Women's Guild/Ladies Aid/Women's Groups in the Church

[WildStrawberry]

So ladies, what does your Women's group do in your church? Are you an active member? Wanna be but don't want to volunteer for stuff?

I'm trying to think of ways to revitalize our group and get it active again. It seems that the same ladies do EVERYTHING in the church unless it's a "fun" activity. Even then, attendance isn't really that great.

We offer babysitting for the young mothers and have begun thinking of doing a website where the women who CAN'T make it because of work or whatever, can catch up on what's going on and can leave ideas or whatever.

Any ideas you all can think of to stimulate the gals and get 'em going? Are you facing the same situations in your Church? What have your solutions been?

Kae

[synger]

Our LWML is hosting a tea this Saturday, for adult women and their female guests (of school age). I'm taking Gem.

I've wanted to be more involved, but they always meet on Sunday afternoons, and I usually can't make it due to other commitments.

[cerette]

I started a women's group in a congregation... the first meeting was great.. everyone came and were excited and full of ideas. :) I was assigned to print a schedule with the times and dates we had agreed on for our meetings for the following 6 months or so... and I did.. and handed it to everyone the next week we met in church... Along came Women's meeting # 2... two of us showed up... the rest had forgotten, were too busy or didn't feel like coming. That was the end of it.

[LilLamb219]

We have a very active group in our church called the Ladies Society. I'm the baby at the age of 41 (edited to say that I think there is one other lady who might be younger than I am!). I'm not sure what will happen when they start passing away :( I've tried to get the other ladies my age to join, but they are just too involved in other things and their kids.

We invite guest speakers sometimes and that will draw in a bigger crowd. Our attendance is about 15-20 per meeting. It's not too bad.

oops gotta run...I'll be back to this thread!

[ctay]

I tried to start one in that church. It got shot down, only had maybe 4 or 5 sign up. I gave up. In between churches right now.

[LilLamb219]

Here are some of the things our Ladies Society does:

We have an annual Rummage Sale and this is our ONLY income!

With that income (this year was a huge one for us...I won't give a specific amount but it's a few thousand), we do things inside the church and outside the church.

Outside the church, we send money to the seminaries and deaconesses, we buy gifts for a local Bethesda group a couple times a year, we donate other things like this year it will be some fleece blankets, we do "showers" for our local groups such as a women's shelter and adoption agencies.

Inside the church, we provide money from our rummage sale to help improve some things the building needs, one year it was to provide paint for us to redecorate the Sunday School rooms. We coordinate some events, send cards to the sick, and hand out things during the LWML months to the ladies of the church.

Our meetings are September through May with the May one being a Ladies Night Out. We have an annual Christmas pot blessing party that is a blast!

As I said earlier, we invite speakers sometimes, and we also do things like crafts or Bible studies. It can be a fun time.

[WildStrawberry]

Good ideas everyone!

We also have a Rummage sale (ours was huge this past year as well!) a Cookie Walk in December, we have guest speakers from time to time, however this past year we haven't done much of that. I think it's sort of because we've only had business meetings for each meeting except the Bible Study one where we went to a local restaurant. Talk about being nervous! I not only had to speak in front of our group but the whole restaurant was listening! YIKES! *G*

What is your Christmas pot blessing? That sounds intriguing.

One thing the WG (I REALLY want to change that name. I think it's off putting to many of the younger crowd) did a few years back was to place "greeters" at the doors to the Sanctuary at the end of the service and handed out wee reminder notes attached to a "snack size" piece of candy to each of the women. The president at that time said that it worked but when they stopped, the women again forgot to come.

I guess I'm just frustrated at the fact that it seems as if the same group of ladies have been doing EVERYTHING for the last 10-20 years. Occasionally you'll get someone new (like me. I'll freely admit that I wasn't sure about being in the Guild mainly 'cause I thought it was "older church ladies") to come along, but we need fresh faces, new ideas, many hands and happy workers.

I want to see our church become a CLOSE knit community again. It seems that, in the last decade, not only attendance in the Guild but also other areas has fallen away. Our worship services are getting MUCH stronger (early service was PACKED this past Sunday. However, the Reds were playing at noon so I suspect many were there because of that. But at least they were THERE!) but our groups seem to be fading away.

Kae

[WildStrawberry]

Our LWML is hosting a tea this Saturday, for adult women and their female guests (of school age). I'm taking Gem.

I've wanted to be more involved, but they always meet on Sunday afternoons, and I usually can't make it due to other commitments.

The tea sounds wonderful! I may have to bring that up at our next Executive Board meeting.

What would make it better for you to be more involved? Would another night help? Would it be better to keep it "standard Lutheran time" (*G*) and maybe have an axillary meeting? Perhaps be kept abreast of things via email or a Ladies Group Web page where you can interact with the others, put forth your ideas? (man, I'm tired. Just wrote "eyedeers" *G*)

What would you do (all of us) to make your Woman's group BETTER? No idea is too far out there. No idea is too small or too large.


Some of the things we've been kicking around are:

On Oct 18th (St. Luke's day) we're having a Health Fair that's open to the whole community.

We do the Cookie Walk each year but we've thought of adding in a craft show as well. We'd "sell" tables for the crafters. We've done this separately before but never together.

We're looking into adding a PR person to our "roster" of "executives" to work exclusively on PR. (actually, since I'm really only called in once in a blue moon to do Bible studies, although I'll be doing one a quarter this coming year, I've thought of shouldering that job myself.)


Anything I could add to the list? We want to get our Young Adult (HS on up) ladies involved as well.

Kae

[LilLamb219]

The Christmas Pot Blessing is a pot luck dinner...blessed before we eat it with prayer hehe :) Everyone brings a dish and the executive board buys the chicken. The flute choir I'm in has been playing for the past 4 years (I think) while the ladies come in to the room and then again when they first begin eating.

After the meal, we play Christmas Tree Bunco, we have a gift exchange and a carol sing with readings from Luke.

[LutheranChick]

The flute choir I'm in has been playing for the past 4 years (I think) while the ladies come in to the room and then again when they first begin eating.


You play the flute? So do I! Or, at least, I used to. Not much call for it anymore, and I just gave my flute to my great-niece to learn to play.

Our Women's Guild is very tiny because our congregation is tiny, so we aren't real active. With less than 10 members, it's hard to do too much because it has to be the same people everytime- not much choice there! We do have a couple ladies that don't participate, and I wish I could get them to come. With such a small group we need all the help we can get!

[reda]

My sister was over a family group for stay at home moms. They came up with the idea to do a kids clothing switch. The idea was for all the women to bring clothes that their kids outgrew and swap them with others. They were even at one time talking about swapping garden produce. one time they had a class on sewing baby things from sewing patterns they got off the internet. Everyone seem to enjoy this and some continued to sew their baby items and a few started selling them. For some, this was the first time they ever sewed something. The class was a hit.

[WildStrawberry]

Oooh now that IS a good idea, Reda! Thanks!

Kae

[reda]

Thanks. One more thing you might want to look into is a raffle. $1.00 tickets and raffle off some type of electronic item. The proceeds going to a charity, church fund etc. For the ladies only, my sister would even sometimes host spa parties. The parties include refresments, hand soaks with different hand creams, foot soaks etc. but nothing extreme like a real spa. Just mainly a relaxing event.

[ctay]

The Lutheran church I go to bible study at, their ladies aid, they bring things from home and do a silent auction among themselves and the money they buy something for the school but you could do this and use the money on anything

[WildStrawberry]

Ooh keep it up gals! Good ideas all around!

We do a basket auction in the summer. It's usually a great turnout and everyone brings side dishes while the Elders provide a pig for roasting. (we happen to have a pig farmer in our congregation. *G*)

Kae

[DaRev]

Some congregations don't allow raffles of any kind.

[LilLamb219]

Some congregations don't allow raffles of any kind.

Ours doesn't.

We can't hold dances either. I wonder what else we can't do?

[WildStrawberry]

We can hold dances (at least we used to be able to do so) but I don't know about raffles.

There are some awesome ideas ladies! Any more?? :D

We've done an Olde Tyme Church Fair (sort of as a counterpoint to the Roman Catholic church kitty corner to us) where we had games and prizes, a pie throwing booth, a dunking tank, karaoke...lots and lots of food...many fun things.

The Women's Guild usually host a Sweetheart's dinner (Called The Sweet Taste of St Mark's) on or near Valentines day but we couldn't this year as V-day landed in Lent. So we did a dinner and wine tasting in March. Everyone brought at least 2 bottles of wine to share with their table, there was steak we grilled out and all the fixin's. It's the second one we've done and they're usually a big hit.

We have something we do called "Dinners for 8" where 4 couples get together and once a month they have dinner at each other's houses. (you can sign up but say you can't host due to size of your house/apartment or whatever.) It's a really nice way to get to know people you haven't met or don't really know well. I haven't been able to go since I quit driving. (Mike's not comfortable eating around people he doesn't know. *G*) But they are fun.

I've mentioned the Health Fair, I believe. We used to do it in the spring but this year have moved it to the Fall to coincide with flu shots, breast cancer awareness month (the HF started as a tribute to one of our members who died from Breast Cancer only weeks after giving birth to her daughter. She chose to give Danielle life instead of aborting to save her own.) and St Luke's Day. (Oct 18th) We haven't gotten into the planning stages yet but we've all been coming up with some great ideas.


Kae

[LilLamb219]

We're having a Katie Luther event on Reformation Sunday in the fall! We've invited a lady to come speak...she'll be dressed in garb and talking like she's Katie herself!!! She's wonderful! Afterward we're having a good German dinner!

[WildStrawberry]

That sounds cool, Lambie! I've wanted to do something like that but haven't a CLUE where to look for a speaker.

Kae

[reda]

Wildstrawberry, sounds like your church is pretty busy as it is. You guys do alot of things there. Everything you said your church does sounds very nice.

[WildStrawberry]

Reda,

Thanks! We have a great Church family and we all have lots of fun doing the things we plan, but the problem is, most of these events are staffed and attended by the same people over and over again. We want to get the new people involved and keep some of the older families from drifting away.

And so we plan! *G*

Kae

[BonnieT]

There isn't any LWML at our church; it's small and a transplant church/mission church. Some of the ladies have been members,but didn't like the experience very much, for various reasons, which I understand.

I was president for 4 1/2 out of 6 years, so I know what you mean. One thing to do is to try to have a program every meeting. What we did for awhile, was have people with interesting hobbies give talks to our group.

Other programs were guest speakers, who spoke to us of various charities that they work for, and the opportunities for volunteering.

We also had "Secret Angels." And every December, had a great Christmas Party, where we learned who our Secret Angel was, and exchanged gifts with them. And had a pot luck.

HOpe this helps.

[CaliforniaJosiah]

My LCMS congregation has an LWML. Being a single guy, I have no idea how large the group is but since the church is very small, I suspect it is, too. They intersect with my life in that they do the "fellowship" time after the services (GOD LOVES Lutheran fellowship time after the services - no other does it better), and they have an "altar guild" that sets up and cleans up after the Eucharist (my Dad's church has this lady who is the self-appointed "pope" of all that, single handedly. NO ONE - and I mean NO ONE - gets in her way; fortunately, she does it well. BTW, she's also the "kitchen nazi" as one who shall go unnamed refers to her). The LWML was collecting rice and beans for Mexico last year, and diapers for a pro-life center the year before that.

BTW, there's also an Lutheran Laymen's League in the LCMS, too. Ironcially, it's not just for men so it's not really the male gender of LWML (as I wrongly once thought). I got involved with them helping to decorate the LLL float for the Rose Parade. They have an a good website and sponsor the International Lutheran Hour and lots of other stuff. Somehow our church is involved with the LLL, too. I honestly am not sure how.


As the son of a pastor, I learned that there is LOTS that goes on in a parish - even really small ones - that few people know about. LOTS of people working "behind the scenes" doing good stuff. God bless them. One of our Trustees, he's like 70 something and not in the best of health, but he's down at the church almost every day fixing sprinklers, painting, trimming, cleaning, fixing coffee pots, picking up litter. Every church has these people - and virtually no one knows all the selfless, good stuff they do. I think the LWML is just one way that these folks kinda of cooridinate their ministry.

I appreciate them all....



Pax


- Josiah




.

[TCat]

I am a member of a rather large LCMS church and the LWML is pretty active, I think. I say that because they always have things in the bulletin and notices in the ladies rooms about things they are doing.

I have been a member of my particular church for about 5 years, and just a few months ago found out that as a women I am already considered a part of the LWML. Who knew? My girlfriends and I are very active in the church, choir, missions, recovery team, prayer and bible groups but none of us knew that we were invited to be a part of that group.

In our church the LWML seems to be mostly older, retired and nearly all traditional worshipers. Since my lady friends and I do not fit that mold I don't think we are very welcomed. Actually, most of my close friends are already heavily involved in many church activites, I don't think any of us could find time to serve more than we do so it's really a non-issue.

I do wonder what will happen to the LWML in my church after the older crowd passes away...

[WildStrawberry]

There isn't any LWML at our church; it's small and a transplant church/mission church. Some of the ladies have been members,but didn't like the experience very much, for various reasons, which I understand.

I was president for 4 1/2 out of 6 years, so I know what you mean. One thing to do is to try to have a program every meeting. What we did for awhile, was have people with interesting hobbies give talks to our group.

Other programs were guest speakers, who spoke to us of various charities that they work for, and the opportunities for volunteering.

We also had "Secret Angels." And every December, had a great Christmas Party, where we learned who our Secret Angel was, and exchanged gifts with them. And had a pot luck.

HOpe this helps.

Does help!! Welcome to the forums!

I think I may "borrow" Secret Angels for our Christmas Pal Program we have. It's gotten out of hand in recent years. Used to be that it was a "Prayer Pal" program and you were to pray for your pal and if you wanted to do so, give them a wee gift or something. Lately, it's been all about the gift giving and not so much about the prayers. I'm SO going to upset the Apple Cart...but...it's my JOB!! *G*



<snip>I have been a member of my particular church for about 5 years, and just a few months ago found out that as a women I am already considered a part of the LWML. Who knew? My girlfriends and I are very active in the church, choir, missions, recovery team, prayer and bible groups but none of us knew that we were invited to be a part of that group.

This seems to be a common problem. One that the new Executive Board and I are trying to overcome. We're looking to get our newly confirmed girls involved this year.

In our church the LWML seems to be mostly older, retired and nearly all traditional worshipers. Since my lady friends and I do not fit that mold I don't think we are very welcomed. Actually, most of my close friends are already heavily involved in many church activites, I don't think any of us could find time to serve more than we do so it's really a non-issue.

I do wonder what will happen to the LWML in my church after the older crowd passes away...

This is a big problem though. You do know that you can attend the meetings and not sign up for more activities right? *G* (I use that line on ALL the women who ask about WG but say "but I don't want to be volunteered for something so I don't go!) They need your voice and ideas as well! Maybe they're having a problem with something that a younger person could address much better???

And what does become of your LWML when the older crowd passes away? You realize that the Women's Guild really is responsible for MUCH of the things that the Church does...or at least mine is. If it weren't for our Guild, we wouldn't be able to do half of the things we've done over the past 20 years.

What would it take to get you involved? I'm asking because I know TONS of women who think like you do. We want them there for the fellowship, the ideas, the voices. And yeah, it would be REALLY nice to have more hands helping with the Cookie Walk, the Health Fair, the...the...the...

But that's not the be all and end all.

Kae

[TCat]

What would it take to get you involved? I'm asking because I know TONS of women who think like you do. We want them there for the fellowship, the ideas, the voices. And yeah, it would be REALLY nice to have more hands helping with the Cookie Walk, the Health Fair, the...the...the...

But that's not the be all and end all.

Kae

Well it would have been nice to had been informed about being a part of the LWML. Honestly no one has ever approached me about it or asked if I am interested so...I doubt anyone cares about my ideas, fellowship or voice.

Part of the problem may be that my church offers both traditional and contemporary services each Sunday. The LWML seem to mostly be a part of the traditional side of things. Personally I think they are missing a huge chunk of woman since the contemporary service has a much larger attendence every single Sunday.

What would it take to get me involved, an invitation would be a good start.

[BonnieT]

Our last church had an LWML that I helped start up. It had been inactive for many years.

You could try having programs like guest speakers, who work with various charities in your area.

Or, have the various ladies in your group talk about their own hobbies and give demonstrations. And see if anyone else in your church has interesting hobbies that could be demonstrated for your group.

You could do service events, like making soft blankets for those in nursing homes. Or in hospitals.

There's all kinds of things that can be done. And have bake sales, of course, for income. Although we always took in offerings at each meeting. And the mites.

Hope this helps.

[WildStrawberry]

Well it would have been nice to had been informed about being a part of the LWML. Honestly no one has ever approached me about it or asked if I am interested so...I doubt anyone cares about my ideas, fellowship or voice.

Part of the problem may be that my church offers both traditional and contemporary services each Sunday. The LWML seem to mostly be a part of the traditional side of things. Personally I think they are missing a huge chunk of woman since the contemporary service has a much larger attendence every single Sunday.

What would it take to get me involved, an invitation would be a good start.

*nods in understanding* Okay. Of course, maybe they don't know that an invitation needs to be issued. *G* I know that our WG is sometimes remiss in doing that and (I'll say they 'cause I'm wanting to do something about this!!) they only issue "invitations" on LWML Sunday (the first Sunday in October!) and forget about doing it the rest of the year.

I agree that your LWML/Women's Guild is TOTALLY missing a huge chunk of women! And believe me, if you were at MY church...your ideas would TOTALLY be asked for, seriously considered and most likely implemented.

I know that you're looking for an invite...could you invite yourself? Just to sit in on one meeting and see what it's all about? And then...if you like it and stuff...and if you were listened to at all...maybe you could bring up that many women from the 2nd service have NO CLUE that they're already members and...hey could we do something about that???

Of course, I totally understand if you don't want to do any of that. It's hard balancing everything!

Our last church had an LWML that I helped start up. It had been inactive for many years.

You could try having programs like guest speakers, who work with various charities in your area.

Or, have the various ladies in your group talk about their own hobbies and give demonstrations. And see if anyone else in your church has interesting hobbies that could be demonstrated for your group.

You could do service events, like making soft blankets for those in nursing homes. Or in hospitals.

There's all kinds of things that can be done. And have bake sales, of course, for income. Although we always took in offerings at each meeting. And the mites.

Hope this helps.

For the most part, your list sounds like everything we do! *G* Lately we've been all about the "service" part and not much about the "fun" or "spiritual" part. So we're going to incoporate both of those in as well.

Kae

[porterross]

OK, I'm gonna throw this out there because surely I'm not the only female who couldn't care less about sewing, crocheting, being in the choir or trying to tell the pastor what the altar should look like ;) (I've seen how some women in certain groups see themselves as more necessary than the pastor!!). Some of us are more driven to learn, study and maybe help with more of the structural administration of the building itself or basic operating procedures. Why is it that such women are seen as unnatural or odd and treated very much like outsiders?

As much as I like to help out the elderly or disadvantaged in hospital or assisted living centers, the prospect of being involved in Habitat for Humanity or Special Olympics is also incredibly appealing. Such suggestions in the past have been treated with kind, humoring smiles, but absolutely no real interest, especially from the women who ran the LWML. They had their rummage and bake sales planned and expected and that seemed like all they could manage to even think or talk about. I'm not trying to be critical of all groups, but my experiences with the LWML and women's groups in general has been incredibly frustrating.

[WildStrawberry]

*nodding*

Thanks Porter! Our whole church has done the Habitat thing for a few summers now. I've not been able to do it because of health reasons, but I still talk others into it. ;) I've convinced the Youth Group that it's REALLY cool! *G*

The Special Olympics thing never occurred to me! We do something around Christmas (I can't remember what it's called) for the residents at Bethesda Lutheran Home and the High School SS class has adopted a resident and sends her birthday cards and gifts and thinking of you stuff all the time.

But...hmmm...I'll have to talk with the Prez 'bout this.

:D

Kae

[DaRev]

OK, I'm gonna throw this out there because surely I'm not the only female who couldn't care less about sewing, crocheting, being in the choir or trying to tell the pastor what the altar should look like ;) (I've seen how some women in certain groups see themselves as more necessary than the pastor!!). Some of us are more driven to learn, study and maybe help with more of the structural administration of the building itself or basic operating procedures. Why is it that such women are seen as unnatural or odd and treated very much like outsiders?

As much as I like to help out the elderly or disadvantaged in hospital or assisted living centers, the prospect of being involved in Habitat for Humanity or Special Olympics is also incredibly appealing. Such suggestions in the past have been treated with kind, humoring smiles, but absolutely no real interest, especially from the women who ran the LWML. They had their rummage and bake sales planned and expected and that seemed like all they could manage to even think or talk about. I'm not trying to be critical of all groups, but my experiences with the LWML and women's groups in general has been incredibly frustrating.

I'm telling ya, you'd make a perfect...


...nm. :sorry:

;)

[RadMan]

*nodding*

Thanks Porter! Our whole church has done the Habitat thing for a few summers now. I've not been able to do it because of health reasons, but I still talk others into it. ;) I've convinced the Youth Group that it's REALLY cool! *G*

The Special Olympics thing never occurred to me! We do something around Christmas (I can't remember what it's called) for the residents at Bethesda Lutheran Home and the High School SS class has adopted a resident and sends her birthday cards and gifts and thinking of you stuff all the time.

But...hmmm...I'll have to talk with the Prez 'bout this.

:D

Kae
HFH? I've been working in the "restore" for over a year now. Haven't been there for a month since I hurt my arm. Lutheran's have a group like that. Can't remember the name.

[porterross]

I'm telling ya, you'd make a perfect...


...nm. :sorry:

;)


What........a perfect man? :eek:

Thanks a lot. :cry:

I like flowers, gardening and cooking (not so much baking!). Do those count? :(

[ctay]

:doh: :blush:

[DaRev]

What........a perfect man? :eek:

Thanks a lot. :cry:

I like flowers, gardening and cooking (not so much baking!). Do those count? :(

Siwwy wabbit! :P

;)

[DaRev]

:doh: :blush:

You knew what I was talking about. :D

[seajoy]

I like Porter's little rant about ladies groups at church (sorry to get in on this thread late). I have been treated terribly at 2 of the churches I've attended. At the last church, Pastor and I were lambasted at a meeting, because his wife and I chose the "wrong" carpet for the parsonage living room.....and on top of that, didn't get it from a WELS Lutheran. (the church counsel had voted for the carpet we picked out, and my hubby was an elder). Later in the meeting, it was asked who had been to visit someone at the nursing home that month...I was the only one, and that was poopooed immediately. I never went back to ladies aid.

We have belonged to our new church for 2 1/2 years, and I've never even looked into joining any groups. I've been burned too many times. The cool things you gals are talking about in your churches, makes me think maybe I need to get this chip off my shoulder. At least I'll think about it.

[seajoy]

HFH? I've been working in the "restore" for over a year now. Haven't been there for a month since I hurt my arm. Lutheran's have a group like that. Can't remember the name.
In the WELS, there are The WELS Kingdom Workers and Builders For Christ. They did a great job on a new church after the hurricane in New Orleans. My husband wants to be part of that group when he retires.