Evanston First SDA Church

Leader 

maybellyn stringer

Assistant

flo rose

WHAT IT IS . . .

Women's Ministries is a place to address the spiritual, emotional, physical and social needs of women in the church.

• Women's Ministries encourages women to improve their potential for participation in the mission of the church.

• It is a support system for hurting women—whether they are suffering from divorce, abuse or simply loneliness.
• It is a forum to help address topics and issues as they affect the woman.
• It encourages young women through a scholarship program.
• It encourages women to become involved in all areas of ministry in their church, their community, and in their home.
• It mentors young women so that they may find joy in the Lord.
• Women's Ministries recognizes that women have many Gifts of the Spirit, and it attempts to help women discover and use these gifts to the glory of God.

WHAT IT ISN'T . . .

Women's Ministries is not new. In 1898 Mrs. S.M.I. Henry, with the encouragement of Ellen G. White, headed a church department for women's ministry. Soon afterwards her death ended the work she began. It wasn't until 1990 that the Office of Women's Ministries was once again began to function. It became a full church department in 1995.

• Women's Ministries is not a forum for women who have complaints, justified or not, against employers.

• It is not a place for women to promote equal rights for women, although we admit it is an important issue.
• It is not a mere source of entertainment or the opportunity to spend endless hours on projects that merely promote selfish ideas.
• It is not a platform for the ordination of women, although we believe that everyone should use their talents to God's glory and should receive just recognition for work done for His honor.
• It is not male bashing. It is anti-sexist, not anti-male. 
• Women's Ministries is not exclusive. Women's Ministries wants inclusion, not the exclusion of anyone.

WHY BECOME INVOLVED?

Women are an influential force in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. When women are ministered to, the family, church, and community receive the benefits of their spiritual strength and their ministry.

You are invited to become involved in a number of ways:

• through prayer and encouragement

• by helping to see that there is an active Women's Ministries program in your church, conference, union, and division
• by volunteering your talents and leadership abilities
• through your financial support

Women's Ministries is involved in sponsoring and developing a number of programs and activities. Some of these are:

• International Women's Day of Prayer (first Sabbath in March)

• Women's Ministries Emphasis Day (second Sabbath in June)

• enditnow Emphasis Day (fourth Sabbath in August)
• Abuse recovery
• Breaking the Silence
• Mentoring young girls and women
• Prayer groups and prayer chains
• Small group ministries and Bible studies
• Church hospitality

LOCAL CHURCH WOMEN'S MINISTRIES LEADER

The leader is appointed by the local church nominating committee. The Women's Ministries leader is a member of the church board.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

• The leader will assist the church in meeting the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual needs of women in their various stages of life and cultural diversity.
• The leader is to create an environment that encourages productivity, rewards effort and initiative, and provides a spiritual climate in which each woman can experience growth.
• The leader assesses the needs of the women in the church through surveys and interviews. She acts as chairperson for a Women's Ministries committee to develop programs and activities to meet the needs identified through the surveys.
• The leader is an active member of the local church board disseminating information on women's activities and harmonizing these activities with the larger church program. She works closely with the pastor and the local conference Women's Ministries director.
• The church board or nominating committee selects the Women's Ministries leader in the local church. Qualifications include a sensitive, caring nature, a clear spiritual understanding of God's design for women, and a burden for women's broad needs and concerns.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The major duties and responsibilities of the Women's Ministries leader includes the following:

1. Establish a Committee. The leader will work with the church board to establish a committee. The committee should be composed of women interested in the broad spectrum of women's needs and concerns. The purpose of the committee is to brainstorm, develop strategies, and assist in planning programs and activities that relate to women's specific and varied needs.
2. Needs Assessment. The leader will work closely with her committee to survey the needs of the women in the local church and community. Survey questionnaires can be used to obtain this information.
3. Program Development. The leader will work with her committee and the pastor to develop and implement Women's Ministries programs or seminars, and network with existing support groups active in the church. She and her committee may decide to sponsor such programs as support groups for abused women, support for elderly members, single parents, health care, hygiene, time management, grief recovery, spiritual care (discipleship), witnessing, personal devotions, self-improvement, and support for women married to non-believers, etc. Other activities may include prayer breakfasts, literacy programs, day care, and programs for the elderly.
4. Chairperson of the Women's Ministries Committee. It is the responsibility of the local church Women's Ministries leader to chair the Women's Ministries committee. She will encourage ideas and plans that maximize women's contribution to the mission of the church. The chair will put together an agenda, moderate discussion, and facilitate group cohesion through personal sharing, prayer, and fellowship.
5. Advocate of Women's Concerns, Needs, and Contributions. It is the leader's responsibility to keep the church membership informed of Women's Ministries and its contributions to church life. This responsibility includes allotting time during personal ministries, announcement period, or Sabbath school to share with the congregation at large. This responsibility includes being a liaison between the women of the church and the church board members, assisting the board members to keep in view the needs of the women in the church and recognizing the Women's Ministries as a significant and vital part of church growth and church dynamics.