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WM Ministries exists to advance the Kingdom of God through ministries that
equip women to grow, serve and reach out with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
From the Chair, Lenore Three Stars (Monroe Covenant Church)
This is the first time I've been thankful that my hot water tank gave out.
Because it did, I needed to reorganize some boxes in the garage to make room for
the new installation. I came across a box of incredible history that has
been sitting there for about 4 years, from when I was called to be the new chair
of North Pacific Conference. As I thumbed through the archives of Women
Ministries (the 1920s reports were written in Swedish!) my attention fell on
this report, written by a woman of God before I was even born. I have to
say that the first thing that impressed me was the professional-looking
letterhead stationery with formal old English fonts - it seemed to refer to
quality in ministry. Then I was astounded by the continuity of vision in
Women Ministries! The words written there are essentially the same
language of our current vision: "Women Ministries exists to advance the kingdom of God
through ministries that equip women to grow, serve and reach out with the gospel
of Jesus Christ." God never goes out of style.
North
Pacific Convenant Women's Auxiliary
President's Report, Spokane, WA (Mrs
H Blanche Lindberg), April 30, 1948
"Another year
has slipped by and the time has come to put into writing the things that have
been accomplished by the North Pacific Covenant Women's Auxiliary. This
well known verse comes to mind, "Only one life, twill soon be past, only what's
done for Christ will last."...
The purpose and aim of CWA is to further the
kingdom of God by uniting the women of our Mission Covenant in promoting great
interest for all missionary endeavors such as home and foreign missions,
benevolences and educational work carried out by the Evangelical Mission
Covenant of America, and especially by our own field, the North Pacific
Conference. With such an objective before us, we can carry on confident
that the Lord is guiding and will add His Blessing. ...
The semi-annual
meeting which was held in Bremerton was of special significance. Being able to
meet again without the restrictions of the war thrust upon us was cause for
thanksgiving.
I picture hard-working women who soldiered on at
home during a tough time in history. Based upon the report, they did not
allow a world war to deter them from their passion
for God's ministry. They "furnished the chapel in the new home for nurses
of the Covenant Hospital;" "raised funds for the Missionary Home in the Virginia
Mts;" and met a "pledge made in Bellingham to raise $5000 in five years for the
Bremerton Building Fund." I am filled with godly admiration and
motivation. I was personally thankful to read of their commitment to
Covenant Beach, where I later raised my son during summer vacations: "Our work
at Covenant Beach carries on much the same from year to year. There has
been a fine Christian spirit prevailing in the Cafeteria and we feel too that
the interest in helping with this work is growing steadily. The work is
not easy, maybe less inspiring that other kinds of service but it too becomes
less a challenge to us when we remember that it is a necessary part of a soul
winning effort at Covenant Beach." Let's dedicate this blessing to
Cascades Camp!
Sisters in Christ, may the women who come after us in the
North Pacific Conference, find us faithful, as we find those who went before us.
In Jesus name, Amen.
Spring 2009 Letter from Ruth Hill
Dear Friends,
Greetings and peace to you in Jesus' name! What a joy
to gather together annually to celebrate all God has done to advance his kingdom
through Women Ministries!
It has now been five years since we
launched the transition in Women Ministries from a separate parallel
membership organization to a ministry integrated into the local church's vision.
In Good to Great, author Jim Collins, compares the implementation of a new
vision to a flywheel; it takes patience and time for that first
revolution, the second is still quite slow, gradually the momentum builds until
it is flowing easily and naturally. How would you describe your
transition using that analogy? If you are still waiting to
complete that first revolution, take heart! Many have successfully made
the transition and are functioning smoothly in the new paradigm, finding new
vitality and purpose in their ministries. It can happen for you!
A
huge piece of that vitality comes from being able to clearly articulate Women
Ministries' foundational goal. Women may know Women Ministries' vision
statement - advancing God's kingdom through women; they may know why we exist -
to equip women to grow, serve, and reach out with the Gospel of Jesus Christ;
yet answering HOW we do this has been absolutely transformational for so many
leaders, the precious "Aha!" The answer is this:
- Connecting women
in transformational relationships, and ...
- Uniting them in Christ to impact our world.
We can shorten that to just TWO WORDS and we have the
foundational goal of Women Ministries!
CONNECTING WOMEN!
This is really the heart of Women Ministries! It is
the thing that we do best; it is our "brand essence" or the "brand
promise," using language from the corporate world. We connect
women in transformational relationships!
The word
"transformational" separates our activities from secular activities.
The goal is to create opportunities for the Holy Spirit, the great
transformer, to minister in the hearts and lives of women - whether
to introduce them to faith in Jesus, deepen their faith in Jesus, or
enable them to minister in his name.
I pray that you will
grasp the tremendous potential for Women Ministries to grow and
strengthen the church. As you share what has happened since
you last met, listen for the heart of Women Ministries! Listen
for how lives are being transformed to the glory of God through the
many ministries that connect.
Before I close, I want to list
our new exciting opportunities that connect women:
- The denominational e-newsletter, Connecting Women - sign up by emailing
wmc@covchurch.org
- For WM leaders: TLC - The Leadership Connection
(www.covchurch.org/women/ministries/wm-leaders)
Triennial XIII!
Check out
www.triennialxiii.org! There's a limited time offer for
lowest registration rates!
Thank you for your partnership
with us! The Ministry Support from your church and your
personal donations as a Friend of Women Ministries enable us to
realize the visions God gives us. Thank you for that support!
Blessings on you!
In Him,
Ruth Y. Hill
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