Reaching Out ~ Women's Conference

To keep with the Christian theme while we count down the days until Easter...this post is about something BIG going on right now!

Yesterday's post was about being responsible to people.  I recently realized a group of people that I am responsible to...a group of people that I've been failing.

I work in the office of a factory.  We currently have about 50 employees who work on the machines, and the majority of them are black.  Where I'm from, there are black churches and white churches - because we all like it that way.  I don't want to walk into a black church anymore than a black women wants to come to church with me.  I'm not racist, so don't misunderstand what I'm trying to say.  I'm not sure how it is in other places, but where I'm from and where we live, the churches are all very old and have been around for generations.  People go to church with their families...and as a matter of tradition between relatives, we have black churches and white churches.  But we are not segregated.  I hope that makes sense.  My point is, why don't I reach out to the people I see at work all the time?  And so the gears started to turn.  Over the course of a few days to the end of the week, God put an idea into my head that I wasn't comfortable doing.  But I couldn't shake it, so I shared it with our Mission Sister's leader.  She loved it, and we've been working very hard on it ever since.  What is it, you ask?!

    

{Please don't make fun of the very simple & quite lame "logo."  We're much more concerned with the content at this point and we don't even have a name for the conference yet.  So, this'll do until then.  Please continue reading.  Thank you.}

Dates:

June 8-9, 2012

Time:

Friday Night from 7 - 9 pm

Saturday Morning from 10 am - noon, or 3 pm

Location:

Our Fellowship Hall & Sanctuary

Content Information:

• This will just be a starting point, to plant the seeds, so to speak!  In August or October, we plan on scheduling a one-day meeting to "water the seeds."  Then, in November we'll invite all of the attendants to a Thanksgiving social gathering to touch base with everyone and keep in contact.  Then, in December, we'll have a similar function but the entire church will be invited in hopes of introducing them to our members and congregation after they are comfortable with us.  
• They'll receive goody bags when they first get to the conference.  They'll get a registration card to fill out (so that we can stay in touch and keep inviting them back!), some note-taking supplies, a track to salvation, information about the conference and what we're offering, and some other goodies like hand sanitizer.  
• Friday night we'll have dinner in the Fellowship Hall.  When everyone is finished eating, we'll move to the Sanctuary.  We'll have some praise and worship music, maybe a light and humorous skit to break the ice, a main speaker (or two), some special music, and then we'll offer to pray with anyone who feels like they might want to pray.  Then, we'll tell them about the small groups on Saturday.  There will be sign up sheets because the class sizes will be limited due to space restrictions.
• Saturday morning will start with breakfast (or maybe just coffee and fruit).  We'll have another praise and worship session in the Sanctuary.  Our "service leader" will explain about the small groups and introduce the small group leaders so that the audience will know who to look for.  Everyone will be able to attend two classes - but each small group leader will have contact cards.  If anyone wants to ask questions or get further information, they'll know how to get in touch with someone.  Finally, at the end of the hour, we'll meet for a light snack or lunch before parting ways.

The conference is totally free, of course.  We'll operate off of the budget the church gives us.  If we need more money, then we'll figure something out.  Our speakers, music leaders, kitchen team, and small group leaders will all  be volunteers.  So far, we've had a few people volunteer to lead a small group!  

 Small Group Topics

-so far- 

Abuse (Sexual and Physical)

Drug and Alcohol Abuse (That'd be my class....ahh...scary)

Depression

Being a Single Mom

And I'm sure more people will come forward and volunteer as God calls them


Conference Name Ideas
Our church is at a crossroads and this for women.  So...something about crossroads and women.
Women at a Crossroads
Crossroad Women
Woman at a Crossroad
...something like that.


Now, we are just down to waiting on or recruiting volunteers and making decisions.  =)) 

So, what do you guys think?!  I'm sort of terrified because I'm "in charge" and I've never done anything like this before.  But, I know God picked me for a reason.  He gave this idea to me when he could have put in the head of a much more qualified woman.  God doesn't call the qualified - He qualifies the called.  It's crazy how He called me...He picked me...out of all the more qualified women in our church.  It blows my mind every time I think about it.  I'm so excited about all of this!  =))  To feel God move in my life is such a wonderful feeling...I wish it on all of you. 

I'm scared.  I'm nervous.  I'm clueless.  I'd love some feedback!  Have you ever attended a women's conference?  I'm all ears to any tips or suggestions you've got up your sleeves!  I'm very thankful for how supportive everyone from church has been.  We already have some volunteers and EVERYONE has been so enthusiastic!  & now, I'd love to hear from you!     

2 Days Until Easter!!