LOOKING FOR BOOKS THAT WILL CHALLENGE YOU AND HELP YOU GROW SPIRITUALLY?
BWOQ resources are available exclusively from ReadOn Bookstore, 416-622-8600 x 308 or 416-620-2934 or books@readon.ca
GREAT CANADIAN BIBLE STUDY
Bring women in your church together in January for The Great Canadian Bible Study. The 2008 Great Canadian Bible Study takes a fresh look at Hagar, the slave who bore Abrah's child. Download the .doc file now.
LOOKING FOR MORE BIBLE STUDY MATERIALS? Check out the free studies produced by our Baptist sisters in Western Canada (click on Links and Resources).
WHERE TO FIND THE THEME SONG FROM THE 2007 BAPTIST WOMEN'S WEEKEND AWAY / CONVENTION
"Made to Worship" by Chris Tomlin, Stephan Sharp, and Ed Cash © 2006 worshiptogether.com songs. Mastertrack CD available from ReadOn Bookstore.
For personal growth / Women's Events: Break free and soar
PROGRAM RESOURCE KIT
COMPLETE PROGRAMS
Me? God’s Masterpiece?
An introduction to the major themes of the book of Ephesians
Designed to be God’s Own
This Bible study takes closer look at our theme verses
Mentoring: A Life Designed to be Shared
Drama, story, and discussion women to develop mentoring relationships
My Home: Designed for Mission
PowerPoint slides and stories show “home” mission in Canada and abroad
A Visit to Oasis
A DVD takes women to the Oasis Dufferin Community Centre
and invites them to consider how they can respond to local needs
The Birthday Bash
This birthday party for everyone celebrates each woman as precious to God
The Tough Times of Joelene Carpenter
The Book of Job comes alive in this drama of a contemporary sufferer and her friends
The Ideal Christmas Gift Exchange
Women share Scripture in this simple but effective devotional program
God of Surprises
Carols and readings reveal God’s design for the Birth of Christ
God’s Masterpiece in the Making
This baby shower shows God’s love to a new mom in need
Soup’s On!
Here’s a recipe for an effective community outreach event or ministry
PLUS:
Four different bookmarks thanking women for giving to BWOQ
Poster promoting Recommended Reading books
Copyable BWOQ and By Design logos
New Designs for Women’s Ministry: A booklet for leaders featuring:
> Fresh Approaches to Bible Study
> How to Design a New Women’s Group
DVD
> A Visit to Oasis (27-minute Documentary)
> Our Homes: Designed for Mission (PowerPoint)
From the Introduction to the "Share the Wonder" program packet:
Do you sometimes feel that your Baptist women’s activities are bound by a chrysalis that keeps you doing things the same tried-and-true way? Do you long for the women in your church to recapture a sense of excitement and anticipation of what God can do in their lives? The butterfly in our “Share the Wonder” theme logo invites you to break free and soar. As our Program Resource Committee prepared these resources, we considered ways for you to flex your wings.
Break free from the usual format of your women’s meetings.
Some women’s groups always have a devotional on the agenda. There’s nothing wrong with devotionals. In fact, we’ve suggested Come and Have Breakfast, a fine book of inspirational readings by Susan Gibson. You will also find seven superb litanies of thanksgiving by the late Dr. Paul Brand at the back of the Recommended Reading book, In the Likeness of God. At best, devotionals give women in your group an opportunity to share what God has been teaching them. But there are times when a devotional seems redundant. When you have a speaker, for example, you want to give her as much time as possible. It might be more appropriate to have a prayer time after she speaks, taking to God the concerns she has raised. Sometimes you don’t need a devotional because a strong devotional component has been built into the program.
Break free from the word “meeting.”
Which is likely to sound more attractive to the women of your church: a “meeting” or an “event”? Some of the programs in this packet are definitely events: the Nightie Night, for example, or the Garden Tour.
Break free from the “collection”.
Ever since Baptist women started meeting in 1876, one of the reasons for getting together has been to bring an offering for the work of what is now Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec. Donations through groups are still the major source of BWOQ funds. But when you vary the format of your events and attract women who aren’t in the habit bringing an offering, you need to create ways to boost financial support from women who have been outside your faithful donor base. Consider promoting an event as a fundraiser for BWOQ. Set a goal. Provide envelopes with the promise of tax receipts for donations over $10 (or even $20). Some programs in this kit include ideas for encouraging donations.
Try something new.
Our committee broke free from the format of previous packages by adding new features to meet your women’s ministry needs. The new Bonus Resources section is filled with good advice for leaders, a retreat plan, and other goodies you can use. The CD includes “Share the Wonder” logos for your own promotional materials and a PowerPoint presentation of hymns of praise, movingly set by Angie Dempster to photos by Baptist women and friends. Six-part Bible studies by Kathy Root Parr invite you to explore two wonder-filled books of the Bible, Genesis and Acts. These are a great resource for any Bible study group in your church. They can be purchased separately through ReadOn Bookstore (416-622-8600) or as part of this kit.
See the wonder.
We had a lot of fun preparing these resources. We had a strong sense of expectancy of how God could use these materials in Baptist Women’s ministries. But we also realize that these resources just begin to explore the theme, “Share the Wonder.” We encourage you to bring in speakers who will open your eyes to what God has done and can do in our world: a doctor who can show you the wonders of pregnancy, perhaps, or an avid birdwatcher who will help you see the wonderful variety of Creation. Encourage women in your church to keep a journal of what God is doing in their lives. Provide opportunities for them to share these wonders with your group from time to time. Above all, consecrate yourselves to be women through whom God can do new and wonderful acts in your homes, church, and community.
Copyright 2005, Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec.
Comments or questions? Contact webweaver@baptistwomen.com. Copyright 2007, Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec.
2007-09 THEME VERSES
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago”
(Ephesians 2:8-10,
New Living Translation).