Inspiration for You

“Women can be instruments of righteousness, rendering holy service to God. It was Mary who first preached a risen Saviour.” Ellen G White

Women Create Inspiring Services

We attend many women’s events, retreats, congresses, conferences when we travel from the General Conference to visit our sisters in the world church. Recently, I’ve participated in several deeply moving experiences during women’s events. I hope that as women in the church and leaders, you will be inspired and motived by these stories, and in turn, will inspire and motivate our sisters.

Bahamas

This group of islands is located in the blue waters of the Caribbean. Our sisters met for a women’s retreat in September at a large hotel. The retreat planners wanted to help the ladies share in a time of spiritual and emotional nurturing on the final day of the retreat. It was suggested to hold a foot washing service during the closing Consecration Service, but how could that be done in a hotel conference room? After much prayer and discussion, the retreat planners decided to have the foot washing service, but instead of using bowls of water, they used anti-bacterial wipes. Women “washed” the feet or hands of their partners by wiping. Then using small bottles of hotel lotion, they massaged the hands or feet of their partners.

It was an emotionally moving and spiritual time, but also a time of caring and nurturing. And it was a time of humility for each of us as we ministered to our sisters.

Guayaquil, Ecuador

I visited Ecuador in October. Our Friday evening program opened the Sabbath with another inspiring service. The theme for the retreat was “Women with a Heart Like God.”  On entering the church from the back, we looked down the aisle toward the podium and saw a beautifully laid table in the shape of a

cross displaying the trays of communion bread and “wine.” The communion bread was shaped like a heart and served on specially made clay plates. The “wine” was served in small clay cups with the theme of the weekend engraved on the side. Other items adorned the tables, including a crown of thorns, a seven-branched candlestick, loaves of bread, and bunches of grapes. I’m amazed at the creativity of our sisters, but even more so by the way our sisters around the world are open to the leading of the Holy Spirit in their lives as God blesses them through their ministry. Let us continue to grow in our relationship with God and share that experience with women around us both in the church and in the community.

We’d love to share your experiences, so please email them to us with pictures, if possible, at [email protected].

By Heather-Dawn Small, GC WM director

Pic top left: Heather-Dawn Small, Director, GC Women’s Ministries