Good morning…
Fall begins to form slowly, like the rising of the sun. A commitment here. An activity there. The calendar starts to fill.
On Sunday morning at Northside Church, I spoke in all three of our worship services, inviting women of all ages and stages to explore our friendly schedule of fall offerings. My notes from that day shared these words:
Quaker theologian Rufus Jones once said, “I pin my hopes to quiet processes and small circles, in which vital and transforming events take place.” We, in the Women’s Ministry, we pin our hopes to God’s quiet processes and small circles of women, in which vital and transforming events take place.
The backbone of our thriving ministry is our collaborative, small group approach to spiritual growth. As author Parker Palmer describes it, each of our groups creates a “circle of trust” as we walk through the ordinary joys and pains of life. Together, we grow to trust God more, to trust our own fresh insights, and to trust the women who come alongside us.
Our fall groups are time-limited, most forming in September and finishing before Thanksgiving. By intention, we try keep our class size to less than twenty-five, allowing for deeper connectivity, and our facilitators are also equal participants, who seek to create and protect a welcoming space where everyone feels heard and supported.
As we gather, we learn fabulous new things and we talk through the challenges of life together, deepening our trust in God, in our unique selves, and in one another. We offer a wide array of opportunities each semester. Some daily. Some weekly. Some monthly. Some drop in when you can. At church, in homes, and out in the community. Mornings, afternoons, and evenings. Bible studies and faith-based book studies. Fellowship times and mission-focused opportunities. I invite you to explore our offerings for this semester: https://northsideyouth.wufoo.com/forms/womens-ministry-2025-fall-classes/.
Again, I remind you. We, in the Women’s Ministry at Northside Church, we are grateful to pin our hopes to God’s quiet processes and small circles of women, in which vital and transforming events take place, semester by semester, year after year.
Might we each prayerfully ask and answer for ourselves: “How can we honor our God with our lives, the God who gives rain in both spring and autumn and maintains the rhythm of the seasons, Who sets aside time each year for harvest and keeps everything running smoothly for us?” (Jeremiah 5:24, MSG).
Fall begins to form slowly, like the rising of the sun. A commitment here. An activity there. The calendar begins to fill.
…Sue…
