Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Oct/77

Contributor - Henny Kroon

Title - Why Did We Start Again?

Topic - Reformed Church Women

Summer is over. Most of the societies and committees in our churches have begun once again. This is also true in our women's work. Why did we start again? Generally speaking, we can say that the Lord wants us to be involved in His work, that He wants us to work, study, pray together with fellow believers, not only on Sunday, but also during the week. We all have different talents and gifts and therefore it is good that the church gives the opportunity to select something in accordance to our gifts (choir, youth work, teaching, etc.). But let us now just single out women's work. What is it that makes women's work attractive to us? Why do we want to belong to that R.C.W. crowd ? I can only speak for myself and give my reasons for it.

1. I need to be strengthened in my faith. In our women's work Bible study takes an important place. Our National Department provides us each year with a Bible study book (with leader's guide). This study book is every year written by a different person - a man or a woman, a minister or a lay person. Some years it takes longer to get used to the writer, but these study books certainly help a great deal to learn more about certain Bible passages and certain aspects of our Christian life. It is not only through learning from these books, however, that I am fed and strengthened in my faith. An important part of bible study is sharing with each other. That means thinking out loud, helping each other to understand things. Quite often we don't have the answer, but it makes us think. Sometimes a person will share with the group, what Christ means in her life, and that is beautiful. Sometimes someone will share a personal concern. This is possible because there is that trust, that this will stay with in the group. This is also beautiful.

2. I need to be informed, educated about the work of the Church at large, and especially about our own denomination. Every year we are provided with material which helps us in this. If we use all this material, we will be better aware of what our Church does through e.g. our General Program Council. It also tells us about the mission fields. In this year's material we can learn about our mission in Chiapas (Mexico) and in Japan. We are also given special programs. There is a Day of Commitment Service; this year there is a special program called "World Hunger". Other material informs us in which area service is needed, where we can send our mission money, etc. And it would take too much space to name it all, but information and education is available.

3. I need to be inspired. Besides the regular meetings our Classical Union organizes a Spring and Fall conference. Many of these meetings are highlights. We have an opportunity to receive first-hand news from one of our own missionaries, or we can listen to a minister or lay person who is working in a special area, e.g. family service, etc. There is also the Triennial, a one in three years conference, which is another source of inspiration. I think we need these highlights, where we can receive a special 'injection', which our own regular meetings cannot give

4. I need to be encouraged in prayer life. At our meetings we are asked in taking turns (voluntarily) to lead in prayer. It gives the person an opportunity to pray and thank the Lord ) to tell Him about our joys, but also about our sorrows. We pray for needs of the group as well as for the needs of each member, but we also pray for the needs of the congregation. Through Women's Work we are encouraged to improve our prayer life at home, to learn to talk to Christ freely, to experience His presence. We need practice in this. We are trying to make prayer the basis for all our activities.

5. I need to be stimulated in giving service. The Lord wants us to be busy in word and in deed. Being involved in service is also one way of saying "Yes Lord, here I am". There are many opportunities to give our service on a local or classical level, e.g.

a. Special appeals from our National Women's Department or the General Program Council.

b. Requests from Church World Service or other organizations, which deal with social needs (Fund raising projects).

c. Promoting of the Baby Roll.

d. Expressing concern and love for all Reformed Church members through calls, ,,isits etc.

By the way, do you ever get tired because the women's group is asked so often to serve ? Don't despair, the National Women's Department urges us not to do everything ourselves, but to involve other people, outside our own group. I can speak from experience, that many women, outside the women's groups (guilds) gladly help out, when they are asked to do so. Besides, is it not true that by being involved in service, we receive more than we give ?

6. I also need the fellowship. Through involvement we have an opportunity to experience fellowship. This too is an important part of our Christian life. We get to know each, other better by working and studying together. By doing so, we will discover the strong points, but also at times the weak points in each other. Nobody is perfect. We can discover in each other the different gifts and talents. We can be sad together but we can also laugh together. Our women's groups are not all alike, because not every group emphasizes the same aspects of women's work. Not all our meetings are worth writing about either. Sometimes we fail.

About 15 years ago I joined for the first time a women's group, perhaps mainly out of a sense of duty. I had no experience at all with women's work. Gradually, however, I began to see how important women's work can be in a congregation and how valuable it can become in one's life. It does draw one closer to God and to -one another. Now I can honestly say, that I am glad that we have started again

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