Idea Corner – from your church reports
updated August 07
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Special Events/Groups
* "Women Teaching Women" Spring church retreat - A one-day retreat where women choose from many "classes" being taught by our own women. This included such things as flower arranging, hairstyling, card making, writing, and several more. We got excellent feedback.

* Field Trips such as “Hike & Lunch”, touring the Governor's mansion, a Museum & Lunch, etc.

* "Chocolate Boutique" spring retreat – a package offered through Group Publishing. It was wonderful.

* “Hats Off to Mom” mother/daughter banquet – different hats were placed at each table with a variety of decorations in a basket as centerpieces. Each table decorated their hat, chose a model, and then paraded their creations. The audience voted for their favorite.
* A Mother/Daughter program – a mother/daughter duo performed a skit, mothers & daughters sang, and a mother & daughter did the speaking. The men served us. Tickets sold for $3.00 and everyone had a great time.

*Ladies Night Out at a Fitness Center with a wide variety of options and activities to choose from.

* Saturday morning gatherings with childcare, which has greatly increased our numbers.

* Potluck held at an area guest ranch. The beauty of nature surrounded us with lakes, wildlife, birds and wildflowers.

* A getaway to one of our member’s cabins.

* Touring and eating at a regional lake resort.

* Fall Gathering at an apple orchard.

* Christmas party at the local country club.

* Coffee mugs filled with scripture verses and inspirational thoughts, with the name of our “Prayer Sister” inside.

* A special event for women at least 10 times each year. Each event has brought more women together. Many are inviting friends and unchurched family members. One featured a speaker who shared how to show God’s power through unpleasant circumstances, mixed with the humor of how she had dealt with problems. One event highlighted a moral & biblical lesson.

* “Whine and Dine” potluck groups.

* “Piecing Your Life Together” event, with a speaker. We decorated with quilt pieces, and displayed a complete quilt with a story behind it.

* Sports leagues & walking groups.

* “Spa Day” event – manicures, pedicures, and facials, featuring the talents of available women in our church.

* Fun Night Rip & Roll competition for both the men & women of the church.

* Antique Road Show & Brunch.

* Progressive Dinner and home tour – tour homes of women who love to decorate for Christmas.

* St Lucia brunch feast in December open to the whole church.

* Oven Potluck dinner called “Nothin’ Says Lovin’ Like Something from the Oven” with 2 serving times following church services on WM Sunday.

* Bible verses & a chocolate kiss on a lace doily as place favors.

* Pre-sold rose buds with greenery in a bud vase. Many were presented to people during lunchtime.

* A fun and crazy Women’s C2G Christmas get together (C2G stands for Connecting Together. Connecting for God). Consider a crazy craft exchange. Each woman brings 5 items she has made, baked or bought, then through a very crazy exchange, each woman goes home with 5 items. All items are placed in a separate room. People are put into groups. When it’s their turn, they get 30 seconds to go into the room and choose one item. After all groups have gone one time, they start again with less time to choose. It’s fun watching women make a quick decisions!

* Alternating Breakfast – Business – Rip & Roll.

* Ladies Night Out.

* “Tea & Testimony” - a featured testimony or sharing of a special trip, event or what God is doing in someone’s life.

* Father/Son oyster soup or chili supper.

* Special Thanksgiving Eve fellowship time.

* “Bag Ladies Brunch” – kickoff to Secret Pray Partner (Secret Sister) ministry. Bags are handed out to each woman with the name of their prayer partner for the year. This involves prayer, remembering with gifts for their special days, etc.

* Offering childcare is very helpful to the young moms, allowing many to participate in WM events.

Fun Activities:
• Karaoke
• Line Dancing
• Game night
Chocolate Chaos
Bunko
Board Games

Local Service Project Idea
* Send college & military boxes to support your extended family.

* Make fleece blankets for the new babies in your congregation.

* Make homemade chocolate for Valentine’s Day gifts for shut-ins.

* “Fishes and Loaves Ministry” – Collect hotel size shampoos, soaps, razors, deodorants, toothbrushes. Etc., and fill handmade cloth bags for your local mission and women’s shelter at Christmas time.

* Bake cookies and fill tins for the mission, shelter, local police, firemen, post office, etc.

* Partner with Project Linus for a special event. This is a non-profit organization that collects handmade blankets and quilts that are distributed to children of all ages in need. Go to http://www.projectlinus.org/ . There is a link at the top of the home page to locate local chapters.

* Shawl Ministry - Shawls are knitted in prayer and then given to someone in need. Go to http://www.shawlministry.com/
(this was a recommendation from one of our Denominational Board members).

* Tie quilts for Open Door Mission in Omaha (there may be similar facilities in your area.)
Community Outreach:
* Help a young single mom with small children at home (from outside the church) and adopt her family.

* Obtain buy-one-get-one-free tickets for luncheons or other special events and invite women from the community.

* Conduct a quarterly worship service for the nursing home, with a luncheon for the residents.

* Meet at an assisted living facility for a catered lunch and program. Remember the birthdays of those in your congregation who are residents.

* Present a program at a nursing home, then serve pie and coffee.

* Obtain brochures from local YWCA Battered Women Task Force (Alternatives to Violence would have similar information available).

Bible Studies
Please see a list of Bible study resources here on our website: Bible Study Library list. These studies are available for you
to borrow from some of our area churches. Your only cost is the postage!

* Beth Moore Bible Studies.

* Friendship Bible Coffees – with community outreach.

* 6 week Bible studies – Women of Faith offer some as well as RBC Ministries, publishers of Our Daily Bread.

* CPR Bible Studies
o Cultivating – Share your faith

o Planting – Bible Studies for neighbors, nursing homes and area homes

o Reaping – Special Events

Service
* Share hospitality responsibility for serving at funerals, potluck, etc. on a two-month rotating basis.

Fundraisers:
* Food Bazaar to raise scholarship funds for retreats.

* “Pamper Yourself” dinner & fundraiser.

* Spring Blessing calendar & basket auction.

* Community Holiday Festival & Sales fundraiser.

* Participate in your city’s craft fair offering home made goodies.

* All Church Thanksgiving Feast – take an offering for work in Women’s Ministry.

* October Fest program & dessert open to the whole congregation.

* “Come to the Table” fundraiser– ladies decorate a table based on any theme they like. Those who don’t decorate do the cooking. The men of the church serve. Entertainment is featured after the lunch. Fun for the guests and fun for the men & women involved.

* Christmas Tea open to the women of all churches in the community.