).
We are also planning a Saturday brunch in December, with hopes of giving all the women of HARP an opportunity to fellowship together. We have reserved space at The Acropolis for a brunch buffet starting at 10:00 am on Saturday, December 10. We hope you all can attend. Cost is $11 (tax and tip included), please RSVP to Barbara Birdsong, with a check made out to the church.
Plans for 2012 include more general social get-togethers and some service activities. We also hope to have a group attend the Family Bible Conference at Bonclarken in July, the First Presbyterial Retreat at Bonclarken in November of 2012, and preparations for the First Presbyterial Annual Meeting to be held here at HARP in the fall of 2012.
