November 2023 Craft: Gratitude Cards

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By Captain Jennifer Swain
Administrator of Program
San Diego, CA Adult Rehabilitation Program

Supplies*:

  • 8.5x 11 watercolor paper
  • Crayola watercolor palette
  • Blue painters tape
  • “Thank you” stamp
  • Ink pad
  • Glass of water
  • Paper towel
  • Plastic tablecloth

*Most supplies can be purchased inexpensively at Amazon or the Dollar Tree!

How to…

Cover your surface with a plastic tablecloth to ensure paint does not get on your work surface. Cut watercolor paper in half (vertically or horizontally) then fold in half to give the look of a greeting card. Open paper and lay flat. Place a piece of painters tape along the folded seam to ensure paint does not bleed.

Pick a color from your color palette. This will be your focus color. Wet your brush and dip it in the color you’ve chosen. Once you’ve wet the paint, make three matching paint puddles on the inside of the lid. Rinse your brush and add a small amount of black to one of the color puddles. Rinse your brush again and add a lighter color of paint to one of the two remaining color puddles. At this point you should have three shades of paint.

Starting close to the painters tape, and using the darkest shade of color, brush the paint left to right. You’ll want cover about one-third of the card surface space. Without rinsing the paint start using the next lightest shade of paint on the middle third of the card. You will want to blend the colors together where they meet to create the effect of shading. The lightest color should be at the based of the card and be blended with the center color.

Allow the paint to dry, gently remove the painter tape, and then stamp with your “thank you”. Write a personal note inside and give to someone who blessed you! This kind of tangible gratitude blesses the one who receives, and the one who gives, it!

“In everything give thanks…”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 TLT

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November 2023 Devotional: Live Simply – Remain Grateful

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By Major Linnea Desplancke
Administrator for Program 
Canoga Park, CA Adult Rehabilitation Center

Live simply – Remain Grateful

I was walking by this shop, and this sign caught my eye. I stood there thinking about how true it is for us to live as simply as possible and more importantly, remain grateful. When ingratitude remains in our hearts, it is not possible for us to live a life of victory and serenity. When the Israelites came out of Egypt, they were full of joy and gratitude to God for saving them from their captivity. But they consistently lost hope when the journey took too long, when Moses was on Mount Saini too long, and when they complained about the food God provided them. Not to mention, their shoes and clothing never wore out. One day Moses had enough of their complaining and said, “Quiet!” Moses replied. “Why are you complaining against me? And why are you testing the Lord?” (Exodus 17:2b)

So often we too complain to God about things and situations when something does not go our way. We question God asking where He is and why is He not answering our prayers. We start to think that we can take care of ourselves better than He can. Going back to the way we used to live seems like a good idea. But we are only fooling ourselves. Trying to do life without God will most certainly end in disaster. We will fall back into our old sins and many even start committing new ones. Failing to see the things in life God has given to us, makes us truly ungrateful. If we want to have gratitude in our lives, we need to let go of our ingratitude, ask forgiveness from God, and immediately start to look at the things God and others have done for and given us. Psalm 92:1-4 reminds us to give thanks to God and praise Him for all He has given us.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, accompanied by the ten-stringed harp and the melody of the lyre. You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done.

As far as living simply, this can more difficult. We fill our lives with stuff, spending exorbitant time on our electronic devices, and other things that distract or take away from time with our families and more importantly, God. We spend money we do not have trying to keep up with our neighbors or to get the latest gadget. It is hard to slow down, check out our lives, and see where we can live more simply. We can fill our boredom with reading the bible or in prayer. We can call up a friend or take a walk. Being grateful is a great way to live simply. When our hearts are full of gratitude, there is no room for living large. The Beatitudes say it simply, “God bless those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.” Matthew 5:5

You may be thinking, that’s easy for you to say. But once I was in a place in my life that my gratitude slowly slipped away. Before I knew it, I did not think God was working in my life at all and all I could see what He was not giving me and I was not getting what I wanted. This was a dark season for me. I was not a nice person to be around nor was I engaged in the ministry I have always loved. Like a bear with a sore tooth, I snarled and growled at anyone that dared cross my path. I started getting more involved with things, outside my ministry and family, that were not good and not helping me or others. Soon all I could see was what other people had that I did not, and this made me very angry. I started doubting my calling. Of course, my husband noticed this and asked me what was going on. I looked at my life and saw how far I had fallen from where I was meant to be. I did some soul searching with God and saw I had not been grateful for what He had done for me and given me. I also realized that my life was very worldly and that was a problem. So, I prayed, sought forgiveness and starting to live simply and grateful again. Since that point I am at peace, loving my ministry wholeheartedly, and full of fresh love and vigor for His people. Daily I remind myself to live simply and remain grateful. It is a whole new and fresh world for me.

In case you were wondering, I went back to the shop and brought that sign.

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November 2023 Bible Study: Gratitude

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By Major Kim Williams
Administrator for Program
Phoenix, AZ Adult Rehabilitation Center

Read Daniel 3:1-30 NIV

Question: How did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego show their faith and belief in the God they served?

How many times have you heard, “Have an attitude of gratitude?” Is that before or after morning coffee? Is it even possible to have gratitude in all situations? I have a friend that is now with the Lord, and she would give praise to God for the “Good, Bad, and Indifferent.”

It is so easy to praise the Lord when all is going your way. The coffee is perfect, the bills are paid, little Johnny got all A’s on his report card, and you just lost another 10 pounds on your diet. I don’t know whose life this might be, but it sure isn’t mine.

Mine is more like I set the coffee pot before going to bed but forgot to turn it on, little Johnny has detention and I gained 10 lbs. on the diet.

We can find it in our relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit to have a heart of gratitude when the good seasons seem to be in the distance and the bad is like a dreary cloud hanging over us for a season. You get bad news from the doctor, children are having difficulties, grandkids are being too exposed to worldly decay, the car breaks down, or you’re having personal relationship problems.

Is this the time we reflect and give thanks in all circumstances? Are we rejoicing always? What is our prayer life like at this time? (see 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Here is the thing – life is going to happen, the good, the bad, and the indifferent!

The Good News

No, the great news is that we have this amazing gift as followers of Christ, that in spite of the chaos, hurts, and thunderstorms of life, we can still be filled with gratitude and joy because of the abundant love God has for each one of us.

It is His mercy that God shows our broken selves and the grace that He pours into us is reason enough to dig deep in those valleys of life and be able to live with a heart of gratitude. When we take time to be mindful and see the amazing works of God, we can be prompted by the Holy Spirit to overflow with gratitude, joy, grace, and mercy.

Question: What can you do to begin the daily process of recognizing the goodness of God so you can life with a grateful heart during the good, the bad, and the indifferent?

Start a Gratitude Journal. Here are some ideas of what you can include:

  • Write your prayers of thanksgiving.
  • Contemplate the chorus, “Count your blessings, name them one by one and you will see what the Lord has done.”
  • Look up scripture about rejoicing, gratitude, mercy, joy, etc.
  • Read Galatians 5:22-23. What fruit of the Spirit is evident in your life? What fruit of the Spirit do you need more of right now?

Learning to live with sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s leading and embracing a life of gratitude in the good, the bad and the indifferent is not looking at the world through rose-colored glasses. This is a gift and treasure from God that comes through His Son, Jesus, when we seek to follow Him and His word found in the Scripture.

We may not receive all the answers we want, the way we want them answered, but we can still be filled with a grateful heart through anything, if we have the same attitude as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had along with the confidence they had in God Almighty.

Daniel 3:14-18
And Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[a] from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Question: Are we so firm in our relationship with Christ, that when the indifferent comes, we are able to enter the blazing furnace with gratitude, joy and confidence in who we are in Him?

We can have that attitude of gratitude because of our relationship with Christ.

Download a printable version of this Bible study:

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November 2023 Flourish Newsletter

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We continue our series on being “Deeply Rooted in the Spiritual Disciplines.” For the month of November, we are focusing on the spiritual practice of Gratitude. In her book Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transforms Us, Adele Ahlberg Calhoun defines gratitude as, “a loving and thankful response toward God for His presence with us and within this world. Though “blessings” can move us into gratitude, it is not at the root of a thankful heart. Delight in God and His good will is the heartbeat of thankfulness.”

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done.
1 Chronicles 16:8

Inside you will find a devotional, conversation starters, a prayer idea, a monthly Bible reading plan and other resources to help you incorporate the spiritual discipline of gratitude in your walk with Jesus.

Download this month’s issue:

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Flourishing in the Spiritual Discipline of Gratitude

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By Colonel Genevera Vincent

The dictionary defines Gratitude as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” When you come down to it, gratitude is really all about attitude. It’s easy to be grateful for blessings and/or things when everyone is on the same “playing field”, when we are comparing apples to apples. True gratitude, however, may be put to the test when someone receives thanks for something that you feel should have been directed your way. Gratitude may be put to the test when someone receives a promotion that you were denied. When we feel wronged in some way or slighted, it may not be so easy to feel grateful. Gratitude can quickly dissipate when we begin to feel resentful for the praise and tangible things others are receiving that we are not.

It’s times like these that call us to take the “balcony view”. The balcony view allows us to take a step back from daily routines and even the mundane and see the bigger picture of our lives and circumstances. When we take the balcony, panoramic view of our lives and remove ourselves from the “weeds”, we are more apt to conclude that we have lots to be grateful for and life is not so bad after all!

When we consider the aspect of gratitude, it is very closely linked to the word validation. The longing of every individual is to feel validated. We may not admit that readily, but it is true. We all need encouragement and validation. A very important question to ask ourselves is, “Where am I looking to receive validation”? “Who am I wanting to receive validation from”? When we can take the balcony view and see our lives from a distance and understand fully that our true worth is in Jesus, we will find it easier to temper our longing for recognition with our God-given worth. Gratitude will become easier when we are able to find that balance. I would not want to indicate here that this is an easy process because it is not! It takes time, prayerful reflection, and moments of introspection, to move us from a place of self-pity to a place of gratitude where we truly understand the worth that God attaches to our lives.

In case you have forgotten how God feels about you, let me remind you of what Jesus said in Matthew 10:29-31. Jesus is preparing to send out the twelve disciples and they were sent with several instructions and words of advice. In verse 29, Jesus asks, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.” He continues, “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” If you’ve ever longed for validation, here it is! I don’t know about you, but these verses make me feel truly grateful!

True gratitude is supernatural work. I think if we are all honest, we would say that when we compare our lives with someone who has less than we do, in monetary and opportunity resources, we find it easy to say, “God is so good to me” and I have a sense of gratitude for all that God has provided. However, when we compare our lives with someone who just seems to have everything handed to them on a silver platter, without having to expend much energy, it can lead us to question why. Why is it that I must work so hard for what I get while others just have it handed to them? That’s when gratitude requires supernatural work. To stay positive and not wallow in self-pity requires us to look beyond the tangible, temporary things of life and have an eternal view. When we can view life from an eternal perspective, it’s then we understand our true worth in Christ and can flourish as a result. After all, if God notices when a sparrow falls to the ground and he declares that we are worth more than many sparrows, what more will it take to give us a grateful heart? So…

Give thanks with a grateful heart,
Give thanks to the Holy One;
Give thanks, because he’s given
Jesus Christ, his Son.
And now let the weak say ‘I am strong’,
Let the poor say, ‘I am rich’,
Because of what the Lord has done for us;
Give thanks!

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October 2023 Devotional: Take a Sabbath Rest

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By Captain Ryan Boyd
Denver Red Shield Corps, CO – Intermountain Division

I once had a friend who asked me what I did on my day off. When I started listing the unending responsibilities I had at home, she cut me off and said it didn’t sound much like a day off to her. “Well, if I don’t get them done on that day, when will it get done?” was my exasperated reply.

Busyness is often worn as a badge of honor in our society. We book back to back meetings and activities and wonder why we are always exhausted. We were not made to go all day every day. Like our electronics, we need a time to recharge our batteries.

Exodus 20:8-11 says, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

It seems to me that we have taken the ten commandments and made them nine commandments and a suggestion. We treat this instruction from God as an optional activity instead of the mandate it is. As the Israelites are heading to the Promise Land, God gives Moses instructions for them so that they will live in a way that pleases God. We know that the first four relate to our relationship with God and the last six relate to our relationships with others.

God knew it was important for us to rest. Not sleep in, not have a lazy Saturday, but to rest. To trust in Him to provide for our needs. Now, most of my Sabbaths involve sleeping in because that is what my body needs to refresh. Even if it is just thirty extra minutes, I feel it when I wake up. But Sabbath rest goes much deeper. It is resting from my work knowing that I am not the one who makes the world go around – God is. I am not the one in control – God is. And when I spend my time dwelling in that knowledge, I can enter the rest that God provides.

But Sabbath rest goes much deeper. It is resting from my working knowing that I am not the one who makes the world go around – God is. I am not the one in control – God is.

Captain Ryan Boyd

In Mark 2:27-28, Jesus tells the Pharisees that man was not made for the Sabbath, rather the Sabbath was made for man. Taking a Sabbath is not something we do because we want to check off something from our “Good Christian” to-do list. It is not meant to be a burden at all. Instead, it was made for us to refresh and delight in what the Lord has provided for us. We are supposed to be joyful during our Sabbath. Originally, it was intended to give reprieve to the Israelites who had the mindset of an enslaved person – their brains told them they needed to work all day every day. God said no – my plan for you is better. Enter into the rest I provide.

The Pharisees morphed the Sabbath into something it was not intended to be – rigid rule following. They burdened the Israelites with their preferences instead of sticking to God’s intentions. And the people suffered for it by missing out on the freedoms that Sabbath provides. Ray Stedman wrote, “So there are two aspects of the Sabbath—creation and redemption. There is a rest of cessation; a ceasing from our own works. But then there is the rest of rejoicing in the mighty delivering power of God.”

So there are two aspects of the Sabbath – creation and redemption. There is a rest of cessation; a ceasing from our own works. But then there is the rest of rejoicing in the mighty delivering power of God.

Ray Stedman

If you are anything like me, rest feels weird. I always feel as if there is something I am supposed to be doing. Only in recent years have I been able to start fully resting on a Sabbath day. I would love to have the same day every week, but scheduling makes that impossible. So I take it where I can. I take Fridays off so that I can get all my errands and schoolwork done so that Saturdays are clear for rest and delighting in the blessings God has given me. If I can’t make Saturday work, I find a different day.

We prioritize what is important to us. Making adjustments to create space for Sabbath is hard, but so worth it. Resting in the knowledge that God is in control brings a peace that cannot be described.

Take a Sabbath. Rest. Obviously it is important for us to do, because God made it a commandment.

October 2023 Craft: Sabbath Smash Book

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By Captain Amber Ohl
Bozeman, MT Corps – Intermountain Division

For me Smash Books are just a more beautiful journal. I think of it as a doodle pad, journal, maybe even a scrapbook; but it doesn’t have a set plan. It can be messy, it could be overstuffed, and most of all, it doesn’t have to be perfect.

When it comes to Sabbath, we might be stuck in the idea that it is a rigid day of rest with all these rules and such. But Sabbath is a day to focus on who God is and to be able to be refreshed. That is my hope for this smash book, that we are able to compile all these different amazing ways to be able to focus on God, but also to refresh ourselves. One of my favorite examples is found under the “T” section and that is take a nap, listen. Sometimes we just need a nap.

1. Gather some supplies. I recommend that the journals would be an 8 1/2 by 11 size. Michaels is a great place to get them as they are either on sale or you can find a coupon through their rewards app. Other supplies include the printable pages attached, scissors, mod podge, brushes, scrapbooking paper, stickers colorful pens, wasabi tape, and anything else that your women might light. This might be a good time to clean out some drawers or leftover art supplies.

2.With this activity, they can work at their own pace. It’s easy as explaining what to do and let them have at it. They can cut out the letters to the word “SABBATH,” some of the ladies just did a rough cut, while others cut on the lines; both works. I would encourage that the letters are placed about 10 to 15 pages apart. This will allow for when they do engage in their Sabbath activity provides that extra space.

S – Sing/Songs. Write lyrics that help you connect you to God

A – Attributes. What are the attributes of God? OR A – Actively Rest. How can you actively rest?

B – Bible – Book by Book

B – Be in Nature

A – Art. Doodle in these pages while spending time with God, search online for Bible art that can be pasted in these pages to color, or pick up a craft that you have not done in a while.

T – Take a nap. Talk with a friend.

H – Hobby. Whether it is a hobby that you have not done in a while or it’s something you wan to try.

3.One thing we did was add an envelopes so that we could use that to tuck away some small notes or cards.

4. I added extra pages that are some examples of a word to associate to each letter of “SABBATH.” I would encourage your ladies to add in their own that would help them on their Sabbath.

5. Also, Pinterest is a great resource if you ladies would like some extra pages. Maybe they want to add in some coloring pages or look up verses to color.

6. Remember it does not have to be perfect; that is what’s fun about smash books!

Prayer for you: For this moment of Sabbath may God help you engage in true Sabbath rest. May you unattach from the daily burdens and the concerns that are yours. May you pause long enough to pray, be present enough to enjoy, and slow down enough to rest. But most of all, I pray that you may worship the One who gives us Sabbath.

Download a printable version of these directions. It has also has extra printable pages and quotes to include in your Sabbath Smash Book.

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October 2023 Bible Study: God’s Given Gift of Rest

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By Major Karen Schmig
St. George, UT Outpost – Intermountain Division

Introduction

I’m not sure if you have trouble observing Sabbath in you daily lives? According to research based on Lifeway Research, seven in 10 churchgoers take their Sabbath on Sunday. Few take it on Saturday (5 percent), Friday (1 percent) or Monday (1 percent). For 23 percent, they don’t take a day of rest. I can testify that I am one of the 23% that typically do not take the time to have a sabbath day of rest. If I do take a day off from the business of the Corps, I will find something else that needs to be done. Anything from housework to shopping. I am good at finding something to do to keep me busy. In this Bible study we are going to explore what “Sabbath” really means and by reading scripture we will find out why God says it is so important to practice it in our daily weekly routine.

Read Hebrews 4:1, 9-11.

1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.
9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

According to Britannica.com the Sabbath is defined as:
“The Sabbath. The Jewish Sabbath (from Hebrew shavat, “to rest”) is observed throughout the year on the seventh day of the week—Saturday. According to biblical tradition, it commemorates the original seventh day on which God rested after completing the creation.”

Sabbath was introduced to us from the very beginning when God created the Earth. We read in the book of Genesis that God created the heavens and the earth in six periods of time, which He called days: “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it” (Genesis 2:2–3).

The factor, or the thing that the Sabbath was pointing to, is Jesus Christ. He is our rest. It doesn’t matter whether you go to corporate worship on Saturday or on Sunday, or your choice of a day during the week, because that’s not what really matters. What really matters is that you find your rest in Christ!

We take sabbath to acknowledge that we need God, we need time dedicated to him. A time to rest. This doesn’t mean that all we are to do on a sabbath are pray and sleep, though prayer and rest are central and needed. It can also be time with family or hobbies. So many times, we’re burning the candle at both ends. So busy with work that we don’t stop to really appreciate God’s presence in our lives.

Let’s Read Luke 10:28-42 NIV

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

In these we read that account of Mary and Martha. Martha just going and going on her own trying to make things just right to the point frustration. For most of that have a servant heart that is very easy to get caught up in. Keeping ourselves bust serving others and making sure everything is done in all our power to help and please others. Jesus reminds Martha that Mary had chosen what was right, to rest at Jesus’ feet, to bask in his presence and his love.

Sabbath is an act of humility before the Lord.

Matthew 5:3 (NIV) says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

“Being poor in spirit”, we are like paupers, relying on God and only God to fill us. It is a sin to think we can just keep going and going without acknowledging God and our need for his help. It’s silly for us to think that we are too busy for God, the one who gives us all of our provisions in the first place. Sabbath goes beyond just one day as well. We need dedicated time daily to rest in Him.

Even Jesus needed time with his father, who are we to act as though we don’t. Make a plan today, put it on your calendar, in your day timer. Schedule time for God, be intentional about it. Start learning also to say no to others if that is your crutch to not taking time to rest in God. This is of central importance to our spiritual health. Make a date with God, pray to Him, take in his word and grow in him daily. May God bless you as we all go through this great adventure, we call life with a great Savior who never fails us.

Questions to Reflect On:

  1. Are you taking a weekly Sabbath?
  2. Are you taking time daily for the Lord?
  3. What can you do differently in your daily/weekly schedule that will allow you to take a Sabbath?
  4. What does God have for me in my day of Sabbath, through this day of rest?
  5. What do I have for Him in my Sabbath day, through this day of rest?
  6. How will this be lived out with others in gratitude, joy and celebration?

Download a printable version of this Bible study:

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October 2023 Flourish Newsletter

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Welcome to the second year of the Flourish Newsletter. Last program year, we focused on flourishing in and through different seasons that we all go through. This year we want to flourish by being “Deeply Rooted in the Spiritual Disciplines.” Each month we will focus on one spiritual practice that will help us to establish deep roots, grow and flourish in our walk with Jesus.

For October we are focusing on the practice of Sabbath Rest. Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, in her book Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us, defines Sabbath as “God’s gift of repetitive and regular rest. It is given for our delight and communion with God. Time for being in the midst of a life of doing particularly characterizes the sabbath.” The desire of observing sabbath is “to set apart one day a week for rest and worship of God.”

“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.” Genesis 2:2

Inside you’ll find a devotional, conversation starters, a prayer idea, a monthly Bible reading plan, and some other resources to help you incorporate a weekly Sabbath into your spiritual walk with Jesus.

Download this month’s issue:

October-2023-NewsletterDownload

A Guide for Ministry to Women

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In The Salvation Army USA Western Territory, we want ministry to women to flourish, grow, and thrive. Below are easy links to information on our website, that should answer questions you have about ministry to women and also offer other insights and helps to make sure ministry to women is flourishing in your local corps.

Ministry to Women Guidelines and Ideas

Our Fundamental Purpose explains the aim, purpose and expectations of ministry to women in your local corps.

If our ministry to women is to grow and flourish, we need our roots to go deep in Christ. Our purpose in programming, while it includes fun and fellowship, is ultimately to lead women into a deeper relationship with Christ. A program with deep roots is one with a rich spiritual focus. Your Roots, Your Strength

There are endless possibilities of what ministry to women can look like in your local corps. Below are guidelines for several programs.

Home League Guidelines will explain the aim, purpose, and all the details about Home League.

Junior Home League Guidelines will explain all the details of having a Junior Home League program, for girls ages 11-15.

Baby Song is an exciting Salvation Army outreach program for babies, toddlers and their parents.

Women’s Ministries Special Events highlights some extra possibilities for ministries to women: holding a Women’s Sunday, as well as Divisional Events and Leadership Institutes.

Leadership Development

As women of The Salvation Army, it is vital that we take the opportunity to assess our own emotional, physical, and spiritual health on a regular basis. Flourishing in life starts with caring for ourselves well so that we can care for others well. It is vital to assess where we are in these areas and make a reasonable plan for how to be a loving, wise, and mindful steward of ourselves and others. Healthy Work/Life Balance for Soul Care

Qualities of a Leader helps identify the qualities you should be looking for in women to develop them local leaders.

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Revamping or Refreshing Ministry to Women

Is ministry to women feeling a little stale? Answer the questions on A Fresh Assessment to help you see new possibilities for ministry to women in your community. Defining What We Value will help you with a list of possibilities for new ministry to women opportunities.

All About the Numbers – Statistical Information and Financial Guidelines

If you ever have questions about how to report ministry to women on your monthly statistics be sure to check out the Statistical Quick Reference.

The Women’s Ministries Financial Guidelines will help make sure that you following The Salvation Army guidelines to handling money.