The purpose of Disciples Women as stated in Preamble to the By-laws is: “To develop a deeper understanding of Christ’s love and salvation for ourselves and others and to provide channels of service to the church, the community, and the world”

A Letter of Welcome to the Women of Community Christian Church

This letter is for you because you attend or are a member of Community Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in Camdenton, Missouri.

Early in the 19^th Century, the women of the Christian Churches became a vital force in the life of local congregations and the brotherhood.  As a Disciples Woman you are the beneficiary of a rich heritage.  We continue to be a vital force locally and throughout the area, regional, and world church.

As a Disciples Woman you are an important link in Disciple Women’s Ministries.

The following information will acquaint you with Disciple Women’s Ministry in this church.  Read it and respond to it!   Because you are a Disciples Woman at Community Christian Church your participation in the groups, activities, and projects of the women’s ministries is invited and encouraged.

Life’s responsibilities impact each of us differently at every stage of our lives.  No one woman can be involved in everything.  We prioritize, and as circumstances change, we re-prioritize.

As you make choices for investing your time, energy, and abundance consider the wonderful opportunities and resources available to you through Disciples Women Ministries.

Beyond our church and community, many of our Disciples Women participate at many levels: cluster, area, region, and national.  Assemblies and workshops invite our thoughtful attendance and engage us in learning and worship.  International travel is available through ‘Woman to Woman.’

If you can do nothing else, you are encouraged to share in the “Blessing Box” ministry.  As you are blessed, make a donation to your personal “blessing box” and once each year give its contents to Disciples Women, Community Christian Church.  Your offering will be combined with others from this church and from Disciples Women around God’s world to support Christian Ministries.

You Are a Disciple Woman!

You Are a Disciple Woman!

You Are a Disciple Woman!

Disciple Women Newsletter

                Buffet Bunch:  Meets the second Monday of the month (except January and February) at 12:00 noon for covered dish luncheon, business meeting and program.  Programs include worship and a study of the current ministries supported by Disciples Women International or a local agency of interest.  Business meetings guide the various service and fund-raising activities. This group supports the Ozark Lakes area and Mid-America region Disciples Women service projects.  Details: Sara Reiter or Bev Eddings

                Joyseekers:  Meets the first Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. for devotional and fellowship activity.  The varied activities are chosen by the group. The women support service projects of the church and community through donations and personal involvement.  Details:  Lee Anna Mitchell

                Brown Bag Bible Study:  Meets each Thursday at 11:00 for lunch, fellowship and study.  Details: Billie Mae Huddleston

                Nimble Thimbles:  Meets each Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for quilting, fellowship and lunch (lunch is brown bag or at a restaurant).  The group supports the Festival of Sharing through donating a quilt or the proceeds from quilting.  Details:  Mim Sisk

                 Prayer Shawl Ministry:  Meets each second Friday morning at 10:00 a.m. to prayerfully knit or crochet prayer shawls for gifts. The shawls are a tangible manifestation of Christian love and care. The group also knits Guidepost sweaters for children. Beginners are welcome to come and learn! Details:  Ruth Gross

                Letters ‘n Lunch:  A small volunteer group meets each Tuesday to prepare the Church Newsletter for bulk mailing and then enjoy lunch together.  Details:  Ginny Dorn

                These groups are waiting to happen:  Details: Sara Reiter

·         Book Discussion

·         Exploring World Missions

·         Creative Crafting

·         Evening Bible Study

·         Errands for  Friends

·         Volunteers for Caregiver Respite

All Disciple Women are encouraged to attend the Ozark Lakes Area and Mid-America Region events.  Details for each event listed will be available at group meetings and through church newsletter announcements.  All are welcome and transportation for groups can be arranged.

Starred projects are undertaken in cooperation with the Outreach Department of the Church.  Others are specifically Disciples Women projects.         

*Lamb House Coupons: Nancy Johnston/Linda Martin

1.       Monthly, two days: Monday (sorting) Tuesday (attaching) Clipped coupons collected in Lamb House Coupons box in Fellowship Hall

2.       Help by contributing coupons; volunteering on the work days

*Lamb House Volunteers:  Martha Frazier/Bev Eddings

1. On appointed and scheduled days volunteers staff the Lamb House, sorting merchandise, making sales, assisting customers.

2. Help by volunteering!

        Labels for Woodhaven:  Rosemarie Taylor

1.       Labels from specified foods are collected in Woodhaven box in Fellowship Hall and delivered to Woodhaven in Columbia by Rosemarie.

2.       Help by collecting coupons

 Shoes for Rainbow Network:  Sara Reiter

1.       Pre-owned shoes are collected, bagged, and delivered by Sara to Rainbow Network in Springfield for distribution in Nicaragua.

2.       Help by saving shoes, bagging each pair in a plastic bag, and bringing them to the collection barrel in Fellowship Hall

Festival of Sharing:  Bev Eddings, Linda Martin, and Judy Crawford

1.       Items for distribution through Church World Service are collected, assembled, and delivered to the Festival in Sedalia in October

2.       Respond to information distributed in August 2009 by donating requested items or cash.  Help assemble items on the designated work days.  Attend the Festival!

            *Holiday Sharing:  Judy Crawford/Linda Martin/Linda Vogel

1.       Disciples Women groups provide holiday food and gifts for selected families

2.       Help by collecting, buying, wrapping, and delivering  through Buffet Bunch  or Joyseekers (the congregation also provides for selected families through the Outreach Department providing multiple opportunities to share at Christmas)

       Christmas on the Square:  Lee Anna Mitchell/Judy Crawford   

1.       The Joyseekers participate in the community activity by creating and staffing a booth for children at the event

2.       Help by volunteering at the event or donating supplies 

SERRV:  Barbara Mueller

1.       Gift items created by women in third-world countries are made available for purchase several times during the year and at the Harvest Luncheon.

2.       Help by buying items when they are available

Congregational Thanksgiving Dinner:  Darlene Johnson

1.       Traditional “Thanksgiving Dinner” is prepared and served to the congregation on the third Sunday in November.

2.       Help by donating food; volunteer to cook, serve, or cleanup.

*Salvation Army Bell-Ringing:  Judy Crawford

1.       Donations to the Salvation Army’s Fund-raising Campaign are solicited at Wal-Mart, Gerbes and Sav-A-Lot.

2.       Volunteer to “Ring the Bell” during the holiday season.

Disciples Women contribute money to local agencies, area and regional Disciples Women service projects, and finance special purchases for the benefit of this church.

Buffet Bunch:

                Budget

ESTIMATED INCOME
       Miscellaneous Donations (no estimate)
        Offerings and Pledges                                                                            700
        Apple Pies                                                                                            3,000
         Harvest Luncheon & SERRV                                                           1,700
                                   TOTAL                                                                   $5,400


  DISBURSEMENTS
    1. OUTREACH
         A. World Mission and Larger Church
                  Disciple Mission Fund                                                                200
                  Disciples Women General Fund (OLA)                                   200
                  Office of Disciples Women                                                        100
                  Disciples Women Service Project                                        1,000
                  Festival of Sharing                                                                      200
                  Rainbow Netowrk (scholarship)                                                 264
                  Rickman Center                                                                          400
                  Community Christian Church-Postage                                   200  
                                    TOTAL                                                                 $2,564

                B. Community Outreach
                    Holiday Sharing (1 family) + food                                           350
                    CADV                                                                                          200
                    Lamb House                                                                              200
                    Share the Harvest                                                                     200
                    Medical Mission for Christ                                                       200
                    Kid's Harbor                                                                               200
                    Helping Hands                                                                          200
                    Special Olympics                                                                     100
                                  TOTAL                                                                    $1,650  

        2. DWBB ORGANIZATION
                    Study/Program Resources                                                       100
                    Memorial Books (for Church Library)                                       50
                    Cards-Sunshine and Sympathy                                                75
                     Bereavement Committees                                                      300
                     Harvest Luncheon Committee                                                300
                    Contigency                                                                                  200
                                   TOTAL                                                                    $1,025

        3. ENRICHMENT EVENTS
                    DIsciples Women Spring Retreat                                            150
                    Quadrennial Savings Account                                                 400
                                    TOTAL                                                                   $    550

                                     TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS                             $5, 789

Fund-raising

                Apple Pie Baking:  This is an annual several-weeks-long project during September and October when apples are plentiful.  Women and men of the church gather on Monday and/or Thursday mornings to peel and slice apples; prepare pie crust dough; assemble pies; bag and freeze pies for sale to the church and community.  Details:  Darlene Johnson, Leanna Harrison

                Fall Harvest Luncheon:  Women and men of the church prepare and serve a fall luncheon on the first Friday in November, inviting the church and community to enjoy the food and fellowship.  You may help by donating food, helping to serve or cleanup, helping the cooks in the kitchen, decorating tables, helping with publicity and ticket sales.  Details:  Darlene Johnson and Sara Reiter

Joyseekers:

The group supports a variety of projects and as each is selected the participants donate money or goods to support the project.

Nimble Thimbles:

Quilting:  Nimble Thimbles offers quilting service throughout the year.  There is usually a waiting list for their service.  The income from their quilting service is donated to a variety of church, community, and world-wide missions.  The Festival of Sharing donation is an annual gift.

The purposes  of the remaining Disciples Women groups at Community Christian Church is study or hands-on service to the church and do not engage in financial/fundraising activities.  Individuals in these groups may support the projects of the groups  listed above.

Offerings and Pledges:

Women of the church contribute personally to support the work of Disciples Women through free-will offerings at group meetings, offerings at area and regional assemblies, in-kind donations for Festival of Sharing projects, and through donations of time and energy to fundraising projects.  Free-will offerings at meetings are sometimes earmarked to support special projects.

Blessing Box Offerings

The “Blessing Box” is a special gift a Disciples Woman makes in response to the blessings that God has given.  Each day or week or month or year, a Disciples Woman makes a special “over and above” thank offering.  (She accumulates the offering in a special box or jar.) These offerings are collected in September and the Treasurer of Buffet Bunch makes a check for the total amount received which is sent to the Area treasurer where it is combined with Blessing Box offerings from Disciples Women throughout the world to support mission programs of the denomination.  

Disciples Women also may take their Blessing Box offering to the Ozark Lakes Area Fall Assembly or mail a check to the area office clearly marked Blessing Box offering.

All women of Community Christian Church are encouraged to participate in the Blessing Box Offering.

Materials are available for purchase by contacting Ruth Gross, Treasurer.  They may also be ordered through Christian Board of Publication.

The available material are excellent resource for individual or group use.  The current mission study is Korea, and human trafficking, especially the exploitation of girls and women.