50 Days to 50 Years: Day 48, The Montrose Church Women
“Of all the means to insure happiness throughout the whole life, by far the most important is the acquisition of friends.” ― Epicurus, A Guide To Happiness
One of the biggest blessings of our new church is the women's ministry. I have been in the Christian church for pretty much my entire 50 years, and frankly, have never been a fan of women's ministries. I was single for almost four of these five decades, and most women's ministries treated me as an aberration; their focus was on training submissive wives and raising godly children. Since I had neither husband nor children, I felt much like the odd stepsister. This was never spoken, mind you, but when you don't fit in, you know it. So save for the occasional women's retreat, when faced with a Saturday women's meeting, I chose a Saturday matinee.
But unlike the ones I have encountered in the past, the women of Montrose Church have been welcoming, warm, and inclusive. Some are wives and mothers, some grandmothers, some single; but there is no hierarchy of ministry focus; it's just women seeking to grow in their relationship with Christ, and build relationships with other women.
It is huge that there are several options of women's bible studies for spiritual focus, as well as different Life groups for social interaction. But the beauty part is that the spiritual and the social often intertwine without much effort.
One lovely soul that I have been fortunate to connect with is Jana Benson (pictured above); she leads one of the social groups called The Women's Coffee. Eleven of us met today at the Panera Bread in La Canada, and we had a grand time talking, interacting, laughing, and playing a mixer game.
The wealth of stories, experiences, and life exuded by Farideh, Carolyn, Margie, Ann, Barbie, Shirley, Beckie, Carolyn D, and Mary was enriching and invigorating, and it was hard to leave to go about my day. One of the best parts of looking forward and embracing life is that there are more Bible studies, worship times, and Women's Coffees to look forward to.
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