You know the old saying, “Two heads are better than one”? Then, just imagine how much better thousands of heads could be!
Stonecroft Ministries has a wonderful resource for brainstorming and creativity—the vast network of volunteers serving around the world. This is your space to share with others the outreach ideas that have worked in your community and to get fresh ideas for the future.
We all need ideas that work. Let’s pass them along as we learn together.
Do your groups put their web site on their monthly invitations?
or the Stonecroft web site?
This blog sounds like a great idea.
Cinda,
Thanks for your great question.
We at Stonecroft HQ strongly prefer groups to either include the Stonecroft website address (www.stonecroft.org) on their invitations or none at all. That way, those invited to outreach groups are getting the same information about the ministry as everyone else.
Keep those questions and comments coming!
Jeff Zogg
Stonecroft Communications Manager
write me at: communications@stonecroft.org
Great new look and ideas! Kudos to you for offering this tool. The newsletter looks great too.
Looking forward to hearing the great ideas via cyber-space. SH
Re: July Prayer Connection
I just received my email notice about our July Prayer Connection from our Prayer Coordinator. We decided that for each of the summer months while our group doesn’t meet we would have a Prayer breakfast followed by the Prayer Connection. This month we will be having a Hawaiian breakfast at the home of our Area Rep. With the theme “Put On Your Shoes, Step Onto The Path, And Follow Him”, all who will be attending are to bring a pair of shoes in a sack where no one can see them. (I have no idea why but look forward to finding out what our Prayer Coordinator has in mind). She said in the e-mail notice “As we celebrate our freedom in this wonderful country, we are going to walk back through the year and look for God’s footprints on this ministry. Don’t miss this opportunity to see how God guides us and watches over us.” Our Prayer Coordinator asked all who have attended the Prayer Connections this past year to submit answers to how God worked in the lives of people we prayed for. She is compiling all the requests with the answers and handing them out to everyone who attends the July Prayer Connection so we can see how God has answered the prayers of His people. What a time of praise we will be having!
Ruth Rehm
Tucson AZ SPC
Absolutely the COOLEST!
We love mailing, emailing or faxing our Outreach Meeting invitations to other local women’s organizations in our community. We are growing in 2007-2008!
I love “Ideas That Work”!
Elizabeth Perkins
In the past three months we have had 30 first time visitors, wonderful speakers but no decisions. We try to stay focused and friendly and forward-thinking. Any ideas that might help?
I really like the idea of sharing ideas for outreach meetings, etc. I always enjoy attending other clubs just to pick some refreshing ideas for our club. Thanks for a great newsletter.
To attract young moms, we had a baby fashion show. We asked a children’s clothing store to be our anchor and to fill in the time if we didn’t get much response from mom’s. Then we made an invitation which said “Baby Model’s Wanted.” We asked for babies up to six months old (so they would be content to stay on laps or in their infant seats). The babies modeled cute outfits they had been given and we shared info about their birth, weight, parent and grandparents names, description of outfit and also something special about each one. (The moms filled out a little form with this information.) We had 10 moms interested and 6 actually were able to be there. Everyone really enjoyed the babies. The babies were all quiet during the speaker. It was great fun.
To Brenda,
As an SRA and Speaker may I encourage you by saying how awesome it is that you’ve had 30 1st time guests to your last 3 Outreach Meetings! Many groups would love to know how you accomplished that! As far as decisions, let me say that we will only know the impact we have had on earth after we have stepped into eternity. For some it is to plant, for others to reap. I am never disappointed when I speak and there are no decisions indicated because we never truly know what takes place in the hearts of those who hear. God commands us to “go and tell” – He does the rest. Keep on keeping on – you gals are doing an amazing thing for Jesus!
The blog is a great idea! Keep working on those new ideas!
What a neat idea – to have different clubs share special features which they found to attract women to the luncheons. I will ask our Chair if I may gather email addresses of area Women’s Organizations. . .the baby fashion show sounded absolutely enthralling. As a charter executive member in a western New York club in the mid 70s, our nursery cared for over 50 children whose mom’s were at the luncheon. Yes. . .times are presently different, but let’s do what we can to minister to those young moms who want and need our fellowship.” Sue, Rochester, NY
We are meeting for coffee and fellowship at Starbuck’s on the last Friday of the month from 9:30 til 11:00. This is for the summer right now after a break of several months. It’s a great way to meet new people as we are a friendly group of women who chat with new people as often as we can. This Friday we met a lonely lady in line and after sharing a bit, gave her a flier to our next outreach meeting.
We had over 90 last month and over 100 the month before. At our luncheons, people are making decisions to accept Christ and some ladies are signing up for our Bible studies. Most women who come bring a friend or two or three!! They enjoy browsing and purchasing books from the Resource Table also.
I can see that I’m going to learn more than ever from all of you who are blogging! Thanks so much for your fantastic ideas. Love the “Baby Fashion Show.” On that same note, I was speaking recently when Babies R Us did a feature on baby safety–car seats, door locks, etc. Great targeting for ALL ages! I’d love to see someone do a fashion show for expectant moms. Wouldn’t that be cool? Has anyone done one?
I am hoping that this will prove to be a blessing resource. Don’t we all need new ideas?
I like that idea about the Prayer Connection. We do need to look back and see what God has done in the past and how he has helped and inspired people. These things are a great renewal of strength for leaders, a reminder of God’s greatness. Prayer is our foundation, keep it strong.
Here’s a “Cool January” special feature idea on a “Hot July” summer day. Our group asked ladies to bring Christmas gifts they received (gifts they didn’t particularly like or want) to the January Women’s Connection. The unwrapped gifts were laid on a table with decorated bags behind them. When the ladies came to the meeting they could put their name in one bag or several bags. Later….we drew a name from each bag. The ladies had a wonderful time with this and were thrilled to take home someone’s unwanted Chirstmas gift.
Carol, I read about the gift exchange in a Stonecroft flyer but wasn’t sure how to distribute the gifts. This is an excellent idea, so everyone goes home with something they would like.
Is there a Stonecroft Christian Women’s group in Denton or Gainseville, TX?
Hi Kay –
Did you know that there is a Group Locator on the Stonecroft website? Visit the Stonecroft Outreach Groups section of the website. You’ll find a link to the Group Locator in the left navigation on the Connect page.
Here’s information about groups in Gainesville and Denton:
GAINESVILLE TX WOMEN’S CONNECTION
Usually meets the 4th Thursday of the month at 11:15AM
at:
THE STANFORD HOUSE
401 W GARNETT ST
GAINESVILLE TX 76240-5241
DENTON TX CWC
Usually meets the 2nd Thursday of the month at 10:30AM
at:
DENTON COUNTRY CLUB
1213 COUNTRY CLUB RD
ARGYLE TX 76226-2513
Thanks – it was nice to hear from you! If you have further questions, please email us at connections@stonecroft.org.
Blessings –
Con Wright
Web Designer
Hello Everyone,
I am proud to say that God is working through this ministry to touch many people; even those seeds that are planted that we never ever see grow. He is at work behind the scenes and beyond our minds and understanding. I’m proud for the times he has used me and I thank Him for all those that have touched me!
Carmen Lyles; Lafayette, Louisiana
First off way to go Stonecroft for yet another innovative idea to connect us … with God our community and our Stonecroft family.
Today 4/5/05 I am thinking again “how we can reach this huge family of ours with the message that will take them from “independence” to dependence on God alone. Read (in the archives) Stonecroft LIVE from 1/2/07 where I shared about our Christmas Gathering for friends and family and the LIVE story from 2/16/07 about the Stonecroft Bible Study “Why Believe?” follow-up. This endeavor was born out of the first Christmas Gathering we had July, 2003. Our 18 yr old granddaughter Tiffany was to have a bone marrow transplant soon. By Christmas she would not be able to be in large crowds.
April that year I’d been to Stonecroft for a DCC event where I learned all about Christmas Gatherings. I left there thinking why wait until Christmas? I set about to plan the biggest Christmas event we’d ever had, but we were going to do it in July for our Tiffany!
I rented a hall sent out invitations months ahead and invited family from all over the US to come to our Christmas party. We decorated the hall and a tree, played Christmas music, had a planned a gift exchange for the kids, served turkey, ham, and the all the trimmings at a set down dinner for 105. Great Christmas memories were shared around the tables. And we shared the story of the greatest Gift ever given!
That very night a 93-year-old uncle went to be with Jesus as he slept in his motel bed. He went home knowing his family had heard the Christmas Message he’d heard and responded to at his mother’s knee. Five generations heard that message clearly. We had a follow-up Stonecroft Bible Study with four of those generations.
Our Tiffany went to be with the Lord five months later. But she had her Christmas to remember. Had we waited it would have been too late.
NOTE: (She had always wanted to be a Stonecroft speaker and had even gone to training. She and I spoke one time together after she began her journey with cancer. I travel and speak now without her – telling both our stories. She had come to Christ at 8-years-old while watching me do my Bible Study homework. I had the grand joy of being her grandma and mentor till her home-going. She’d even led studies of her own for peers.)
Why do I tell this story? It is just one of many “out of the box” Christmas Gatherings we could have.
Just logged on to Ideas that Work, and am very pleased. As Area Rep in New Bern, NC, I’m always looking for ways to reach more ladies for our groups. I’d like to know the outcome of the July Prayer Connection in Tucson- sounds interesting. I also serve as Prayer Coordinator for one of my groups.
Wow, wow, wow! You ladies are awesome! I have tears in my eyes after reading all the wonderful ideas, stories, questions & encouragements. Working at Stonecroft Headquarters is truly a blessing – the only thing I miss is the chance to interact with each of our wonderful volunteers! Many thanks to Connie & her team for providing this way for us to connect. And I, too, want to hear how that Tuscan Prayer Connection turns out!
Traci Jackson
Stonecroft HQ Prayer Ministry
I’m a new Bible Study Coordinator and am interested in ideas and advice from others with some experience.
I just logged on for the first time. Love It! What a great idea to get “New Ideas” for our clubs. I did have to laugh at the time you people write in. We have a lot of very early birds and late nighters. Our Area Representative,before she retired, would have the Planning Team get together once or twice a year from our area and exchange ideas on almost everything we all did. We usually took a lot of notes and came away with some great suggestions. If two heads are better than one!
Music has played a very important part in our luncheons and we’ve had everything from bagpipers to dueling banjos. it really can set the mood for our wonderful speakers.
It is 7-12-07 and our Prayer Connection was on the 9th.
In answer to the Tucson Prayer Connection ideas (see #4)- Our Area Rep and her husband had just returned home from Hawaii and he acted as our chef. It was great food and was a typical Hawaiian breakfast of scrambled eggs, polynesian sausage, Hawaiian fruit, and toasted coconut bread with juice and Kona coffee.
Concerning the reason for the shoes – Our Prayer Coordinator put numbers on each pair of shoes that were brought. We did not know whose shoes were whose. We numbered our cards and wrote down who we thought the owners of the shoes were. There were all different styles and sizes. The ladies who guessed the most received a little shoe card holder. There were two new ladies present and this was a great way to get to know a little about each other. For the past two years our Prayer Coordinator has always had an ice breaker during our fellowship time that went along with the theme.
Our Prayer Coordinator had compiled all the answers to the prayers we had prayed this past year and summarized them in her report. All I can say is WOW! We have such an awesome Heavenly Father. Our praise time was (I am void of words to tell how wonderful it was!!! Inspiring, grateful, encouraging – you name it). After our prayer time, we didn’t want to leave. It was so precious. I know everyone left with a feeling of awe for how wonderful our Lord worked and is still working in every situation.
Ruth Rehm
Tucson SPC
Great idea! And, great ideas already being shared by other groups. We have recently reached out the the retirement/assistant living communities in our area. For the past several months we have had about 10 attendees (residents) and two staff members attend our luncheon from one of the facilities. This month we expect to have another local facility send some people. The thought was that these are ladies who still want to be active. We know they have relatives in the area to tell about their activities (daughters, daughters-in-law, granddaughters, etc.) and hope that we might reach some more new people through the grandmamas.
Carol Fishburn, Chair
Lafayette, LA, Christian Women’s Connection
What a great idea! I am chair of our small (average attendance at our outreach luncheon is 75) CWC luncheon and am looking for energetic and fun/silly introduction or announcement ideas. It really catches everyone’s attention and sets the tone for a fun and entertaining first half of the meeting. Any original or successful ideas that left the ladies happier and excited to come again would be really appreciated!
Thanks in advance for you ideas!
Hi Gals How wonderful to read all the neat ideas flowing and the questions that others answer. I love the baby fashion show idea WOW and the creative Prayer Connections. I just logged into the blog for the first time actually I have never blogged before. During the summer we are meeting at the ocean for a prayer walk and praying for our state, it’s leaders and local churches and women to come to know Jesus. We are enjoying pairing off by twos and walking the beach with our feet in the water and reading some verses to each other and then praying as we walk. We love it so much we are going to move to a centrally located Mall in the winter months.
Blessings my sisters
Pamela Cahill
Field Director New England
First time to checkout this wonderful addtion to Stonecroft resources / first time to blog, too. What wonderful ideas! Keep sharing what God is doing in your areas! Praise God for so many wonderful sisters in Christ!
Ann States
Prayer Co-ordinator
Yarmouth N.S.
After Five Club
WOW, Ladies!! Keep the ideas coming!! As a brand new SRA (Stonecroft Regional Administrator), I am always on the lookout for creative ideas for all the groups in our region. This is a tremendous resource for inspiration and motivation!! Thank you so much for sharing!
Great ideas. We are looking at starting a “Moms on the Run” here in Worland, Wyoming. There is a great need to get the moms of our community together. We would appreciate any ideas of how to get the word out and fun, creative ideas of how to bring the moms in. Loved the baby fashion show idea. May God bless each of you for your time and energy you give to Stonecroft in your communities.
Our Women’s Connection is having a five year celebration in October. God has blessed our group so much over the past five years. We had a picnic/prayer connection this month and I couldn’t help but praise and thank the Lord for my sisters in Christ. As we gathered together in a circle of prayer, my heart was so touched to think of how God gathered all of us togther with hearts for the lost. Stonecroft Ministries is about women connecting with women, their community, and with God as I met all of these ladies through our Women’s Connection after 5 group.
Thanks for the great ideas. Now we can really connect with each other.
Jeanette Snell
Area Rep.
Lykens, PA
Hi Gals,
This is a wonderful idea. Our new Field Director e-mailed the gals to let us know about the “blog”. This is my first time but it won’t be my last. I loved the ideas about baby fashion show and also Babies R Us on safety etc. We had a fashion show and used models from a local Curves. Not only did the gals from Curves hear the Gospel but some of their friends came to see them model and they too heard the Word. There were several decisions from those models.
Love all the ideas and a chance to share.
Georgia RR from Maine
Our group is getting ready to try a totally out of the box feature, and we are so excited to see how it goes!
I’ve asked a very handsome 50-year-old widower who is an elder from my church to attend, and we are calling the luncheon “The Bachelor”.
We’ve asked three eligible Christian women to be on a panel. We will conduct a Question and Answer time (ones we have already screened).
At the end of the Q and A, we are going to let the audience vote for which woman they want to see him take out for lunch. We will pay the bill. I am looking into seeing if a restaurant will donate for the event for publicity. Of course, we’ll do some kind of follow up announcement to let the ladies know how the date went.
Terri Schmitt
Chair Hinsdale Area Women’s Connection, HInsdale, IL
Thanks for sharing all the great ideas! I felt led recently to have a Why Believe study for my immediate neighbors. Made up a special invitation on computer with the details and delivered them in person. Had mixed response but started yesterday with one attendee and “maybes” from several others to try to come next week. Please pray for my neighbors.
Terri Schmitt from Hinsdale, IL, you are a genius! That is one of the best features I’ve heard of in a looooonnnng time! Please let us know how it goes. This is the kind of “out of the box” thinking that will bring new people to our groups. As an RST in Virginia, I like to tell groups (when I get the chance) to plan an exciting secular event. Our speakers will do the spiritual part. Looks like Illinois is on the right track! Keep us posted on the Bachelor. Maybe next year you’ll be planning a bridal luncheon!
At our luncheon today I used the promo idea on the Stonecroft Bible Study Leaders Online site using the “Beach” theme for my table. I printed the page that said “DIVE IN! WE’RE HAVING A PARTY! CONNECT WITH OTHER WOMEN MAKE LASTING FRIENDSHIPS, STUDY THE BIBLE TO DISCOVER PARADISE. I put a colorful beach towel on the table with lots of different shells, a visor, sunglasses and beach bag. The Bible and two study books and a few “Discover” foldovers dotted the table. The women flocked to the table and signed up for studies to start in the next few weeks. It was a simple idea using the tools we have at our fingertips on the SBS Leaders web page. Try one. Every time I have used them, they have hit the mark!
Terri Schmidt! Since reading your post on “The Bachelor” program idea, I’ve had the opportunity to tell Team members from three groups here in Georgia about this idea and we are all waiting to hear! We miss you here in Georgia girl! Praying for this outreach!
Love,
Area Rep
Southern Gwinnett
Can ya’ll tell I’m multi tasking…cooking a new recipe and blogging!
I’ve been a speaker out here in Orange County California for 7 years. Sometimes its easy to get discouraged if a first time guest does not receive Jesus the first time around. However, I’ve noticed that if the guest comes back several times, they get to hear a consistent Gospel message each time. Then they understand. I’ve seen women receive Jesus after they come 3 or 4 times. Each meeting is so important in planting seeds !
Hey there, Mary George! Great to hear from you. Miss you, too!I was just at the Pray Up, Lead Out event at Stonecroft, and got the share the Bachelor idea there. Everyone seems excited to see how it goes. It was my first time to Headquarters, and it was really a delightful time! Thank you to Maye Jepson, too, for your sweet comment. I DO hope we’ll have a wedding to report. : )Maybe for Valentines we can at least do a follow up of our couple if things are going well. It’s only 3 weeks away. I will report on here how it goes. Thanks, Terri, Chair HInsdale, IL
Me again! When I moved here, the planning team was having their Prayer Connections in an apartment complex lobby every month. I decided we should try going back to having our Prayer Connections in homes again, hoping we’d get new ladies to come, such as neighbors of the hostess. We just had a Prayer Connection today where there were 5 planning team members, and TEN new neighbors/friends of our hostess!!!!!! It’s been awhile since we’ve had 15 at a prayer connection, and we are lucky to see one new face usually! What a blessing!!!!! Very exciting! Terri Schmitt, Chair Hinsdale, IL
I promised to report how The Bachelor event went. It was yesterday, and here’s what happened. Praise the Lord our speaker Cheryl Pollock did an outstanding job, and presented the Gospel in the most clear, compelling presentation I can remember in a long time.
We had 8 women check that they prayed to receive Christ! We had 79 women, with around 11 first timers. We had 8 offers to help with some of them being first timers! And we had 5 women check that they are Christians, and would like to grow in their faith. I happen to know that 2 of them are already in Stonecroft Bible Studies.
On a personal note, I had 6 neighbors there (2 first timers, 1 second timer, and the rest have started coming often. One prayed to receive Christ, signed up to help, and is starting a new Stonecroft Bible Study with me next week. She is a person that when I was at Pray Up Lead Out, I felt the Lord telling me to mentor her. : ) She told me in an e-mail last week that she felt God sent me to her. I am rejoicing!
The Bachelor feature itself went really great, and we had an abundance of positive comments about it!
Thought you’d want to hear the great news! Thanks for the prayers. Love, Terri
Our group is located in Orlando, Florida with a metro population of almost 3 million. Our average attendance over the last few years has been around 40. We felt this was unacceptable. This past June we dropped to 23. We did not meet in July as is the custom of some clubs in Florida. We prayed for at least 40 in August. He gave us 41. We were thrilled, but, we knew we wanted to grow beyond our average. So we called for a morning of prayer and fasting on August 17th. On August 22 Diane called to say that years ago she was involved in CWC and God had been gently nudging her about attending. But this week she said God did more than nudge. Diane “Make the call”. She called me from the number on our web site and told me her story. She said she had already invited her whole Bible study group to attend with her and they were excited. I asked Diane about the size of her group and she told me 25. “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results”. We had our luncheon yesterday and out of the 25 she invited 15 attended. We had 24 first time guests and a total of 53 in attendance. One very young women who came with our soloist loved being there, wants to return and has already invited a friend. Next month we will have 3 babies in our nursery. I invited two of my neighbors that God had put on my heart for months. One is not a believer and I found out the other one is. My neighbor who is not a believer looked directly at the speaker and thanked her and told her she listened to every word she said. Thank you Lord for Stonecroft Ministries. I will study the marketing info but prayer and inviting are still the backbone of Stonecroft Ministries.
Praise God indeed! So many blessings to praise here! The fact that you had SIX neighbors in attendance is testimony and an inspiration to all of us to be diligent in our own neighborhoods.
Terri, could you please expound on the program (ie: the contestants, the set-up, the questions, the voting, etc.).
May God continue to bless the Hinsdale outreach!
Love,
Mary
Terri – We praise God with you for the things He has done in Hinsdale.
See the story Tuesday, September 18, 2007 on Stonecroft LIVE – http://www.stonecroft.org
Jeff Zogg
Communications Manager
Stonecroft Ministries
If anyone wants a list of questions we used for the Bachelor Event, and more info about how we conducted the program, just write to me at hrhtks@aol.com. I’ll be happy to go into detail that way. It would just take up so much space on here.
And I’d like to say a personal WOW and AMEN to Judy Clark’s story above! Like she said…..nothing works like prayer and inviting. One of my first time neighbors that attended is a devout Muslim, ane here are her exact comments…”I was glad to be there and enjoyed the wonderful people around me. It was such a wonderful experience I truly enjoyed it. I was just happy to be there and hear such an inspirational speech, such compassion and love can only bring more understanding and peace in the world. I truly believe we all need ot learn from each other about each other’s religion and respect them for who they are and what they believe. Thanks for inviting me and honoring me with the gift of friendship.” If that doesn’t make people less afraid to ask anyone to a luncheon, I don’t know what would! : ) Love, Terri
Each year at the Ocala,FL Christian Women’s Club, the luncheon hosts a “Happy Birthday To You” luncheon. Every table is decorated on a “month theme” (i.e. fall decorations for October), party favors are at each place setting, birthday hats, treat bags, etc. The hostess for the table decorates her table. Guests may sit at the table of the month they were born – or may sit with friends. Each lady’s purse is weighed when they come in – and prize given for lightest and heaviest. We sing Happy Birthday to everyone and recognize each month’s birthday guests. Our Chef brings out a large birthday cake at the end as dessert. Ladies have loved it.
I would like to comment on the portion in the newsletter
concerning the survey taken concerning BS. The most
people preferred long term BS. Were the people surveyed
mostly Chriatians affiliated with churches or were they
non-christians to whom we are reaching out to or some
who have strayed from his word?
I wonder if that could be the reason why we are often
unsuccessful in keeping people interested in the ministry
When we get them into our BS they get back involved or
get involved in a church and no longer have time for our
ministry. This is what we want but maybe we can understand why we cannot always keep things going and
often meet with apathy.
I went to a conference recently and at least half of the
people serving at the conference had at one time been in
my BS or got thier start in our BS. I long to have them to
continue helping in the ministry but that is what we are all
about getting them active in thier local church. They all said
they were just too committed in their church to come back &
try to help in this ministry. They did say that our BS’s hold a
special place in thier heart because that is what got them on the right track. In one case saved a marraige.
Betty Johnson
Consulting Coordinator
Chester, Virginia
Petersburg, Va. Womens Conn.
WOW-it has been awhile since I’ve been back. There are some fun ideas-love the birthday party idea. Things are moving along with Moms on the RUn. We are expanding the idea with monthly activities planned for these moms. We did a survey and have 47 moms that are interested in learning to cook nutritional meals, learning to plan meals and shop wisely, learn to read labels, learn to budget, time management, learn how to study with their kids and help with homework. We have found most of the sources in our community. We are also working with the MOMS (use to be MOPS) program in Thermopolis (small community about 30 miles away). We are planning a “Getting to know you” event in a couple of weeks and then a big event in January. God has been amazing in providing lots of love and support from our community to love on these moms. GOD IS SO AWESOME!!!! May the Lord bless your days.
Great ideas poppin’ here on this blog! Way to go on the survey and ideas for young moms! They really do want to be good moms! And they really do want mentors/friends. I learn from my daughters friends while they are “learning” from me. Stonecroft really has given us great resources and tools here. Connecting with each other in the greater community by blogging! Ya hoo!
I spoke last night in Sherwood OR. This Girls Night Out group ventured ‘out of the box’, in a venue, way different than I was expecting but it was fun and informative with loads of take home value! I am learning that is what the 21st Century woman is all about. Let me tell you they were up for it! It was held on site of “Dinners Done Right!” Not in a restaurant but right on site. The owner showed them how to cook meals ‘in the store’ and gave several meals away and let the girls do hands on as well. It was a small group of about 30 so it worked to be in the store and have the speaker/me after. The owner was a captive audience He got publicity for this new innovative business of his (a franchise) and then we ate what he cooked. Normally they only prepare meals to take home and you cook later or the women/guys will come in and prepare their meals ahead for a month if you like. http://www.dinnersdoneright.com
I’ll visit this blog later. Faye Marie DCC in Oregon
OH wow! I just put my cursor over my name on the last blog and my “myspace” link came up. Outstanding … another “connect” Stonecroft you are just too cool. kool as my grands would say kool, kool, kool! Now hear me here. My daughter told me “mom if you want to connect with my generation and the next you need to go to them. She set this granny up with a myspace site and now I can manage it and do all sorts of creative stuff on it. I did it primarily to connect with my grands in a more meaningful way. But it has linked me with the women we are trying to reach, in a new way too. I LOVE it! Now mind you this is not some spiritual maneuvering I am doing here. I purposed to just be a friend and to not be shocked or to try to rearrange anyones lives. Just to be there in “their space” and learn and love.
Since Christmas is my thing primarily because of the Greatest gift given but it is also my thing in other ways too. I just love Christmas … the whole deal. So my site layout is all Christmas right now. What fun! Go take a peek and see if it is for you. For many it will not be but for some you may just learn to love connecting in this new way. http://www.myspace.com/sojourner77
I also realized after I put the dinners done right website on my last entry that it has become a link to that site as well. OK nuff for now. I must do a dinner even if its not done right. FM from Oregon
Great Stuff…..This is my first visit to the blog…and I thoroughly enjoyed the comments. The ideas generated are very helpful…..will give some of them a try.
May the Lord bless 2008 as we go out into our communities and become the hands and feet of CHrist. God is moving in little ol’ Worland, WY. There are 50 moms that have completed a survey of what they would like in a program for moms. WE have a mix of stay-at-home, working, step, young and single moms. On January 25th we are doing a Lets COnnect Event where we are bringing these moms together to start on the path of developing friendships and special interest groups. We are giving each of the ladies 5 m& ms when they walk in and an address book. Later they will be challenged to take the five m&ms and trade an m&m for an name, phone and email. We are having a representative from Sen$ible Nutrition program come in and promote the program, which we have already sent out forms for the moms to pick the classes they would like to take. We will have sign up sheets for the Sen$ible Nutrition classes, beading, scrapbooking, “Living Fully” Study, and a Pray and Play group. WE will also have sign ups for a breastfeeding banquet for Feb. and possibly a carseat safety check day with our community Safekids program. We will then divide into small groups. It is exciting to see how God is bringing us just the right people. We are working with a moms group in THermopolis, about 30 miles away. It is exciting. We would appreciate prayers as we set out on this new endeavor to love on these moms, develop friendships and bring them into relationship with the Lord. Oh, Faye Marie, I did the same thing with the myspace in order to be part of my son’s life as he went off to college. Great idea. Awesome way to be part of their world and see and read about what is going on. No judgement-just prayers. Love to all in 2008
Hi Crystal, I was thrilled to see what you are doing with your young moms in Wyoming! I am recharged and encouraged by just reading what all God is doing there in your “space.” I am taking all these ideas to share with my daughters and their friends and some of us seasoned mentors as well. Isn’t it wonderful to be a part of such a time as we are living in! Just look how Jesus has “hooked” us up here on this blog! Lets just anticipate His multiplication of “wonder” as others begin to “get it” and move out even more into the little corners of this nation and world. If it can happen in places like Clatskanie, OR Worland, and Thermopolis, WY why it can happen anywhere!! Jesus is always busy and looking for hands, feet, smiles and hearts, to do His “loving on” the women and girls right within our reach! I am so very proud to know you my sweet enthusiastic new young friend. I will email you at your yahoo address soon. You rock!
Loves from Faye Marie
Faye Marie-Thank you for all your lovin’ and prayers. God knew that at this time I would need an amazing angel like you. Your gift of encouragement through your words has helped and lifted Sarah and I up in this process. I agree that Sarah and I feel honored that God is entrusting this “little matter” to us and we desire to prove trustworthy with this so that he can continue to bring more moms that just need some time together to get relief and support and find humor in their everyday life. Thank you again for all your blessed e mails and myspace comments. May the Lord bless your couples ministry and all that you do for all your ladies there. You are truly one of the angels I have been blessed to meet here on earth. Love ya
Looking for clever openings for our luncheons.