Introduction

Christian women are called to live their lives in terms of the great potential for the development and use of their abilities. Biblical women were powerfully influential as entrepreneurs, judges, homemakers, and Bible teachers. The increasingly complex needs of women within North American society and the church make women’s ministries a key priority. Women today are commissioned to use the talents and opportunities God has given them to fulfill His eternal plan.

An Influential Force

The women’s ministries leader is elected by the church and it is advantageous if she is a member of the church board. Qualifications include a sensitive, caring nature, and a clear spiritual understanding of God’s design for women. She assists the church in meeting the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual needs of women in their various stages of life and from different cultural backgrounds. She seeks to provide a spiritual climate for growth, encourages productivity, and rewards efforts and initiatives.

Women are an influential force in the church. They cradle the future and shape the present with their attitudes and actions toward themselves, family, friends, fellow church members, and neighbors. When women are ministered to, the church, their family, and the community are ministered to as well.

Women’s needs and concerns include (but are not limited to) women living balanced lifestyles, considering responsibilities within the multiple roles of home, work, husband’s work, children, church, and society; women and finances; women and self-esteem; women and decision-making; conflict resolution, and time-management.

Duties of the Women’s Ministries Leader

The major tasks of the women’s ministries leader include the following:

1. Chair the women’s ministries committee. This responsibility is essential to the success of women’s ministries. The chair functions as a facilitator, encouraging the evolution of ideas and plans that produce efforts toward maximizing our church’s mission. The chair assembles the agenda, moderates discussion, and encourages group cohesion through personal sharing, prayer, and fellowship.

2. Establish a committee. The women’s ministries leader works with the church board or church ministries council to establish a committee of individuals interested in women’s needs and concerns. The committee’s purpose is to brainstorm, develop strategies, network, and assist in planning and implementing programs and activities relevant to women’s specific and varied needs.

3. Conduct needs assessments. The women’s ministries leader works closely with the women’s ministries committee in periodically surveying and identifying the needs of the women within the church and community, including spiritual growth needs and training in the promotion of outreach. They should identify the demographics of women in the church, such as age, ethnicity, educational level, marital status, etc., and identify topics specific to their needs.

4. Develop programs. The women’s ministries leader works with the women’s ministries committee and the pastor to develop and implement programs and seminars, and networks with existing support groups or makes appropriate referrals. Special needs include support groups for abused women, senior citizens, single-parents, teens, substance abuse, empty-nest syndrome, and child abuse. Seminars could include those on stress management, grief recovery, parenting skills, self-improvement, spiritual care, etc. Other activities may include prayer breakfasts, literacy programs, day care, and programs for the elderly in the community.

   Established Advent Hope Programs include:

• Women’s International Day
• Women’s Finance, Career and Lifestyle Series
• Mother’s Day Breakfast/Sabbath
• Women’s Literary/Book Studies
• Women’s Tea Time/Brunch
• Health and Beauty Retreat

5. Advocate of women’s needs, concerns and contributions. The women’s ministries leader must keep the church informed of women’s ministries, and their contributions to church life, through written and verbal reports, including newsletters, the personal ministries time, the announcement period, Sabbath School, or the worship hour. This responsibility includes being liaison between women and the church board or church ministries council and assisting decision-making bodies to keep in view the needs of women and to recognize women’s ministries as a vital part of church growth and church dynamics.

6. Interact with the conference women’s ministries department. This includes filing regular statistical reports and calendar items and participation in conference women’s ministries training events.