Scriptural Basis: The scriptural basis gives the priority elements of the ministry. Other ministries can be added, but these should be the main activities. Ministry mean service. Therefore, the purpose of the Women's Ministry is always to serve.

Mathew 25: feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, love of strangers (Hospitality) and visit the prisoners Titus 2: Older women to teach the younger women James 5:20 care for widows and orphans I Peter 4:10 Use our God-given gifts to serve one another Matthew 28:19-20 Sharing the Good News

All of the following are suggestions. Use the ideas that fit your group. Use your creativity to build on the above foundation. Format: Two or more chairpersons. (In the case of a multi-cultural congregation, please include representatives from each ethnic group represented among your women).

Rationale: The reason for two or more persons as chairpersons is to keep the territorial mind-set from forming. The two chairpersons are to work together share ideas and implementing and building working relationships with a wide range of sisters. Two are better than one because they have a good return on their work (Ecclesiastes 4:9).

Suggested Committees: (You may want to give the committee or ministry a creative name to depict what it is you do. You may want to re-define the purpose of these committees also.)

Ladies' Class- can be weekly, biweekly, monthly

Food (preparation, serving, clean-up) provide for the needy, for bereaved families and others

Decoration- Plan color scheme and theme decorations for each major event.

Provide decoration services to other committees when needed.

Sick visitation- Develop plans to make sure all sick sisters are visited or have their needs met while they are sick.

Prison visit female prisoners and minister to children of female inmates

Orphans ministry to foster children, support for families with foster children

Missions plan ways that all can support women in mission work :ministers wives and Christian women overseas etc.

Mentoring: Big Sister-Little Sister Plan and get sisters connected younger and older.

Special Programs Plan Ladies' Day events, Prayer Breakfast, Mother-Daughter Luncheon etc.

Widows Care Serve the needs of widows in the congregation and in the community

Hospitality: Provide a network of women who will entertain visitors to the congregation (for example: ministers, out of town guests to the congregation),Creatively make them feel welcomed.

Suggested Meeting Times- All committees should meet once a month to work on developing their committee ministry. Committees meet privately as needed. Ladies' class time, curriculum, teachers are determined by the chairpersons.

Chairpersons should be open to receive suggestions from all sisters. Once a month all committees need to come together to report on their progress and to make relevant announcements regarding their activities.

Administrative Assistance: Suggestion: Have a team of administratively gifted women who can type up agendas and get announcements into the bulletin, send e-mails and other administrative tasks that the chairpersons and committees need to have done. (Consider publishing a newsletter each month. That may be a task for the Administrative Team or a separate committee.

Budget: Suggestion: Chairpersons need to connect with the elders as to how to determine what the budget will be. When you are starting it more difficult to project a budget, but after completing the first year, it should be easier to project. The details of how money is dispensed should be worked out with each individual congregation's leaders and women. Interacting with the eldership, Ministers and Deacons.

It is vitally important that all the women respect the leadership God has over us in our local congregations. Perhaps a specific elder can be assigned to be kept aware and give spiritual guidance to the Women's Ministry.

May God bless you in your endeavors to minister to one another and your community.