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Defining What We Value

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What if what we traditionally think of as a “program” is actually just a community?

Flourishing in life doesn’t always come naturally, but it has a greater chance to when a place is created for a gathering, where women come together, and find just what they need for life: connection, belonging and community.

What does gathering look like if you focus on building community around needs, interests, or seasons of life?

Adult Literacy

Baby Care

Bible Journaling

Bible Study/Mentoring

Book Club

Budgeting for Home

Coffee & Canvas

Coffee & Conversation

Cooking

Crafting

DYI Saturdays

Exercise

Foodies

Gardening

Healthy Living

Ladies Night Out

Literature & Lattes

Mom’s & Tots

Movie Night

Pinterest Party

Quilting Club

Recovery or Support Groups

Single Moms Club

Spiritual Gifts Assessment

Strength’s Finder

Supper Club

Vocational Training

Walking/Hiking Club

Defining-What-We-ValueDownload

A Fresh Assessment

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Are we flourishing in our ministry to women?

A new and fresh design for a ministry to women has to begin with an assessment of what has been done in the past – whether it is working well and bearing incredible fruit for the Lord or needing a new and fresh start. We need to ask the question of what is working or not working in reaching the women in our communities.

Gather your ministry to women leaders and work through these questions together. This is a key time to assess what already exists for women in your corps and what needs a fresh and innovative approach to ministry.

  • Dream BIG! What does a vibrant and flourishing ministry look like to you? If you had all the resources you need, what would you do with them to attract and meet the needs of women in your communities?
  • What ministry does your corps offer women? Who are the women that come? What are their interests? Why are they coming? What needs do you meet for them?
  • Who are the women that do not come anymore? Is there anyone in the corps that is still in contact with them? Has anyone visited them or sent them an invitation to a ministry to women event or meeting?
  • Who are the women that come to other corps activities, but not to a ministry to women event or meeting? Be honest, why haven’t they come? What unmet needs might they have?
  • Who are the women who surround The Salvation Army in your communities? Is there a shelter, an apartment complex nearby with moms, or older adults? What are the unmet needs of female clients that visit our social services? Who are the moms with kids that come to youth activities? What are their unique needs?
  • What are the age demographics of your city? Is it primarily retirees, young people, working moms, others?
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A-Fresh-AssessmentDownload

Your Roots, Your Strength

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We don’t usually “ooh” and “awe” over the beautiful look of tree roots. We don’t always see them and even when we do, they’re not always beautiful but boy are they essential to growth and flourishing! Without deep roots, the plant dies. Roots need space to expand and that’s why sometimes if a plant is left in a small pot, it can get root bound. The growth is stunted, and you never see the real beauty because it’s not given room to grow. However, transplanting the plant to a larger pot can work wonders! It’s amazing the growth and beauty that can happen as a result!

As we engage in ministry to women, there is a good lesson here for us. 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.

PLANTING IT DEEP IN CHRIST:

Bible Studies

Spiritual Gifts Survey

Enneagram Study

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality

Lectio Divina

Contemplative Prayer

Journaling Class

Spiritual Reflection Exercises

Spiritual Formation Podcasts

ADDING BRANCHES:

Caring for Caretakers

Women with All Abilities

Widows/Widowers

Young Girls (BRAVE)

Strengths Finder Class

Working Women (Ladies Night Out)

Mom’s with Young Children (Baby Song)

Your-Roots-Your-StrengthDownload

Healthy Work/Life Balance for Soul Care

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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:

  • Be honest with where you think you’re at emotionally, spiritually & physically. Are there any of these areas in need of nurturing, rethinking, and refreshing?
  • Do you have a healthy work & life balance? If not, how can you adjust your daily life to be more balanced?
  • Does your time with God feel balanced and spiritually filling for you?
  • Can you set (and keep) boundaries that are healthy and reasonable?
  • Do you have time for rest and renewal?

In what ways do you take time to refresh and restore your soul on a regular basis? Is this enough or do you need to add something else that’s life giving?

  • Daily time with God that isn’t rushed and feels like a relationship, not a daily duty
  • Spiritual retreats (one day or weekends)
  • Sharing a meal with family & friends
  • Time to journal your thoughts & feeling
  • Walks, hiking, the beach or being out in nature
  • Play music & dancing, worship
  • Prayer walks just with you and God
  • Exercising in ways that you enjoy
  • Down time with your spouse or close friend

Do you have a mentor or close friend to support you when:

  • Heavy emotions are weighing you down
  • Life throws you a curve ball and stress is running high
  • You’re losing your joy for life and ministry
  • You need accountability to maintain a balanced life

Restorative Resources:

  • Personal Devotions podcasts, books & apps
  • Day, weekend or week-long retreats
  • Boundaries books by Cloud & Townsend
  • Arrow Leadership resources
  • Prayer Walks
  • Healthy Living websites
Healthy-Work-Life-Balance-for-Soul-CareDownload

Our Fundamental Purpose

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Women’s Ministries is the umbrella term that covers all ministries offered to women in The Salvation Army, which includes Home League and Women’s Ministries Outreach Groups.

Fundamental Purpose – Women’s Ministries Mission

  • To win women for Christ, encourage spiritual growth, and provide Christian fellowship
  • To promote a purposeful life
  • To work toward the betterment of the home, the community, the nation and the world
  • To recruit soldiers and link families to the fellowship of believers

Aim
Women play a vital and definitive role in shaping society through their influence in the home and family. The aim of any Women’s Ministries program is to provide Christian fellowship and practical help that will benefit not only the individual and her family, but also the nation.

Programming of meetings and activities should be varied and informative and include the four-fold purpose of:

Worship
Education
Fellowship
Service

Expectation
A variety of Corps programs can be used to win women (and their families) for Christ, to minister to their needs, and to encourage their spiritual development. Among these: the Home League is unique in that common requirements must be followed to ensure its international unity and maintain the worldwide fellowship.

Minimum Standards – 24 combined Home League and Women’s Ministries meetings
Observance of Women’s Sunday, Annual Meetings and World Day of Prayer
Involvement – Corps, World Services, Territorial, Divisional, Corps Projects (financial/in-kind)

Where there are several women’s group leaders, one should be appointed as the corps Women’s Ministries Secretary.

Our-Fundamental-PurposeDownload

Qualities of a Leader

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Personal:
Integrity & courage
Emotional maturity
Vision & creativity
Positive self-Image
Teachable spirit
Servant heart
Welcoming nature
Compassionate, gracious & caring

Spiritual:
Intimate relationship with God
Sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit
Jealous for God’s honor, not her own
Devoted to prayer & Bible study
Committed to God and His Word
Committed to personal growth

Working:
Regular Attendance & Support of Corps
Team Player
Wears Salvation Army uniform (if soldier)
Faces and deals with issues
Thinks before acting (…or speaking!)
Serves, motivates, and can delegate to others

“Truly, the best thing any of us have to bring to leadership is our own transforming selves.” Ruth Haley Barton ~ Strengthening The Soul of Your Leadership

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Local Officers Positions & Job Descriptions

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