Disciples Women, Community Christian Church
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”
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 19th 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.
Disciple Women/Newsletter_Vol_1_Issue_1_Final[1].pdf
Disciples Women Groups
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 second 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
Disciples Women Special Events
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.
Disciples Women Service Opportunities
Starred projects are undertaken in cooperation with the Outreach Department of the Church. Others are specifically Disciples Women projects.
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
1. On appointed and scheduled days volunteers staff the Lamb House, sorting merchandise, making sales, assisting customers.
2. Help by volunteering!
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
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
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)
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
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
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.
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 Finance and Fundraising
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 Network (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
Kids’ 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
Contingency 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.
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.
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.
Disciple Women’s Resources
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.