Introducing…
This last month, the coordinators of each of the six areas of Europe, as well as the coordinators of each of the regional ministry commissions met together in Larnaca, Cyprus. With a vision of continued growth in Europe, both Area Coordinators and Regional Commission Coordinators worked together to reconfigure each commission to be comprised of one representative from each area of our region.
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce our newly formed Euro Ladies Commission who will be serving the Ladies Ministries of Europe for the next two years.
We look forward to hearing from each one of them and getting to know them better.
For those who are unsure as to which area you are in, we trust the information below will be helpful. Each of these ladies will serve as your contact person for all things related to Ladies Ministries. I encourage you to save their contact information in your contact list, as well as [email protected], to be sure you will not miss any important and exciting information.
If you are the ladies leader in your nation, please take a moment to send an email to your specific representative and introduce yourself. We cannot wait to get to work with YOU to see Ladies Ministries grow throughout the European region!
Blessings to each of you,
Sis Harmony Pace
Niki Carpenter
Balkans: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia
Christine Patterson
Central Europe: Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine
Kay Burgess
Mediterranean: Andorra, Cyprus, Gibraltar, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Vatican City
Mary Catherine Beek
Northern Europe: Channel Islands, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Norway, Sweden, UK, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Belarus
Crystal Wallace
Position
Western Europe: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Switzerland
Leading Together: Time
Time is the most valuable resource that we have. There are hundreds of books written on time management and prioritizing tasks, all with the goal of helping us use the precious time we have available. Paul wrote about the importance of time in Ephesians 5:15-17: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil,” and the Bible has many other passages speaking on this subject. As Children of God, we are called to be good stewards of the time He has given us.
Steven R. Covey once said, “The key is not in spending time, but in investing it.” Each moment in our lives is ripe with potential, whether it’s a small one-on-one conversation or a group Bible study. What can we say in that moment to minister to someone? Do we know someone who could use a cup of coffee and some conversation? How can we foster connection and unity among the ladies we are responsible for? When Jesus was on the earth, He spent time with His disciples, traveling with them and teaching them; He also ate with publicans and sinners. In Acts, we find that the early church continued Jesus’ practice of connecting with people, both with those in the church and those with whom they were sharing the gospel. Fellowship creates trust, which then gives God opportunity to open doors for ministry.
Earlier this year, we began a Bible study with the ladies in our local church in Helsinki. We meet a couple times a month and visit each other’s homes. It was just supposed to be a small refreshment and a Bible study, but it has now blossomed into great fellowship. Before, our ladies didn’t know each other well; now, our time together is full of laughter. What was meant to be a small cup of coffee and a lesson quickly became a meal, Biblical discussion and lots of questions. More women have joined over time, and guests have come, too! These meetings have had a profound impact on our church. Try it with your ladies and see what happens! I encourage you to take time outside of the normal church schedule to spend time with the women you lead, whether it’s a cup of coffee, a meal, picnic, trip to a park, Bible study, or prayer group. Who needs your time today? It is in moments of connection like these where we have the greatest ability to impact lives for the Kingdom.
Life is busy, but time is precious. If you will invest your time in those whom you lead, then God will use you to change their lives.
Candace Lindholm
Chatting Together: Larissa Havens
My name is Larissa Havens. My husband and I have been working in Latvia for 13 years.
How long have you been leading Ladies ministries?
9 years. (There has been a fluctuation in the consistency of events through that time.)
What scripture would best describe your Ladies ministries?
These two scriptures are the anthem of the current ladies ministry in Latvia. (Creating a space where healing, bonding, and trust can take place)
- Galatians 6:2: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
- Romans 12:15: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”
What has been your greatest challenge in Ladies Ministries?
Finding a time for ladies/mothers to get together with work schedules and families.
What has been your greatest victory in Ladies Ministries?
Connecting the ladies to the bigger picture. When we had more ladies in church, we pulled the ladies together from different areas in Latvia. Lately, it has been regional Ladies Conferences. This past ladies conference was eye opening to some of the ladies in our area. They had not experienced that kind of worship in a service before. It was a great way to break down cultural barriers and let them know it is ok to express praise and worship outwardly.
What tip would you have for motivating ladies to be a part of Ladies Ministries?
Every work is different. In our season, the motivating need is love and acceptance. Allowing them to be honest about where they are at and encouraging them to take the next steps for where God is leading them.
What have you tried that works best?
When we have been able to align schedules, they seemed to enjoy coming to my home, having a Bible study with games, snacks and fellowship.
What have you tried that did not work at all?
Trying to serve together in the community. This is not marked off the list forever. I think it was timing. In the future, we will try to look at this again.
Has your Ladies Ministries done any community outreach? Tell us about it.
I’m not sure if this counts, but along with church outreach, I have teamed the ladies up and we have sang on the streets. This helped to work on stretching their comfort zones (especially in a nation where, due to their history, the desire is to blend in and hopefully go unnoticed).
What advice or encouragement would you give to someone who is just starting out?
Give yourself grace! Just as a mother worries about how to take care of her new baby, you will also have days when you feel overwhelmed and unsure of what to do. There is not any specific way to grow a ladies ministry. God placed the ladies in your care, just like He places a baby in its mother’s care. He will give you instincts that guide you in nurturing the new ministry in your hands.
Debra Summers, Euro Ladies Ministries Secretary
Meeting Together
Although weddings can take place any time of the year, many brides choose a summer wedding. Why not have a wedding-themed ladies meeting? After all, we are the bride of Christ!
Key verses:
Revelation 19:7-9 – Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear. For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.
Isaiah 62:4-5 – Never again will you be called “The Forsaken City” or “The Desolate Land.” Your name will be “The City of God’s Delight” and “The Bride of God,” for the Lord delights in you and will claim you as his bride.
Revelation 21:2 – And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
Theme Title Suggestions:
- Here Comes the Bride! (Revelation 21:2)
- His Bride Has Prepared Herself! (Revelation 19:7-9)
- Wedding Day! (Isaiah 62:4-5)
- Dressed for the Occasion! (Revelation 19:7-9; 21:2)
- He Delights in His Bride! (Isaiah 62:4-5)
Color Scheme:
For a wedding theme, any color scheme would work, however, an all-white theme would be beautiful (Revelation 19:7-9). A soft pink would be a pretty accent color.
Decorations:
- Flowers.
- Wedding dresses. If you still have your wedding dress, put it out on display, along with some of your wedding pictures. The ladies will love it!
- Wedding pictures.
- Candles.
- Decorate the same way you would decorate for a wedding in your country.
Activity:
- You could ask each married lady to bring one of her wedding pictures and to share her favorite memory of her wedding day.
- “Dear Bride” letter – You could either have your ladies do this individually or you could divide them into groups. Give each lady (or group) a nice piece of writing paper and at the top it says, “Dear Bride,” while at the bottoms is says, “Love Jesus, Your Groom.” The ladies are to imagine that Jesus, the Bridegroom, is writing a letter to His bride, the church. What might He say? How might He express His love? What advice and encouragement might He give? Have the ladies share their letters.
Just have fun with it! Remember, these are just suggestions and you can go as big and elaborate as you would like, or you can remain small and simple… depending on the needs of your ladies group.
Crystal Wallace
Teaching Together
We all long for it after a year of hard work and having endured the cold and sometimes dreary winters. For a lot of people, it is a time to disconnect, rest and enjoy the beautiful outdoors that our God has created.
So, what should we do? Go off the grid and enjoy ourselves to the fullest; or is there anything that we can do, even at a time when times seems to slow down a little?
1. We should rest, as the Bible instructs.
Mark 2:27: Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
Mark 6:31-32: Then, because so many people were coming and going and they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.
Exodus 20:8: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
2. Jesus is where we find rest
Matthew 11:28: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Hebrews 4:9-11: There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
Exodus 33:14: The LORD replied, My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.
3. Stay connected and alert to how the Lord still wants to use you, and take advantage of this time of being refreshed and regenerated to focus on the harvest.
Genesis 8:22: As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.
Proverbs 30:25: Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer.
Proverbs 10:5: He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son.
Jesus is at work, even in summertime!
Fanny Cooney
“She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” Mark 14:8-9 (NLT)