Women's Ministry
October 1, 2020
The Women’s Ministry Team met to finalize the program for the October 17, 2020 Zoom Retreat entitled Stress Break. Participants may sign in at 10:15 a.m. and the retreat will begin at 10:30 a.m. Publicity is in the process of being disseminated. The team is asking participants to sign up online at retreat@lrucc.org. The team also discussed an Advent Spiral event for early December at church. A definitive date is being finalized, as are many details. As plans are approved, Women’s Ministry will make more information available. The next Book Group will meet on November 15 via Zoom at 12:00 p.m. to discuss Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue. Janet Parsons Mackey will facilitate. A call for ideas for books for 2021 was sent out by Jean Wheelock.
September 3, 2020
The Women’s Ministry Team met September 3, and laid plans for a Zoom mini-retreat to be held Saturday, October 17. We agreed to work on an Advent Spiral, to be scheduled for December 6th. We look forward to the book group meeting Sunday September 27 at noon, discussion of Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver to be led by Caroline Labbe. We look forward to working with Nancy Carey, who will join our next meeting on October 1.
August 5, 2020
The Women’s Ministry met for their usual meeting on Zoom on August 5. There was good attendance. The group discussed the retreat that was held on July 11 via Zoom. This was a new way of sponsoring a retreat and there were 25 in attendance. The comments from those who attended were very favorable with good suggestions for a future venture for a Zoom retreat. The group discussed the ways to plan another retreat. The retreat was recorded and is available for watching. The book group remains active with the next meeting on September 27 at 12 noon. The book being discussed will be “Unsheltered” by Barbara Kingsolver this will be led by Caroline Labbe. This gathering will be on Zoom. The group thanked Dawn Jefferson, our summer intern, for the wonderful help she offered us with the ZOOM retreat. We all learned many new skills.
June 3, 2020
The Women's Ministry team met on Wednesday, June 3 on Zoom. The group began plans for a "Zoom retreat" which is tentatively set for July 11 at 11:00am. Dawn Jefferson will be assisting with this event. After a June 18 planning meeting, the event will be publicized. There was also discussion about the desire of some members to have more reflective time and spiritual formation in worship. Sallyanne Harper joined the group for this discussion, and will also talk with the Board of Deacons. The next Book Club meeting is June 13 at 8:00pm on Zoom. There will also be a Book Club meeting in July on Zoom. The May Sip n Chat Book Social went well. Our next meeting is Thursday, June 18 at 1:00pm.
May 7, 2020
The women’s ministry team met on May 7th via Zoom. Recognizing the uncertainties on when the church will reopen, the group discussed ways to maintain connection and community during the pandemic. The book group met last week through Zoom and was attended by 11 people. The group shared books that members recommend during the pandemic. The book group plans to meet virtually again in June.
January 2, 2020
The Women’s Ministry Team met on Thursday, January 2 to finalize the details of their January 25th Celebrating Epiphany breakfast and worship service. A clipboard for sign-ups for the Epiphany celebration will be available in the atrium on Sundays, January 5, 12, & 19.
December 5, 2019
The Women’s Ministry Team met on December 5 and made plans for the breakfast and meditation time scheduled for January 25 from 10:00 am to noon.
November 7, 2019
The Women’s Ministry Team met on November 7 and discussed the women’s breakfast, to be held on January 25, 2020. The theme will be “Celebrating Epiphany: Look up, Listen, and Be Amazed.” There may be a follow-up on the theme with a day-long mini-retreat at the church in the spring.
Caring Hands: Carrie Douglas and the group have been working on a large knitted quilt. The hope is to give it at the breakfast on January 25 to a family seeking asylum after a journey.
October 3, 2019
The Women’s Ministry met on Thursday, October 3 and discussed the following upcoming events: Poetry on January 12, 2020 and a special event for women on Saturday morning, January 25, 2020. They also discussed covenant groups and they need for them. Finally, they shared a devotion based on Psalm 103 and listened to and sang along with Taizé music. The next meeting will be on November 7 at 10:00 am.
September 15, 2019
The Women’s Ministry Group met on Thursday, September 5. Mary Beth Ciarcia has agreed to handle the administrative activities of the Book Group. She will also be leading the discussion of “Lipstick” on September 15.
The group is working on a way to share information about the Welcome Blanket project.
The morning of Saturday, November 23 will be the time for a breakfast and gathering for reflection before the holidays. The group hopes to have pastoral attendance at the next meeting to discuss ways for the women to connect with each other.
June 6, 2019
The Women’s Ministry Team met on Thursday, June 6 to evaluate the retreat held at Shrine Mont in Orkeny Springs, VA in May. Twenty-one women attended the overnight retreat to explore, in a variety of ways, the many special people and things in their lives for which they are grateful. Evaluations were overwhelmingly positive, and constructive suggestions were made for future retreats.
May 2, 2019
The Women’s Ministry team met on May 2. The team made final plans, program, schedule, and more for the upcoming Women’s Retreat at Shrine Mont on May 18-19. The retreat is dedicated to Rev. Ginna Minasian Dalton with the theme of Gratitude. Participants will be carpooling from Little River UCC on Saturday morning and return to Little River on Sunday afternoon. The next Book Group meets May 5 to discuss The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck. The group will be led by Dottie Lamb. On July 14, Shirley Bloomquist will lead the discussion of Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover. The team looks forward to nurturing new relationships and renewing connections with those they already know, with an openness to building a stronger faith community. Pan Binninger will be leading the June meeting.
April 4, 2019
The Women’s Ministry team met on April 4. They discussed and finalized retreat plans for the 23 attendees. They expressed enthusiasm for a Ginna Minasian Dalton Fund for Youth Mission Activities. The next meeting is scheduled for May 2 at 10:00 am.
March 7, 2019
The Women’s Ministry Team met on Thursday, March 7 and discussed a variety of options in planning for the retreat program on gratitude. Twenty-three women have registered for the women’s retreat at Shrine Mont in May. The next meeting will be on Thursday, April 4, with Janet Parsons Mackey leading.
February 7, 2019
The Women’s Retreat was the subject of the February meeting. The retreat will take place May 18-19 at Shrine Mont. The retreat will be dedicated to Ginna M. Dalton, the founder of Women’s Ministry. Questions can be answered by Pam Binninger.
January 6, 2019
The Women’s Ministry met on Thursday, January 3 and discussed their upcoming May retreat. Sunday, January 6 is the deadline to sign up. Details about the “Gratitude” theme will be discussed in February. Data collection for the annual report was discussed and procedures set in place. The next meeting will be held on February 7 and will include discussion on recruiting new members and publicizing the group.
December 6, 2018
The Women’s Ministry Team met on Thursday, December 6 and evaluated the November 17 breakfast and worship time, worked on May retreat sign-ups, and settled plans for the Book Group. The next meeting will be January 3, 2019.
October 4, 2018
The Women’s Ministry team met on October 4 to finalize arrangements and programs for the event, “Gratitude for God’s Blessing” to be held Saturday, November 17 from 9:30 am to 12:00 noon at the church. The team will meet again on November 1.
September 6, 2018
The Women’s Ministry met on Thursday, September 6 to discuss the details for its upcoming breakfast program, entitled "Gratitude for God’s Blessings,” on Saturday, November 17. Gathering and breakfast will occur from 9:30-11:00 am, and a program of music, readings, and sharing of thoughts on gratitude will occur from 11:00 am to noon in the sanctuary. Mark your calendars. All are welcome!
A second topic, a women’s retreat from Saturday, May 18, to Sunday, May 19, 2019, at Shrine Mont in Orkney Springs, VA, was discussed. More information on this planned retreat will be forthcoming in November. The retreat, titled “Practicing Awareness of God’s Blessings,” will be an expansion of the theme for the November breakfast program.