TOUCH
“Rejoice with me; I have found my sheep. I tell you that in the
same way there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner
who repents.”
Luke 15:6a - 7 NIV
HOLD
“Let us hold unswerving to the hope we profess, for he
who promised is faithful.”
Hebrews 10:23 NIV
ANOINTED
“You love righteousness and hate wickedness, therefore God,
your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you
with the oil of joy.”
Psalm 45:7 NIV
WMI COMMITMENT: ISAIAH 54:1-3a
“Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy,
you who were never in labor, because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband,” says the Lord. “Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen
your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and the left.”
Women’s Ministries International
A ministry of the Free Methodist Church of North America
WMI inspires, equips, and affirms women as they grow in Christ, reaching out
to others in their neighborhood and globally.
“What do you want for Women's Ministries International?” I wrote as fast as I could,
sensing a gentle and reassuring whisper, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon you.”
All around the world, WMI is flourishing. Women, just like you, are at the forefront,
organizing, supporting each other, reaching the lost for Jesus and working together with
their counterparts in the United States to raise awareness of their plight and walk beside
them. In the U. S., WMI has raised over $175,000 this quadrennial, several new
organizations have begun and a new generation of women are being inspired to join this
incredible work.
While attending a women’s conference in St. Louis, I was inspired as I heard women
leaders who have a passion for Christ and a global vision. They had a word from God… for
me and I believe, for Women’s Ministries International. God wants to break down barriers
and unite women across our nation and around the world to see His Kingdom come, His
will be done!
Joshua 1:9 is still His Word for us today! “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and
courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever
you go." God is working miracles as WMI goes forward, as we are obedient to His Voice,
and as we are surrendered to fulfill His plan and His purpose.
WMI is committed to refocusing on our theme, “Reaching women to change our world,”
to multiplying our efforts to raise awareness and funds for international endeavors; to be
co-workers with pastors, superintendents and leaders; to empower women for godly service
around the world; to unite women in support of each other, to bring the Good News to the
poor, to comfort the broken hearted, to evangelize so that prisoners of sin go free, to work
for social justice for women and children; to see literal slaves released and equipped for
service and to partner with other organizations to see God’s eternal will and purpose
accomplished.
Will you join me in making some commitments for the coming days?
1) I commit to helping the hopeless, rethink the value of a person’s life and love
without expectations of return.
2) I will advocate for social justice, fight for the rights of the oppressed and be an
advocate for change in an unjust world.
3) I will express the love of Christ, letting others know of the hope there is in Christ, of
His friendship and protective covering that gives stability each day.
4) I will remind others of their value; many women have little value in their own eyes
and even in the eyes of others. Unless they are reminded of their value, they feel
unwanted and worthless. Jesus values them so much He died for their sins and we
have the opportunity to remind them of their value.
i
5) I will show honor and treat others with respect; I will not label them or mark them
as being somehow less human or less deserving of respect because of sin in their life
or because their lifestyle doesn’t meet my standards. I will freely give my love and
respect to others whether or not I think they deserve it. Jesus loved me when I was
dirty with sin.
6) I will be generous with the resources God has given to me; assisting the poor and
orphans, thinking of other’s needs rather than myself.
7) I will use my words and influence to refresh people’s lives and refuse to speak
negative words. I will smile and encourage my sisters.
8) I will have integrity and lead by example; Job said in 29:7, “everything I did was
honest; righteousness covered me like a robe.” This, I want to be my testimony too.
9) I will live a Christ centered life and keep an humble attitude, knowing that I like
Paul am chief of sinners, saved by grace through faith.
10) I will keep eternity in view, knowing that I will give account to the Lord for the life
he has loaned me. My days are numbered and only He knows when my time is
complete, I will live treasuring every day as a blessing from my heavenly father.
These are my commitments, will you make them your commitments too?! If we make a
mark for Christ, we must be fully surrendered to Him. Will you please bow your head and
pray?
“Lord, we commit to you today, fresh and new. We have tasted and know that the Lord is
good. Give each of us much fruit as we seek to honor You. Unite us to do the impossible
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Help us resist the enemy of our souls, that you might do all
you want to do in and through each of us.
In Jesus powerful Name, Amen.”
Thank you for your prayers, your hard work and sacrifice as you and I together strive to do
God’s will in His great Harvest field! There’s a work for us to do so let’s make a difference!
Let’s show the world that Jesus Christ is alive today! We will be united in Christ! We
WILL love our sisters…and our brothers!
It is our privilege to serve Christ together for His Kingdom’s sake, as WMI women!
LaWanda Bullock,
President, Women's Ministries International
ii
Women’s Ministries International
A Ministry of the Free Methodist Church of North America
(800) 342-5531 (317) 244-3660 Fax (317) 244-1247
www.fmwmi.com WMI@fmcna.org
Dear Sisters in Ministry,
“Recognizing that the world is lost without a Savior, I will give my time, talents, money,
and myself daily as a servant of Christ.” What a challenge for us to commit to today, in a
world where we are pulled in every direction and how is this possible without God helping
us?
Free Methodist women have a long history of serving others through our church and we
don’t want our generation to drop the spiritual mantle and not pass it on to our younger
women because we were too busy or disinterested.
We have prepared a practical, informative program book to help us enlarge our faith and
put our trust in Him to do more through our local churches. We have invited pastors and
others in the church to come along side of us, and to reach out to bring us together to work
as a well-oiled machine to see what the Lord can do through us all working together. It all
starts with the question, “are our hearts and souls in the right place to be ready to do what
the Father has in store for us to do and then hang on tight when we give him the lead?”
Prayer is the most important element in this year’s study, and when we prepare with
prayer and not in our own strength, we have vast promises for success.
We are studying three countries this year, Egypt, Iraq, and Jordon. This is a good time to
check with the Missions Department to get more information about workers there and put
them on your prayer list and financially support them at this most important time in
history. When I was in these countries last, the doors were open but now they are closing in
some places so the work that we do is vital and necessary before they close completely
again.
Check out the WMI website and keep informed of the new strategies that are constantly
changing, come on a ministry trip to a foreign country with us and help us encourage
women around the world that they are important to God’s plan for us to reach the world for
Christ. You can make a difference if you get involved; we need each one of you!!!
In His service,
Shar Fortress
VP of Programming
Women’s Ministries International
iii
Table of Contents
September
Anointed by God
I John 2:20
October
Hold on to God
Psalm 73:23-24
November
Touch of God on Your Life
Isaiah 45:1-3
December
Hold on to your faith in God
I Timothy 5:21
January
Hold on to your Service to God
Joshua 22:5
February
Touch of God on Your Heart
Jeremiah 24:7
March
Hold on to the Promises of God
Hebrews 10:23
April
Touch of God on Your Health
III John 1:2
May
Anointed with Gladness
Psalms 45:7/ Hebrews 1:9
June
Touch of God on Your Soul
Luke 15:7
July
Hold on to Goodness of God
I Thessalonians 5:21-22
August
Touch of God on Your World
2 Corinthians 2:14
Recipes
Ideas
-1-
September: Anointed By God
FOCUS:
Women’s Ministries International Kick-Off!
Personal Invitations make everyone feel welcome.
“You have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.”
1 John 2:20 NIV
PREPARATION:
Pray, Pray, Pray. Order the new Women’s Ministries International DVD “Reaching Women
to Change Our World” from Jane Perry at the WMI headquarters for only $5.00 + shipping.
This DVD can be the promotion shown in your service to invite women to your kick off.
If we are to reach others, we must have our hearts prepared. Meet together with your
leadership, encourage each other, and make preparations for a great start to the year.
Invite all the women of the church, perhaps with a personal invitation. Plan for baby
sitters, if needed and advertise, advertise, advertise. Plan a time of getting closer to God for
your kick off; use scripture and have a time of renewal for those in attendance. Plan for
someone to be a greeter at the door and have light refreshments.
Quote from the “Earnest Christian” by our founding father, B.T. Roberts
“Are you at peace among yourselves? Have you put away all bitterness, and wrath
and evil speaking? Have you reconciled with your neighbor? Go not into a special effort with
a feud unhealed, if you can heal it.
Have you arranged your temporal business that your good shall not be evil spoken of
or your influence crippled, if not destroyed by unfriendly reports? Have you paid your
liabilities and met your engagements? It is useless for anyone careless in meeting their
obligations to expect to wield much religious influence. Have you put away sin from your
own heart and your own dwelling? Can you appeal to Heaven and cry, “Search us, O God,
and try us and see if there is any evil way in us? If so, then you may hope that God’s
blessing any attend your efforts and begin.”
“Small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life and only a few
find it.” Matthew 7:14 NIV
DECORATIONS:
This year’s theme is based around the Middle East. You can collect memorabilia from the
region such as camels, sand art, mosaics, etc.
PROGRAM:
Ice Breaker:
Have the ladies share what they think is the most popular meat of the Middle
East (lamb).
As the ladies share, appoint yourself “a committee of one” to make everyone feel welcome.
-2-
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Give an overview of the year’s activities including your retreat information, annual
meeting, and your special functions. The Special Projects Brochures can be handed
out. Announce the Women’s Leadership Summit Conference in Spring Arbor,
Michigan in June 2013. Present the field of study this year: Egypt, Iraq, and Jordon.
SCRIPTURE:
“You have an anointing from the Holy One and all of you know the truth.”
I John 2:20 NIV
“Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and
follow them, I am the Lord, who makes you holy.”
Leviticus 20: 7-8 NIV
"Don't be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on jewelry, or beautiful clothes,
or hair arrangement. Be beautiful inside, in your hearts, with the lasting charm of a gentle
and quiet spirit which is so precious to God. That kind of deep beauty was seen in saintly
women of old, who trusted God."
I Peter 3: 3-5a Living Bible
SONGS:
Make Me a Blessing
I Have Decided to Follow Jesus
Great and Mighty is He
Unto Thee, O Lord
SPEAKER:
Ask your pastor to prepare some words on being anointed, encouraging your women to take
up the cross of Christ to make a difference in the world. If you get your pastor involved, it
will be positive. If your pastor is not available use a woman with leadership qualities.
PRAYER:
Go to www.fmwm.org to collect information about the fields of study from the Missions
Board website and suggest that everyone sign up for the Missions Hotline to get regular,
regional requests from the mission’s field. There is also information in this program book.
We can be most effective through specific prayer.
Each month go to the Missions Study area at the back of the book and share facts about
Egypt, Jordan, or Iraq and pray for those countries and the missionaries that are there.
Pray for your local needs; this can be a time of great togetherness for your group. Exchange
names and be prayer partners for the year. Share with the group the need to keep our
missionaries in our prayers but not to publish their names.
REFRESHMENTS: Middle Eastern Cacik-Roasted Squash Seeds-Lemon Tea
(see recipe section)
Craft Time: Select a craft from the internet.
-3-
October: Hold Onto God
FOCUS:
Trusting God totally. Jesus said, “My peace I give unto you”
John 14:27 RSV
“I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and
afterward you will take me into glory.”
Psalm 73:23-24
Ask everyone to come with a prayer request that they would like to share.
PREPARATION:
Pray, Pray, Pray. Women work outside the home, so make this a time of refreshing and a
time that is uplifting. Show the WMI DVD to your committee to get them encouraged.
DECORATIONS:
Continue to collect maps and memorabilia from the Middle East to share with the group.
Turn to the Missions Study pages in this program book for ideas. Have someone make a
couple of costumes from Egypt or make some pyramids for center pieces.
PROGRAM:
Ice breaker
Share with someone your prayer request; make sure everyone is involved but
no pressure if they don’t want to share.
Prayer is so necessary for effective ministry; it should be emphasized every month.
SONGS:
Great and Might is He
I Cast All My Cares Upon You
Oh LORD You’re Beautiful
Hallowed Be Thy Name
SKIT:
Need a narrator and a prayerful woman (pantomime and follow along the narration with a
Bible and globe)
Slowly
{I am all alone and before me is the day;
I must put my work aside to read the word and pray. This will be the day I give my LORD
to fast and pray and I myself deny.
For there are so many needs on our mission fields, and other needs close by. I will take time
to read the Word and my missions e-mail too.
I wonder if missionaries ever get tired, they have so much to do.
And then I think, they give so much, their lives they give and all.
-4-
The things I do don’t seem to count; my service looks so small.
Oh, Africa, a continent so large, with so many people lost in sin, (continues)
You’re filled with souls for whom Christ died, won’t you let Him in?
Oh Egypt, with needs so great, political, stressful, hungry, and ill;
But your greatest need is for my LORD who died on Calvary’s hill.
Oh Middle East, Jordan, Iraq and Iran too,
I long to give you the word that Christ has died for you.
Here I am on the other side of the world so far away;
But not so far removed from God, for I can fast and pray.
No, I can’t be there or on any foreign shore,
But I will be diligent in my corner here to fast and pray as never before.
I may not set the world on fire, but my prayer lamp is trimmed and bright.
What God has given me to do; I’ll do with all my might.}
TIME ALONE WITH GOD = SPIRITUAL MATURITY
Have a time of intercessory prayer
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
An option for November is to do a service project with your family, such as:
- Work at the local homeless shelter
- Center for Women
- Clean or rake leaves for elderly people in your church
- Visit a retirement home
- Clean Sunday school rooms
- Polish your pews, etc.
Report back in November the blessing that you and your family or friends received through
this project.
Hand out copies of Special Projects copied from the WMI website, wmi@fmcna.org. This is
the time of year that we need help finishing the special projects commitments. Share that
these are projects for women that would not be covered any other way than women helping
women. Encourage them to come up with some clever ideas to raise money.
REFRESHMENTS: Tomato Basil Hummus/ Flavored Tea
-5-
November: Touch Of God On Your Life
FOCUS:
We have so much to be thankful for but we must be most thankful for the touch
of God on our lives. We can trust him to go before us, be with us, and to be our
back up at all times.
“This is what the LORD says to his anointed, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue
nations before him and strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates
will not be shut: I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down the
gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness,
riches stored in secret places so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel,
who calls you by your name.” Isaiah 45: 1-3
HIS PROMISES ARE TRUE!!
PREPARATION :
Pray, Pray, Pray. This can be so meaningful to each one as we learn to lean on His
promises.
DECORATIONS:
Ask the ladies to bring a symbol of what they are thankful for and use them as table
decorations and conversation starters.
PROGRAM:
Have three ladies each share for five minutes about the goodness of God in their lives.
Women enjoy hearing what God has done for others. They can share current or past
blessings.
Have other ladies share what they chose to do as a service project since last month and tell
the results of their service. Sometimes the real blessing was for the servant hearted. Be
sure to ask someone ahead of time so there isn’t a pause.
MUSIC:
Great Is the Lord
I will Praise Him
I Have Decided to Follow Jesus
We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise
Have a good reader present the following:
-6-
PLEDGE OF TRUST
Father, during this coming week, there may be times when I will not be able to sense your
presence, or to be aware of your nearness.
When I am lonely and by myself,
I WILL TRUST YOU TO BE MY COMPANION.
When I am tempted to sin,
I TRUST YOU TO KEEP ME FROM IT.
When I am depressed and anxious,
I TRUST YOU TO LIFT MY SPIRITS.
When I am crushed by responsibility and overwhelmed by the
Demands of people on my time,
I TRUST YOU TO GIVE ME POISE AND A SENSE OF PURPOSE.
When I am rushing and running,
I TRUST YOU TO KEEP ME STILL INSIDE.
When I forget you,
I TRUST THAT YOU WILL NEVER FORGET ME.
When I forget others,
I TRUST YOU TO PROMPT ME TO THINK OF YOU.
When You take something or someone from me that I want to keep; when you remove props
that I lean on for comfort in place of you; when You refuse to answer my selfish prayers,
I WILL TRUST YOU EVEN THEN! Bryan Leech
Have 12 ladies read these in order and have all in in search their own hearts as they read
and make affirm their trust in the father
Creed For a Believer:
1) Having confessed my sins, I believe I am fully and completely forgiven and that God
holds no sin against me. (1 John 1:9, Romans 4:20-25)
2) I believe I am God’s beloved child and as such I have complete access to God through
Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:14-17)
3) Having surrendered my willingness to be remade into the likeness of Jesus Christ, I
believe God is working to transform every dimension of my life into Christ-likeness
that I may know/do the good, acceptable and perfect will of God.
(Romans 12: 1-2, Galations 1:20)
4) I believe God’s Spirit reside’s within me, giving me constant companionship, power
and knowledge of Him – and the gifts he has chosen for me. (Romans 8:9-11 and
ICorinthians 12:4-11)
5) I believe God will give me opportunities this day to be a ministering agent of His
grace – I will be alert to His whisper .(Galatians 5:13-14, 6:10)
6) I believe all I do is a service to God, done as an act of devotion to my Master – be
it study, work, bearing responsibility, relationships or play. ( II Corinthians 3:2)
7) I believe God has a particular place for me in His kingdom,I accept the role God has
presently assigned me with praise and thanksgiving, accepting it with contentment.
(Philippians 4:11-12)
8) I believe God’s power is sufficient for any task He lays before me, if He assigns a task,
He will give adequate resources for its completion .(Philippians 4:13)
-7-
9) I believe God will teach me in His own timing (through the Word, prayer and other
persons) all the things I need to know in order to serve Him. (Ephesians 1:17-23)
10) I believe God is at work, even in the most adverse circumstances, accomplishing His
will for me and through me. (Romans 8:28, 31-37)
11) I believe God seeks only the best and the highest for me in life, so I will gladly lay
aside the lesser to gain the greater. (Philippians 3:7-11)
12) I believe God is assuming ultimate responsibility for the outcome of my life, offered
in ministry to Him (2 Timothy 1:12)
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Give out more interesting information about Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan from our missions
study section of the Program Book each month.
REFRESHMENTS:
Lemon Couscous / Mango juice or tea
Craft: If you group would like to do a craft, look online for hundreds of ideas to fit your
needs.
2 Corinthians 2:14 (NIV): “Thanks be to God, who always leads us in
triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the
fragrance of the knowledge of Christ.”
2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV): “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect
the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with everincreasing glory, which comes from the Lord who is in the Spirit.”
1 Corinthians 15:57 (NIV) says “Thanks be to God! He gives us victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
-8-
December: Hold Onto Your Faith In God
FOCUS:
Learn to hold on to what is good. Even at Christmas we are tempted to hold on to
worldly values. Our children and grandchildren need us to stay strong in our
faith and be a good example.
“Test everything. Hold onto the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of
peace sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept
blameless at the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he
will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21-24
PREPARATION:
Pray, Pray, Pray. Know that people are very busy this time of year and the program needs
to be spiritually profitable and concise.
PROGRAM:
Prepare these three next items and the scripture verse, 1 Thessalonians 5:21-24, to hand
out for people to take with them after they are read.
1. Will the Christ Child Come? (On green paper)
2. Scripture Christmas Bell (On red paper)
3. Youtube address for Christmas address
Have people share what they did in the community since your last meeting; ask three or
four people ahead of time. Have we all been faithful? Have we asked Christ to help us make
a difference in this world?
PRAYER:
Ask God to revitalize us to do more for others all year long. Ask our father to help us
complete the SPECIAL PROJECTS needs before the end of December. Pray for all the
people we reached out to, to draw them closer to Christ.
MUSIC:
Christmas Music Sing-A-Along. Women love to sing together. Ask someone that would
enjoy leading to provide Christmas songs to sing.
REFRESHMENTS:
This is a time that we give to others. Let us give the amount that you would have spent on
refreshments to help cover the Special Projects needs that are always underfunded at the
end of the year. FASTING FOR JESUS BIRTHDAY!!!
-9-
Will the Christ Child Come?
One Christmas we had an interesting experience that I would like to share.
Halfway through December we were doing the regular evening things when there was a knock at the
door. We opened it to find a small package with a beautiful ceramic lamb inside. We looked at the
calendar and realized that the 12 days of Christmas were beginning! We waited excitedly for the
next night's surprise and only then, with the gift of a matching shepherd, did we realize that the
lamb was part of a nativity set.
Each night we grew more excited to see what piece we would receive. Each was exquisitely
beautiful. The kids kept trying to catch the givers as we slowly built the scene at the manger and
began to focus on Christ's birth.
On Christmas Eve, all the pieces were in place, all but the Baby Jesus. My 12-year-old son
really wanted to catch our benefactors and began to devise all kinds of ways to trap them. He ate
dinner in the mini-van, watching and waiting, but no one came. Finally, we called him in to go
through our family's Christmas Eve traditions. But before the kids went to bed, we checked the
front step - no Baby Jesus! We began to worry that my son had scared them off. My husband
suggested that maybe they dropped the Jesus and there wouldn't be anything coming. Somehow,
something was missing that Christmas Eve.
There was a feeling that things weren't complete. The kids went to bed and before I went to
bed, I again checked to see if the Jesus had come - - no, the doorstep was empty. In our family, the
kids can open their stockings when they want to, but they have to wait to open any presents until
Dad wakes up. So one by one they woke up very early and I also woke up to watch them. Even
before they opened their stockings, each child checked to see if perhaps during the night the Baby
Jesus had come.
Missing that piece of the set seemed to have an odd effect. At least it changes my focus. I
knew there were presents under the tree for me and I was excited to watch the children open their
gifts, but first on my mind was the feeling of waiting for the ceramic Christ Child. We had opened
just about all of the presents when one of the children found one more for me buried deep beneath
the limbs of the tree.
He handed me a small package from my former visiting teaching companion. This sister was
somewhat less-active in the church. I had been her visiting teacher for a couple of years and then,
when she was asked to be a visiting teacher, she requested to go with me. I had learned over time
they didn't have much for Christmas, so that their focus was on the children. It sounded like she
didn't get many gifts to open, so I had always given her a small package - new dish towels, the next
year's Relief Society lesson manual -- not much, but something for her to open.
I was touched when at church on the day before Christmas, she had given me this small
package, saying it was just a token of her love and appreciation. As I took off the bow, I remembered
my friendship with her and was filled with gratitude for knowing her and for her kindness and
sacrifice in this giving me a gift. But as the paper fell away, I began to tremble and cry. There in
the small brown box was the Baby Jesus! He had come!
I realized on that Christmas Day, that Christ will come into our lives in ways that we don't
expect. The spirit of Christ comes into our hearts as we serve one another. We had waited and
watched for Him to come, expecting the dramatic "knock at the door and scurrying of feet" but He
came in a small, simple package that represented service, friendship, gratitude and love.
This experience taught me that the beginning of the true spirit of Christmas comes as we
open our hearts and actively focus on the Savior. But we will most likely find Him in the small and
simple acts of love, friendship and service that we give to each other. This Christmas I want to feel
again the joy of knowing that Christ is in our home. I want to focus on loving and serving. More
than that, I want to open my heart to Him all year that I may see Him again.
"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save
his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21 NIV
May the spirit of Christ be with you and yours this Christmas and always!
-10-
THE
CHRISTMAS
BELL
I KNOW WHO I AM
I am God's child (John 1:12)
I am Christ's friend (John 15:15)
I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)
I am a saint set apart for God (Eph. 1:1)
I am bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19-20)
I am a personal witness of Christ (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt. 5:13-14)
I am free forever from condemnation (Rom. 8:1-2)
I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27)
I am a citizen of Heaven; I am significant (Phil. 3:20)
I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31-34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor.5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor.1:21-22)
I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom. 8:35-39)
I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8: 28)
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16)
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16); I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3); I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor. 6:1); I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10)
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected (Phil. 1:5)
I have been redeemed
and forgiven (Col. 1:14)
I have been adopted as
God's child (Eph. 1)
A Wonderful New Christmas Song – We should learn to sing it loud and
clearhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWrrvQ_3-40&feature=colike
-11-
January:Hold Onto Your Service To God
FOCUS:
Help our people to become more aware of our foreign missions. Get people
a involved that don’t usually attend, both in planning and preparation. Teens could
provide childcare. If you have ordered the new Women’s Ministries International
DVD, show it at the beginning, get it from janep@fmcusa.org.
“Be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord
gave you: to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold
fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul.”
~ Joshua 22:5 NIV
PEPARATION:
Pray, Pray, Pray. Have people prepare food, organize the booklet, and watch the children.
DECORATIONS:
Middle Eastern memorabilia: Perhaps some ladies could prepare costumes.
(Google-Middle Eastern clothing)
PROGRAM:
#1 Idea
In many churches, January is MISSIONS EMPHASIS month and the whole church
gets involved in a big way. If you don’t have one, we have included ideas for you to
turn to for help. As a committee planning to be a blessing to your congregation, this
is a good way to get started or add to your emphasis. Make sure a table is set up in
your church to present this year’s study of Egypt, Iran and Jordan so they will be
participants with you and each year; they will look forward to see what WMI is
studying. Sign up for “Missions Alive for your children’s programs on Sunday
mornings and Wednesdays. To download activity pages, go to www.fmcusa.org, then
navigate to >ministries, >missions, and >Children’s Resources to download activity
pages.
How to Form & Implement a Local Church Missions Team
A. The World Outreach Ministry Team at SAFMC
1. Organization of the team – see handouts
2. Organization of the meetings – see Agenda handout
3. Responsibilities of the subcommittees
a. Finances
b. Missions Conference month
c. VISA Advisory Board
d. Connections
e. Flags
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B. Key Components That Make It Work
1. The Pastor supports and communicates.
Dialogue with him/her.
Dollar for Dollar Campaign
Send him to the Mission Field
2. Self-perpetuating committee – longevity – continuity.
3. Regularly scheduled monthly meetings with accountability.
4. Contact with missionaries.
Live in your community.
Speak with small groups.
Ask for help, borrow, visit.
5. Work together with Women’s Ministries
C. How to Start
1. Choose a chairperson
2. Choose a committee
3. Set up monthly meetings
4. Involve your pastor
5. Choose your focus
6. Divide up the main tasks
7. Choose extra people to help with subtasks
8. Set your budget
9. Ask for help
10. Send a VISA missions team to the field
Planning a Missions Conference
1 Year – 6 Months Before
_____ Select a Missions Conference Steering Committee with a Chairman
_____ Set Dates for your Conference
_____ Determine Missionaries/ Speakers available
_____ Schedule Speakers for specific weekends in consultation with Pastor
_____ Recruit others for your Planning Team
_____ Present basic plans to your Church Missions Team for approval
5 Months Before
_____ Conduct first Planning Team meeting
_____ Determine the area of the world for emphasis/focus
_____ Establish a Theme for the Conference
_____ Brainstorm Ideas for Events
_____ Report plans to your Church Missions Team
4 Months Before
_____ Meet monthly with the Planning Team, adding personnel as needed
_____ Lay out Schedule of Events with dates/times
______Report monthly progress to your Church Missions Team
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3 Months Before
_____ Finalize schedule and assign responsibilities for each area of planning
_____ Determine requirements for rooms, audio-visual, etc.
_____ Reserve rooms/set-up with secretaries & custodians
_____ Plan publicity/brochures
_____ Plan Financial Goals and presentations during the Conference
together with the Church Missions Team (CMT)
_____ Prepare budget of expenses for approval by the CMT
 Honorariums
 Love Offerings
 Travel Expense
 Food
 Printing/copying/publicity
 Miscellaneous
_____ Plan meals and lodging for Guest Speakers
2 Months Before
_____ Hold monthly meeting with everyone involved to report on progress
_____ Meet with Church Worship Design Team to plan each service
1 Month Before
_____ Monthly meeting with Planning Team to report and finalize details
IDEAS/EVENTS to Consider
 Parade of Flags – Our church adds 2 or 3 flags per year to our collection.
Those carrying the flags have ministered in those countries. Other
Flags are hung in the sanctuary. Only 20 are carried in.
Narrative script is written and read highlighting those countries where
Members of our congregation have ministered, or missionaries
that we support, or MKs studying locally.
 Offerings taken to jumpstart the Missions Budget for the year.
 Events with Missionaries present
1. All Church Meal – potluck or otherwise
2. International Café – food samples from many countries
3. Young Adult/College student meal – sponsored by church
4. Adult/Teen/Children’s Sunday School classes
5. Children’s Church
6. Sunday evening services
7. Prayer walk – Several stations with prayer and information
8. Wednesday prayer services
9. Community/Cell groups
10. Receptions with Interviews
11. World Tour with displays & costumes from many countries
12. Videos/audio-visuals of missions/missionaries
13. Phone conversations with your missionaries
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Keys to a Successful Conference
 Work with your pastor. Keep him/her informed. Invite him/her to
attend meetings.
 Start early. To relieve the stress and give time for ideas to gel.
 Have a planning committee composed of men and women in the
church who have a heart for missions. Add people as you go along.
 Divide up the responsibilities. Share the fun. Many like to help in
some way and will work year after year if not overburdened. Find out
what people like to do.
 Keep record of what has worked successfully but don’t do exactly the
same thing every year. Try new ideas but not all at once.
 Thank those who help.
 Good publicity is important.
 Plan something for all ages in the church to take part in.
 Send good information ahead to your missionary speakers.
 Meet monthly as a planning team. It keeps people on task.
Report monthly to your Church Mission Team. Work with them.
#2 Idea - “Around the World in 60 Minutes”
Set up tables in the middle of the room. On those tables put various foods and drink
items from the different countries that we are studying this year (Egypt, Iraq and
Jordan). Label all the items with the country they are from and an information flyer
of the missionaries that are there, with their prayer requests. (Check with missions
headquarters or hotline)
Put together booklets with all of the information including the recipe. This is a
wonderful way to promote missions and give our people important information we
cannot promote in a public way. Set up chairs without tables to help with mingling,
not lingering, for 60 minutes. Invite both men and women and offer child care.
Hillsdale, Michigan FMC - Use some recipes that you find or use those in this book.
SCRIPTURE:
“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering
God’s grace in its various forms.”
~ I Peter 4:10 NIV
“If you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today- to love the Lord your God and
serve him with all your heart and all your soul,
then I will send rain on your land in its season.”
Deuteronomy 11:13-14a NIV
SONGS:
I Will Serve Him
Take My Life
We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise
in Christ Alone
Refreshments: If Idea#2 is not used, serve Roasted Red Pepper Hummus/Fava Bean
Salad/Borani/Egyptian Fig & Date Bread/Iraqi Cardamom Cookies/Coconut Squares
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February: TouchOf God On Your Heart
FOCUS:
God loves us and He can touch us at the point of our need as we continue to serve
Him. We can enjoy ourselves and still serve others, especially through prayer.
Anyone can pray at anytime and anywhere, making a difference in the world
BE A PRAYER WARRIOR
“I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will
be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.” Jeremiah 24:7 NIV
“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Psalms 90:12 NIV
PREPARATION:
Pray, Pray, Pray!
Pray, Plan, Implement: Ask everyone to bring a large, older microwave safe mug to use.
Have a few on hand for those who forget.
Plan to take an offering for your working fund if needed.
Showing love to one another is a good thing; we need to lift up everyone in our church and
make them feel loved and cared for in a specific way, so this month we are encouraging you
to do this. Everyone needs to feel loved and, this month, there are many that don’t have
someone to give them flowers or candy or just say I LOVE YOU! Be intentional and invite
all the women in your congregation to a spa night. Advertise that women should come in
very casual clothing (sweats) and flip flops.
One goal of the evening is to memorize two verses:
Jeremiah 24:7 (NIV) says “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord.
They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all
their heart.”
Psalms 90:12 (NIV) says ”Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a
heart of wisdom.”
Print the above verses on pink sheets of paper for each person to take home (after you have
read the verses together, encourage the women to post them on a mirror there to see and
memorize daily).
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PROGRAM:
As ladies arrive, hand out this Ice Breaker and have them mingle to get comfortable.
Guess the product advertised
1. Melts in your mouth, not in your hand
2. Let your fingers do the walking.
3. Ring around the collar.
4. It’s not just for breakfast anymore.
5. Sometimes you feel like a nut.
6. The quicker picker upper.
7. Squeezably soft.
8. No one can eat just one.
9. Put a ______ in your mouth.
10. When it rains it pours.
11. You’re in food hands with_____.
12. M-m-m good.
13. Finger lickin’ good.
14. Takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’.
15.When you need a helping hand.
16. When you care enough to send the very best.
17. How do you spell relief?
18. You deserve a break today.
19. It’s the real thing.
20. Plop, plop, fizz, fizz.
21. Take me away.
22. Good to the last drop.
23. I feel good all under.
24. Kills ‘em dead.
25. Have it your way.
Answers
M&M’s
Yellow Pages
Wisk
Orange Juice
Almond Joy
Bounty
Charmin
Lays Potato Chips
Tic Tac
Morton Salt
Allstate
Campbell’s Soup
Kentucky Fried Chicken
Timex
Hamburger Helper
Hallmark
Rolaids
McDonalds
Coca-Cola
Alka Seltzer
Calgon
Maxwell House
Hanes Underwear
Raid
Burger King
SERVE AND SPA
This event is a Spa atmosphere event. Offer stations where the ladies make their own
homemade treatments (more recipes are available online). Divide into pairs for the
duration of the time. Spend this time serving one another with food and treatments.
For your spa treatments, go online and search “Free homemade spa treatment recipes” and
choose the ones that you would like to use and print them for your ladies.
With the spa items, have pictures of our area of study this year so everyone is fully aware.
These can be found in the missions section of this book. Encourage them to pray for our
work and missionaries in the Middle East whenever they remember what an enjoyable time
they had at this spa. Pray for the missionary’s safety because they are willing to give
everything for another soul to meet our Lord. Prayer lets us serve with them.
PRAYER:
Gather everyone back together for a prayer of thankfulness that God loves us…which is
really all we need.
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March: HoldOntoThe Promises Of God
FOCUS:
The Bible is the most important book for all Christians. We cannot function in
our spiritual walk with the Lord without it. In times of great joy, we find
passages to express our praise to Him. In times when we are discouraged, we find
scripture to encourage us. When we are searching for answers we look to God’s
Word. Each time we find his promises, we test them and find they are true; when
we hold up our end, he is faithful. Someone has said, there are some thirty-seven
thousand promises in the Word of God. The Bible is our source book, our comfort,
our strength, and our guide. Invite everyone to bring their Bible this month and
search the scriptures together, basking in His promises.
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope that we profess, for He who promised is faithful.”
Hebrews 10:23
PROGRAM:
Search the Promises
Salvation: NEED
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and
wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known
about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of
the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been
clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to him, but
their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:18-21 NIV
Salvation: PROVISION
“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world,
through Him, might be saved.” John 3:17 NKJV
Salvation: FAITH
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of
God.” Ephesians 2:8 NKJV
Salvation: REPENTANCE
“And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts
2:21 NKJV
Salvation: CONFESSION
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9 NKJV
Salvation : ACCEPTANCE
“Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” Romans 10:11 NKJV
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Salvation: JUSTIFICATION
“Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Hebrews10-17 NKJV
Salvation – RIGHTEOUSNESS
“As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written,”
Be holy, for I am holy.” I Peter 1:14-16 NKJV
Promises to Consider
“We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are
called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
“If anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.” I Corinthians 8:3
“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John
13:35
“Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 5:1
“The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.” Psalm 9:9
“The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; you will sustain him on his sickbed.”
Psalm 41:3
“God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow,
nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:4
“The Lord, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you nor
forsake you; do not fear nor be afraid.” Deuteronomy 31:8
“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God." Hebrews 4:9
“You will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are
pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11
Getting into the word together helps us feel closer to each other and to God and we want to
honor and know him more.
JESUS: Getting to know Him better through:
HIDE A WORD PUZZLE----NAMES OF JESUS (Idea section)
Give a prayer of Thankfulness to Him for being willing to die on the cross for our sin.
CRAFT: Cocoa Cones
Fill cellophane (cone shaped) with a single serving of cocoa, then layer dry toppings
on the top and tie with a ribbon, including a tag of encouragement and directions
(these could be given out to the women who did not attend)
EASTER: March 31, 2013
CELEBRATE OUR RISEN CHRIST--THE REASON WE LIVE!
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April: Touch Of God On Our Health
FOCUS:
A healthy physical life can help promote a healthy spiritual life and spiritual
sickness can affect your physical health; both need the touch of the Great
Physician
“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even
as your soul is getting along well.” 3 John 1:2
PREPARATION:
Pray, Pray, Pray. This month can be a great time to focus on getting into better shape. Plan
an exercise or movement night. Do chair excercises for the less active and Zumba for the
active women.
Plan a small health fair: blood pressure, self breast exams, etc. You can go online and
search “organizing health fair for women” and find many ideas for good healthy living
options. Ask a nurse or doctor to address your women with ideas for good healthy living. Go
to a walking area and walk together; have a great time of fellowship with the women of
your church. Have someone ready to push someone that may come in a wheelchair. Have
bottles of water readily available. End up back at the church for a meatless nourishing time
together focusing on our area of missions study this year.
SHORT STORY TO SHARE:
KOSHARY is a traditional Egyptian meal that consists of a strange combination of
macaroni, spaghetti, rice, lentils, chick peas, garlic sauce and spicy tomato chili sauce, all
topped with fried onions. It is sold from carts by street venders, in restaurants and in
homes for different taste experiences.
The Koshary man stands in front of the containers that hold the various ingredients
and speed is his goal. As the Koshary man scoops, he knocks his metal spoon against the
sides of the bowls, making the Koshary symphony that you won’t hear elsewhere. When he
is filling an order for more than four it sounds like a rehearsal for a concert. Koshary is
considered a meal that is inexpensive yet fills the stomach of an average Egyptian and they
love it for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack. It is both affordable and delicious.
PRAYER:
Have a time of prayer and know that you have had a great experience with the women of
your fellowship. Pray for our workers in the Middle East, for their safety, finances, and any
stresses that they are experiencing at this time.
REFRESHMENTS:
Egyptian Koshary Pasta/ Ice Water (Recipe area)
-20-
May: Annointed With Gladness
FOCUS:
Encourage each one to show the joy of the Lord at all times. Sing songs of joy to
honor our Father.
”You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of joy.” Psalms 45:7 NIV
SONGS:
How Great is Our God
Lord We Lift Your Name on High
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Majesty
Breathe
You Are
PREPARATION:
We don’t sing together enough, have a time of praising Him in song. Invite young women
and teens to join you for a time of inspiration, ask different ones to share a duet, trio, or any
talent that they could share. Ask each one to bring a plant to exchange. Have someone
share a joyful testimony. Prepare style show,( see below.) Have many involved!!!
DECORATIONS:
Use the plants that ladies have brought and put in the middle of the tables. Spring pastel
colors can be in napkins, clothes and plates. Use festive and happy colors.
PRAYER:
Pray for our mothers and missionaries in the countries that we are studying this year.
PROGRAM:
Sing together songs of joy, they can be a large variety and have the special music shared at
this time.
Have someone read the following aloud:
Women need to laugh often, as laughter can be contagious. We all need to be
able to laugh at ourselves. If there is not much laughter, something is
missing in the area of joy. Christians should be the happiest people on earth,
regardless of our circumstances.
William Barclay said, “We are chosen for joy, however hard the Christian
way, it is, both in the traveling and in the goal, the way of joy. A gloomy
Christian is a contradiction in terms.”
If you are lacking laughter in your life, you are losing out on more than you
realize. Sometimes it can mean that you need to laugh at the same thing that
caused you to get upset or angry. Others want to be around happy, joy filled
people that is just natural.
-21-
Laughing women teach children that it is alright to laugh, even at yourself,
to feel joy is a great lesson to pass along to another. Let’s get people laughing,
including ourselves.
“The joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Nehemiah 8:10 NIV
“Hallelujah! For the Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him
glory!” Revelation 19:6b-7a NIV
“I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will have hope.” Acts 2:2526 NIV
STYLE SHOW:
MC introduces each outfit and model, saying ”If you have been shopping lately, you have likely
noticed that today’s styles just can’t compete with those we knew when we were younger women of
fashion. Our fashion show today is going to feature the popular styles of the past that were
practical and sensible, as well as fashionable”.
1. We will begin our trip down memory lane by featuring the familiar “sack dress” with the
“one size fits all” convenience, while still achieving great style.
2.The sack dress is often accompanied by the popular necklace, a colorful choker.
(Sack dress-one that is fashioned from cut-up sacks, and shaped like an A-line dress.
Accessory: bright choker- a brightly-dressed person choking the “sack dresser”.)
3.An orange belt was a handy accessory to own, as was an 18 carat necklace with a
matching handbag.
(Oranges: possibly plastic, tied together. Necklace: 18 baby carrots tied around the neck.
Matching handbag: make one in the shape of a hand and glue on matches).
4. The dinner dress was worn on those rare evenings out which were such a treat back
them. Isn’t she lovely!
(a dress with lots of plastic silverware, paper plates of all sizes, plastic cups and napkins
attached.)
5. Long after a long, cold winter, the new spring dress was a welcome change to a women’s
wardrobe and very often came out on Easter.
(Spring dress- a dress with springs of all sizes attached, they can be made out of cut out
spiral paper.)
6. For an afternoon get together sharing tea and cookies for their Bible study, the tea dress
was worn by ladies who knew all about proper etiquette.
(Tea dress- tea bags pinned all over it.)
7. If you were in high school in the 50’s you just had to have a scatter pin sweater to wear
with your beautiful multi-colored skirt.
(Scatter pin sweater- a sweater with pins all over it. Multi-colored skirt- crayons sewn or
glued onto a skirt.)
8. Every girl in those days owned a slip-on sweater and matching pants to wear on that
special Friday night date. (Slip in sweater- a bright solid color short-sleeved sweater with a
camisole worn over the top of it. Matching pants- a pair of pants with matches sewn or
glued on to them.)
-22-
9. A cotton blouse came in very handy and was often worn with a checkered skirt.
(Cotton blouse with cotton balls all over it and a skirt with red and black checkers glued or
sewn on skirt- they can be paper.)
10. A broomstick skirt worn over a can-can slip was a must and sure to draw some Ooh’s
and Ah’s from everyone.
(Skirt- with a child’s or small broom attached Can-can slip- attach empty tin cans under the
skirt and have them clang together.)
11. For the farm gal the clothing was a little different, bib overalls were an absolute must
and they were always accompanied with a straw hat.
(Bib overalls- jeans with baby bibs attached, straw hat- hat with straws attached.)
12. Ladies of that day, who could afford it, loved to wear picture hats for special occasions.
(hat- with lots of pictures hanging from it.)
13. Everyone wanted to look “cool” like Jackie Kennedy and the pill box hat was a hit for
women of all ages.
(pill box hat- flat box with a hole cut to fit the head with pills glued all over it or pill bottles
hanging down.)
14. Girls just loved to keep warm at the fall football games by wearing turtleneck sweaters
that were comfortable.
(sweater- wrap a sweater around the neck and put pictures of turtles on it.)
15. A brushed denim jacket was always a popular piece of clothing to own, so you could look
super cool.
(a denim jacket – sew brushes all over it.)
16. Jump suits were very popular for all ages for casual outings, but one had to be in good
shape to wear them appropriately.
(Jump suit- lady dresses in a man’s suit jumps across the platform.)
17. Our last model shows us how to relax in the very last word in dusters and slippers. The
duster is made of waffle pique, with a Peter Pan collar and large copper buttons, and to
warm her toes, bunny slippers.
(Use any duster, pin waffles on it, use copper chore-girl pads for buttons, small aluminum
foil around collar and burger buns on slippers.)
Let’s bring back our entire group of models for one last look at the fashions from the past
and thank them.
That concludes our fashion show from the more sensible styles of the days past, and really,
aren’t you glad they are past???
Skit by Bert Mercer Spring Arbor FMC
You can add dialog and your models names as you wish.
Enjoy your evening together and laugh a lot!
REFRESHMENTS:
Strawberry and Mango Smoothies
-23-
May: Month of Missions (M.O.M)
May is the month to honor women – particularly mothers. Month of Missions
(MOM) is an avenue to help promote giving to missions.
Give the people in your church the opportunity to honor special women in
their lives and donate to Free Methodist missions at the same time.
Distribute the following form for those who wish to make a donation in honor
of an important woman in their lives.
Suggestions:
 Decorate a bulletin board at church with tea cups with names of those
being honored.
 Send thank you notes to those who gave.
 Send a note to the women who had a donation made in her honor,
letting her know about the donation.
Money should be labeled “MOM offering” and sent to:
Women’s Ministries International
Attention: Jane Perry
770 N. High School Road
Indianapolis, IN 46214
MY M.O.M Offering for Missions is to HONOR:
NAME ____________________________________
Address____________________________________
____________________________________
Enclosed is $____________
Name of Donor ______________________________
Address of Donor_____________________________
___________________________________________
-24-
THE HISTORY OF APRONS
(Notice that a “Medium” is a size 14-16)
I don’t think our kids know what an apron is.
The principle use of Grandma’s apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only
had a few. It was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons required less material.
But along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.
It was wonderful for drying children’s tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out
dirty ears.
From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes
half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.
When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.
And when the weather was cold, Grandma wrapped it around her arms.
Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.
Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.
From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it
carried out the hulls.
In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.
When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surpprising how much furniture that
old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.
When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the
men folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.
It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that ‘old-time
apron’ that served so many purposes.
REMEMBER: Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pie on the window sill to cool. Her
granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw. The government would go crazy now
trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron. I don’t think I ever caught
anything from an apron, but love...
-25-
June: Touch Of God On Your Soul
FOCUS:
The number one priority for Christians after loving the Lord with all our heart,
soul, and mind should be reaching the world for Him. Seeing souls saved is a
priority for those doing the Lord’s will in their lives.
“There is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine
righteous persons who do not need to repent.”
Luke 15:7
PREPARATION:
Pray, Pray, Pray! Call on the prayer warriors in your church or group to begin a month long
time of calling on the Lord for his mercy and the salvation of many souls at home and in the
Middle East. We can shake the ground with our sincere prayers on their behalf and see our
prayers answered if we call on the Lord to move and show himself to people in dreams,
observing God at work in others, reading scripture or any way he chooses. Pray for our
workers in the dangerous parts of the world where they are literally laying down their lives
for others. When we begin caring about others and are willing to sacrifice, we will grow too.
Put an insert in your church bulletin asking for prayer requests you can pray for this
month in WMI. Invite any that want to come and pray with you.
PROGRAM:
Meet in a place where it is easy to be in an attitude of prayer. It can be in your sanctuary,
in the great outdoors, or even in the home of one of your prayer warriors, etc.
Have an Ice Breaker to help people feel comfortable, perhaps asking:
What is important in your life right now? Or
If you could perform miracles, what would you do? Or
If you could change the world what would you do?
Have a time of coming together singing:
Lord, We Lift Your Name on High
Through It All
Lord,We Lift Your Name on High
Oh, How He Loves You and Me
Power of Your Love
You Are Good
Great is Thy Faithfulness
Because He Lives
Ask ladies to read these NIV scripture verses and distribute before the meeting starts.
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×----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------×
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
×----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------×
“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer” I
Peter 3:12a
×----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------×
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will
for you in Christ Jesus.” I Thess. 5:16-18
×----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------×
“Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be
merciful to me and hear my prayer.” Psalm 4:1
×----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------×
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of
bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42
×----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------×
Have a time of prayer using the requests received and be careful not to share too much
information that people wouldn’t want shared. Have requests from our field of study
prepared in advance. Praise, honor, thanks, and request should be the order. Touch the
gates of heaven!
A--- Adoration
C--- Confession
T--- Thanksgiving
S--- Supplication
REFRESHMENTS:
Arab Pizza (Lahmacun) (recipe area)
Water and Tea
You can have some hummus and pita chips ready for those who can’t eat pizza.
Enjoy a new food experience and have some fine fellowship after you have been working on
the front line of prayer.
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July: Hold Onto The Goodness Of God
FOCUS:
Have WMI provide a fun time of fellowship for the whole church to join together for
fun. It can be in the form of a potluck, picnic at a local park, an ice cream social , a
fun run or walk, an evening of movies and popcorn in your fellowship hall, a canoe
trip, a rock-a-thon to raise money for our “Special Projects” needs, a car wash for a
“Test everything.
Hold
on to the
good.GET
AvoidTOGETHER!!
every kind of evil.”
fund raiser, whatever
fits your
church.
JUST
Show the church
I Thessalonians 5:21-22
that Women’s Ministries International members are a well-balanced group of women
that
want to include everyone. Christians can have fun!!!! Everyone will be more
Your group can be creative this month and use July to build bridges of fellowship.
aware
of WMITHE
andMEN
will want
to help
in the future.
REMEMBER
IN YOUR
PLANNING!
“Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil”.
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
Use July to be creative. Build bridges of fellowship. Remember to include men as you plan.
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August: Touch Of God On Your World
FOCUS:
The invitation to all:
We have had a year of learning how to hold on to God, learning to touch God and
accepting God's anointing on our lives. Now in August finishing the year and
anticipating next year we need to sit back and just drink in the fragrance of God
and bask in His presence. The flowers are in full bloom everywhere, their sweet
aroma cannot compare to the scent of the gift that he gave to us when he died for
us on the cross.
“Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us
spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.”
II Corinthians 2:14 NIV
PREPARATION:
Pray, Pray, Pray. As you know prayer has been the main ingredient in all of our
preparation this year and if we have been faithful, our Father has also been faithful to
answer. Send out this focus invitation to all to come together and thank our heavenly
Father for his answers to our requests and just come together to soak in his sweet aroma.
DECORATIONS:
The first thing is to have the committee meet early enough to walk around the room and fill
it with the most important thing, the beautiful fragrance of prayer. Then fill the room with
sweet aromas, floral spray, fragrant candles, flowers, baking cookies, anything that will fill
the room with an odor that is pleasing when people walk into the room. Possibly, have each
woman bring her favorite perfume along and have porous pieces of paper and have them
write the name of the perfume on it then give a good spray on the paper so others can smell
it and know the name. Any smells that bring us pleasure.
SONGS:
Great Is Your Faithfulness
Lord, I Lift Your Name On High
Oh, How He Loves You and Me
A Mighty Fortress
Who Am I
Power of Your Love
Because He Lives
You Are
I Love You, Lord
Through It All
Majesty
I’d Rather Have Jesus
DEVOTIONAL:
Scripture: Have someone read #1
“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love,
just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and
sacrifice of God.” Ephesians 5:1-2NIV
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The Hebrew word for perfume is Qetoreth, it also means incense and “sweet smoke of
sacrifice.” In the Old Testament scripture tells us that when the priests took the flesh or
the blood from a sacrifice of an animal into the temple, that the odors of that burnt offering
were pleasing to God. In the Old Testament, the old covenant that the Lord had given to his
people gives great detail of how to make incense for worship.
Scripture: Have someone read #2
“Take fragrant spices – gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense
– all in equal amounts, and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a
perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred. Grind some of it into powder
and place it in front of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will
meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. Do not make any incense with
this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the Lord. Whoever makes any
like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from his people.”
Exodus 30:34-38NIV
Gum resin comes from plants, onycha from the sea, galbanum from the soil,
and frankincense from the boswillia trees. The fragrant blend of incense was
the sweet smoke of a sacrifice, meaning they were obeying God’s command.
Scripture: Have someone read #3
“May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of hands be
like the evening sacrifice.” Psalm 141:2 NIV
Our prayers today are like the incense that was burned continually on the altar by the
Israelites, offered up as a pleasing aroma to God, and signifies that we are obeying God’s
commands.
Scripture: Have someone read #4
“Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was
given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints on the golden
altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers
of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand.”
Revelation 8:3-4 NIV
“Four living creatures and twenty four elders fell down before the Lamb.
Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls of incense, which
were the prayers of the saints.” Revelation 5:8b NIV
Do you see that our prayers are the sweet smell, the incense, the fragrance that goes up to
our God? Our prayers should be offered to him in reverence; they should be pure and come
from a pure heart that belongs only to him and a longing to follow him and his teachings.
We should bring the sacrifice of praise when we worship him in all of his beauty. Our
prayers are fragrant incense to our Lord and we glorify Jesus Christ in our offering.
We all have an aroma that follows us and the Bible is very clear that we should have the
aroma of Christ. There should be no doubt about where our loyalty lies.
Remember the story of Gomer and Hosea? How God’s love parallels Hosea’s love for Gomer
even in her wayward actions? Hosea chapters 6-7 describe Gods frustration at having tried
various ways to reach the people of Israel to awaken them to their peril just as Hosea had
gone out to bring Gomer back home even in her drunken state.
-30-
The Scripture says that God said that the Israelites were “like a cake not turned,
underdeveloped on one side and burned on the other.” Just think of that burnt stench that
God talks about --- not very pleasing. He goes on to lament throughout the book but in the
last chapter, a divine promise is revealed.
Scripture: Have someone read #5
“I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned
away from them. I will be like the dew of Israel; he will blossom like a lily.
Like a cedar of Lebanon he will send down his roots; his young shoots will
grow. His splendor will be like an olive tree, his fragrance like the cedar of
Lebanon. Men will dwell again in his shade. He will flourish like grain.”
Hosea 14:4-7a
God will love them freely. GOD WILL LOVE US FREELY, what a promise!
Scripture: Leader/ Read Yourself
“Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and
through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him; for we are to
God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are
perishing.”
II Corinthians 2:14-15 NIV
Believers are a fragrance of the victory of Christ to the world. For those needing to be
saved, the gospel that we take or send to them is like perfume, attracting them to our
Christ, leading them to eternal life with the Father, like bees to a sweet smelling flower.
Our job is to be faithful to what he calls us to do – to live for him and follow his lead. If you
tell someone what God has done for you personally, you can say that you have watered and
the harvest is in God’s timing.
Oswald Chambers’ words about prayer:
“Prayer does not fit us for the greater works; prayer is the greater work.”
Pass fragrant lighted candles around while someone reads:
Be a fragrant aroma for God, live your life for your Lord and Savior on a daily basis
and be proud that you are putting off a beautiful aroma just as these candles do.
Remember that believers are the fragrance of Christ’s victory over sin for the entire
world. Godly living and sharing the gospel are perfume to God’s nostrils. Let the
beauty of Jesus be seen in me!
GOD, HELP US TO BE THE FRAGRANCE THAT YOU WANT US TO BE!
PRAYER:
Pray for your aroma, pray for the missionaries that were in our field of study this year, pray
for Women’s Ministries International to reach more women around the world next year.
Pray for your September kick off, pray that our Special Projects financial needs will be met.
Thank God for his bountiful blessings.
REFRESHMENTS:
Pink Lemonade and any Middle Eastern recipe.
-31-
Recipes
Middle Eastern CACIK
Serves 12
1 cucumber finely chopped
1 Medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves crushed with a knife until smooth
4 Cups plain yogurt
½ cup chopped parsley, salt and pepper
Stir yogurt lightly, add cucumber, garlic, and parsley. Season to taste. Sprinkle with
paprika. Serve with warm pita bread wedges. Option: Garnish with mint leaves
Roasted Squash Seeds—a Middle Eastern Snack
3 cups raw squash seeds
1 Tbsp. salt
3 Tbsp. melted butter or olive oil
Mix ingredients together and warm in 250 degree oven for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Lemon Tea
8 cups boiling water
4 tsp. grated fresh lemon pea
Steep for 10 Minutes. Serve hot.
8 tea bags
2 Tsp. lemon juice
Tomato Basil Hummus
2 cups or one can of chick peas
1 15oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 ½ Tbsp. olive oil
¼ Tsp. cumin
1 garlic clove (crushed)
½ Tsp. Salt
2 ½ Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
Blend chick peas. Add remaining items, blend until creamy. Refrigerate at least an hour.
Serve with celery, carrots and bread.
Lemon Couscous
Serves 12-15
6 cups instant couscous
6 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 ½ Tsp. salt
6 Tsp. fresh lemon zest
96 oz. low sodium chicken broth
Bring liquids to a boil. Add salt and lemon zest. Pour over couscous. Allow to set 10 minutes
or until liquid is absorbed and the couscous is fluffy. Serve on a lettuce leaf with a cracker.
Beverage: Mango juice or tea. Serve with cucumber slices.
Hot Tea/Coffee/ Rose Water/ Orange Blossom Water
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1/3 cup tahini
¼ cup lemon juice
In food processor mix garlic, tahini, lemon juice,
blend all until smooth and creamy.
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1 15 oz. chick peas/garbanzo beans
2T x-virgin oil
1/3 to ¾ cup roasted red pepper
garbanzo beans, and oil. Add peppers and
Beef and Potatoes
8 large potatoes cubed
1 lb. ground beef cook in skillet
2 tsp. parsley finely chopped
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. lemon juice
32 oz. tomato sauce
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Partially cook potatoes, place in casserole. Add next four
items to beef and sprinkle over top. Pour tomato sauce over the whole dish and bake until
done—about 45 minutes.
Fava of Love Bean Salad
1 garlic clove crushed
1 lemon fresh juice
4 tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. salt+ -
1 14oz. butter beans
1 can fava beans (no shells)
6 oz. roasted red pepper + 2 tbsp. chopped mint
Mix all together and refrigerate at least one hour
Borani (Yogurt, Spinach, and Parsley Salad with Walnuts)
1 ½ lb. baby spinach coarsely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves minced
1 cup fresh flat parsley chopped
1-3 jalapeno chilies, finely chopped
½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
Sea Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups Plain Greek Yogurt
½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Wash spinach. Place in sauce pan over high heat and cover to steam until wilted, do not add
water. 2-3 minutes Toss twice so it won‘t burn, drain and cool. Be sure you press out all
water with your hands, finely chop and transfer to bowl. Add parsley, cilantro, yogurt,
garlic, and chilies, stirring well. Salt and pepper to your taste. Cover and refrigerate
overnight. Plate it and sprinkle with walnuts just before serving.
Baba Ghanoush (Mashed Eggplant Spread)
8 garlic cloves unpeeled
2 medium eggplants
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp. tahini
2 tbsp. mayo
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
6 servings
1 tbsp. parsley finely chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
Place garlic and eggplant on a foil lined baking sheet, and broil until tender and charred all
over, about 10 minutes for the garlic and 40 minutes for the eggplant. Peel and seed
eggplant, peel garlic, mix in a serving bowl with juice, tahini, mayo, 2 tsp. parsley, cumin,
paprika, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining parsley for presentation.
-33-
Egyptian Fig and Date Bread
1 cup pitted dates
1 cup chopped dried figs
¼ cup unsalted butter baking
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 cup boiling water
½ cup white sugar
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 eggs
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (Lightly grease 8X4 baking pan.) In medium bowl combine,
dates, figs, butter, and baking soda, pour in boiling water and let stand for15 minutes. Beat
sugar, walnuts and eggs into the date mixture. Combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat
flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into date mixture until blended, pour into prepared pan.
Bake 55-65 min. cool 10 minutes then turn out on rack to cool.
Iraqi Cardamom Cookies (Hadgi Badah)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. ground cardamom
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. baking powder
6 dozen whole almonds
1 1/3 cp. sugar
4 large eggs
2 cps. Ground blanched almonds (10oz.)
Rose or orange blossom water (optional)
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees~~lightly spray cookie sheets
2. Stir together flour, cardamom, salt, and baking powder
3. Using electric mixer, beat the sugar and eggs until light and creamy. Stir in the flour
mixture, then ground almonds.
4. Pinch off a small piece of dough and form into 1 inch balls, moistening your hands with
rose or orange water if desired. Place on prepared sheets and flatten slightly. Press a
whole almond into the center of each cookie.
Coconut Squares
2 cups grated coconut
¾ cup half and half
1 ½ cp. sugar
3 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. Lemon rind
Combine coconut, cream and sugar in heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, turn on low and
simmer to soft ball stage (soft ball formed when small amount is dropped into cold water)
Stir in butter and lemon. Cool to room temperature. Transfer to bowl and mix to thick and
glossy with electric mixer. Pour into small buttered flat pan. Chill. Cut into squares/ serve.
Hot Chocolate and Topping Spread
Toppings offered:
Carmel
Chocolate Chips
Marshmallows
Ice Cream
Peppermint
Whip Cream
Dove Candy Bars
Nuts
Etc.
Have several church directories available with note cards and have women make out
encouragement cards for women that are not in attendance to let them know that they were
missed.
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Egyptian Koshary Pasta
2 Cups cooked rice
2 Cups cooked penne pasta
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 Tsp. garlic powder
¾ Tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ Crushed red pepper
2 Cups onions thinly sliced
1 tsp. ground cumin, divided
1 Cup cooked lentils
15 oz. Crushed tomatoes
½ Cup water
1 ½ Tbsp. sugar
½ Tsp. Salt
3 Cups yellow squash cut into
½ inch cubes
1. Combine rice & pasta, spoon into the bottom of shallow serving platter. Keep warm.
2. Whisk together vinegar, 1/2 tsp. cumin, garlic powder in a medium bowl. Add cooked
lentils, stir to combine, spoon over rice and pasta.
3. Combine tomatoes, water, sugar, cinnamon, salt, remaining ½ tsp. cumin and red pepper
in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for five minutes or until heated through,
stirring occasionally. Stir in squash, then spoon tomato mixture over lentil layer. Partially
stir tomato mixture into other layers, but do not completely combine all layers.
4. Cook onions in a large skillet with 1 tbsp. oil over high heat, stir frequently until brown
and slightly crispy, about 10 minutes. Or use prepared onions.
ARAB PIZZA (Lahmacun)
Serves 8-10
Have prepared crusts available or serve on pita bread
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 med. green bell pepper, diced
1 med. Red bell pepper
1 lb. ground beef, turkey or chicken
1 tbsp. tomato paste
Pinch hot red pepper flakes
1 ½ cups crushes fresh tomatoes drained
½ tsp. ground allspice
sea salt
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup pine nuts
8 small fresh red chilies for topping
1 med. eggplant finely diced, salted
draining for 30min.
TOPPING: 3 tbsp. olive oil in skillet over medium high heat, add onion, sauté until
translucent, about 3minutes. Rinse eggplant under cold water, pat dry, add to skillet with
bell peppers. Saute, stirring often until all veggies wilted, 6-8 min. Add tomato paste and
toss for a minute, then add ½ tbsp. red pepper flakes and meat. Cook, stirring until meat
is cooked through. Add tomato pulp, allspice, and salt to taste. Toss until almost all juices
have evaporated, 8-10 min. Remove from heat, add parsley, taste and adjust seasoning, the
filling should have a strong flavor. Warm the rest of the olive oil with 2-3 tsps. red pepper
flakes and set aside. Place a heavy baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees.
Brush prepared crusts with peppered oil then spread ½ cup of topping evenly on top,
covering the entire surface, sprinkle with pine nuts and put chiles on top or as a side dish.
Bake until done (until filling sizzles), depending upon our oven. The pizza can be served at
room temperature as finger food.
Have water and tea ready. Offer hummus and pita chips for those who don’t eat pizza.
-35-
Enjoy a new food experience and have some fine fellowship after you have been working on
the front line of prayer.
5 Minute Chocolate Cake Mug
4 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cocoa
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)
4 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons oil
A small splash of vanilla extract
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well..
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).
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