Nurture, Empower, Outreach



Many times we are asked the question, “What is Women’s Ministries and what does it do for the women of the church?” If I were to answer this question in three words, I would say, “Nurture, Empower, Outreach.” These three words express what Women’s Ministries is about and what we do.

Our aim is to nurture our sisters in the areas of spiritual and personal development. Having a daily relationship with Jesus is vital to our growth as daughters of God. To this end, we have created a number of Bible study lessons and seminars that emphasize the importance of prayer, Bible study, and personal devotions. The women’s devotional books are an important component of this as well.

We seek to empower women through training programs, such as the Leadership Certification Training seminars and health education seminars. Ellen White tells us that each woman “should develop and cultivate her powers, for God can employ them in the great work of saving souls from eternal ruin” (4Testimonies, p. 642). We also help women through abuse prevention, economic and literacy empowerment, and health ministries.

Finally, we train, encourage, and motivate women to be involved in outreach through friendship evangelism, plant a seed ministry, public evangelism, small group ministry, and much more. We believe that our name, Women’s Ministries, indicates clearly what we are about: women involved in service to others. Each woman using the gifts that God has given her to draw others to Jesus by first experiencing the love of Jesus through us.

One of the new ministry ideas that God has given us is Homes of Hope and Healing. This type of small group ministry focuses primarily on outreach. In these groups, we invite our neighbors to join with us for a time of healing and hope. We begin with what we call “bridge” lessons that focus on areas of health and personal development, such as self-esteem. Then gradually we move on to non-doctrinal Bible lessons and finally into Bible doctrines. This is a process and takes time, but during this process friendships are built that will last a lifetime.

God has called each woman to serve Him and others. Can we ignore the call? I pray your answer is “No!”

Heather-Dawn Small, Director, GC Women’s Ministries

 



Leaders Visit India

Recently, Heather-Dawn Small, GCWM director and Raquel Arrais, WM associate director, visited India. “Heather-Dawn reports, “We met with 60 of our sister-leaders at the union and conference level from around the country for a WM Advisory (which is held once every five years). We spent much of that time teaching our sisters about Nurture, Empower, and Outreach, and teaching them how to use the many new resources and ministry ideas we brought for them. Our leaders were excited and could not wait to return to their fields to begin using the material.”

Focus on the News

FOCUS ON THE NEWS

 

South Pacific Division

Flourishing through the Power of Prayer

More than 100 women are "flourishing" through the power of prayer after attending a women’s retreat in western Australia.

Guest speaker Michelle Noerianto, accompanied by her mother, Daphne Misbrener, joined women from all over western Australia at Orchid Glory Farm Resort in Bindoon with hearts expecting to hear from God and to see the Holy Spirit move. 

"It was a great blessing to meet and pray with such a passionate group of women excited and hungry to learn more about how to pray for others. We saw miracles and many answered prayers," said Noerianto.


West Central Africa Division

WM Leadership Retreat in East Nigeria Union Mission

The Women's Ministries department of East Nigerian Union organized a leadership retreat for all WM directors and coordinators of the union early this year with the theme of "Renewal Through His Word."

This leadership retreat for Women's Ministries leaders had 170 participants who spent the entire weekend studying and praying for the revival and empowerment of women.

A  special outreach program was held by the participants on the final Sabbath. Women entered the city in small groups to share tracts and make friends with people in the community. More than 4,000 tracts were distributed, contacts were made, and addresses and phone numbers were taken.


Euro-Africa Division

Leadership Certification Program Is Equipping Women in Europe

Sixty-five women from Germany, Switzerland, and Luxembourg participated in a week-end seminar organized by two conferences of the South German Union. Denise Hochstrasser, Euro-Africa Division WM director, spoke on “Visions and Goal Setting” and “A Woman of Worth.” Ingrid Naumann, South German Union WM director, presented the topics, “Needs of Women in the Local Church” and “Small Group Ministry.”  

The new flyer for the WM Certification Program has been printed. Its design matches other publications from the WM Department in the German-speaking countries. Download it at www.sta-frauen.de.


Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division

Homes of Hope and Healing Launched in the Indian Ocean Islands

During the January advisory organized by Margery Harinirina and attended by field and conference Women's Ministries directors from Seychelles, La Reunion, Mahajanga, Atsiranana, South Madagascar and the Central Madagascar, it was resolved to adopt the Homes of Hope and Healing initiative in the Indian Ocean Union. Participants received posters, a booklet of lessons, and a DVD showing women how to minister to their friends. The union not only has involved women but families, too. Currently, 6,000 homes have been identified.

--Caroline Chola | Director, Women's Ministries, SID

 


 

God desires [wo]man to exercise his [her] reasoning powers; and the study of the Bible
will strengthen and elevate the mind as no other study can. . . . A sense of the power and
wisdom of God, and of our inability to comprehend His greatness, should inspire us
with humility, and we should open His Word, as we would enter His presence,
with holy awe.  A Call to Stand Apart 47.1

Inspiration for You: Nurture

Inspiration For You

 

Revived by His Word: Reading Through the Bible Together

Part of the Nurture initiative for Women’s Ministries aims to encourage each woman to be committed to the Word of God. Ellen White beautifully wrote: “There is nothing more calculated to strengthen the intel­lect than the study of the Scriptures. No other book is so potent to elevate the thoughts, to give vigor to the facul­ties, as the broad, ennobling truths of the Bible. If God’s word were studied as it should be, [women] would have a breadth of mind, a nobility of character, and a stability of purpose rarely seen in these times (Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 90).  

The church globally is being invited to join the initiative," Revived by His Word: Reading the Bible through Together" initiative. More information:  www.revivalandreformation.org


The Initiative Summarized

Church members are encouraged to read or listen to one chapter of the Bible each day beginning April 17, 2012, the first day of Spring Meeting.

The reading plan begins with the world church President Ted Wilson joining the division presidents in reading Genesis 1 responsively. The presidents will conclude the initiative by reading Revelation 22 during the 2015 General Conference Session in San Antonio, Texas.

During the 1,171 days from Spring Meeting 2012 through the beginning of the General Conference Session on July 2, 2015, participants will cover the 1,189 chapters in the Bible. By reading one chapter each day and two chapters during the General Conference Session, millions of participating members will complete their journey through the Bible. An online component, featured on the Revival and Reformation website and sponsored by the world church’s Ministerial Association, allows participants to share devotional thoughts.


United By His Word

Revived by His Word will become much larger than reading or listening to one chapter of the Bible each day. It will direct the attention of the entire world church to the importance of knowing Jesus through His Word and encourage families to read the Bible together. In cultures where the Bible is not readily available, this initiative will encourage elders to gather the church family to read the Bible aloud. It is simple, practical, and affordable.

“I would like to invite every church member to join the worldwide family of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church in reading one chapter of the Bible a day, beginning
April 17, 2012, and concluding during the General Conference Session in the summer of 2015.
I am confident that this journey through the Bible to­gether will draw us all closer to Jesus.
As we prayer­fully read and meditate upon God’s Word, we each will be led to a renewed
experience with the Savior as we look forward to His soon second coming.” 
Ted N. C. Wilson

 


 

Above all, take time to read the Bible—the Book of books. A daily study of the
Scriptures has a sanctifying, uplifting influence upon the mind. Bind the Holy Volume
to your hearts. It will prove to you a friend and guide in perplexity. 
Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students 138.3

10 Ways to Build Resilience

BACK PAGE – Women’s Mental Health 

 

 

Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from setbacks, an individual's tendency to cope with stress and adversity. Here are ways we can each strengthen our ability to cope with setbacks.

  1. Make connections. Good relationships with close family members, friends, or others are important. Accepting help and support from those who care about you and will listen to you strengthens resilience.
  2. Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems. You can't change the fact that highly stressful events happen, but you can change how you interpret and respond to these events. Try looking beyond the present to how future circumstances may be a little better.
  3. Accept that change is a part of living. Certain goals may no longer be attainable as a result of adverse situations. Accepting circumstances that can‘t be changed can help you focus on circumstances that you can alter.
  4. Move toward your goals. Develop some realistic goals. Regularly do something—even if it seems like a small accomplishment—that enables you to move toward your goals.
  5. Take decisive actions. Act on adverse situations as much as you can. Take decisive actions, rather than detaching completely from problems.
  6. Look for opportunities for self-discovery. People often learn something about themselves and may find that they have grown in some respect as a result of their struggle with loss.
  7. Nurture a positive view of yourself. Developing confidence helps to build resilience.
  8. Keep things in perspective. Even when facing very painful events, try to consider the stressful situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Maintain a hopeful outlook. An optimistic outlook enables you to expect that good things will happen in your life. Try visualizing what you want rather than worrying about what you fear.
  9. Take care of yourself. Pay attention to your own needs and feelings. Engage in activities that you enjoy and find relaxing. Exercise regularly. Taking care of yourself helps to keep your mind and body primed to deal with situations that require resilience.
  10. Additional ways of strengthening resilience may be helpful. For example, some people write about their deepest thoughts and feelings related to trauma or other stressful events in their lives. Spiritual practices help people build connections and restore hope.

The key is to identify ways that are likely to work well for you as part of your own personal strategy for fostering resilience.

 --American Psychological Association http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience.aspx

 

 


 

Prayer Corner

  • Revived by His Word
  • Homes of Hope and Healing
  • Community outreach
  • Great Controversy Project
  • Women’s Mental Health


Calendar

May 15 – International Day of Families

May 31 – Scholarship Applications due at GCWM

June 5 – World Environment Day

June 9 – Women’s Emphasis Day. Download your free packet at women.adventist.org