We received a lot of great ideas on planning a prayer garden in conjunction with a retreat or event. Below is a creative idea that can be used in a variety of ways.

Before you start: Your planning will depend on whether the prayer garden is for a small group of leaders or a large group of diverse women. It will also depend on if you have the availability of a beautiful outdoor garden or space, or if you will need to create an environment inside.

Decorating: If you have to create the garden environment inside or it is a plain outdoor space, I would buy, borrow, or get donated the following: As many outdoor gazebos or canopies as you can/or need to create small "rooms." You can also use a mosquito netting/tulle, or other white fabric and drape it from tree limbs or the ceiling to get the same effect.

Under each little haven, you could have comfy chairs or rocking chairs, peaceful worship music or instrumental music playing, light a beautiful scented candle if you are allowed, and include decorations such as bird baths, garden tools, watering cans, fountains, etc around the area. Anything to create a peaceful special environment to invite a quiet prayer time with the Lord in their "garden."

Planning Note: If you are incorporating this into an event, you can use the decorating ideas above and create the prayer garden atmosphere in a large meeting room.

Women can enter the event under a flowered arbor that leads them to buffet tables of food with items such as salads, little cucumber sandwiches, chicken salad sandwiches on croissants, fruit, cheese, veggies, scones, yummy desserts, and drinks.

The ladies sit at tables around the room, and they enjoy eating and visiting while beautiful and encouraging music is playing, or even a live harpist. Begin with a warm welcome and overview of the event, then use an ice breaker with a garden theme to help the ladies get acquainted. You can include some group singing and have a speaker share a talk/short devotion intertwining gardening and prayer. You will find some great ideas in "A Woman's Garden of Prayer: Cultivating Intimacy with God through Prayer" by Sarah Maddox and Patti Webb.

After your speaker, it is time to utilize the garden of prayer areas that you created with the gazebos or material for each person to experience their personal prayer time with the Lord. (Depending on your needs, you could skip the food, icebreaker, and devotion aspects above, and just start from here. If you are at a retreat, you can have the women cycle through the prayer garden area one at a time or in small groups.)

Create a prayer focus of five points for the women to meditate on and pray through during their time in the prayer garden. Type up a one page handout with the five areas to cover with prayer topic ideas and scriptures that go along with them, as nothing is more powerful than praying God's word right back to Him!

Ideas to focus on: Christian leadership; five fruits of the spirit; five attributes of God; five roles of women: wives, mothers, friends, servants, and children of God; or simply about learning how to experience intimacy with our Abba Father who is just waiting for us to talk with Him. You could also continue with the garden theme and touch on areas that each woman faces in their daily walk. Here are some ideas I gleaned from the book mentioned above:

If you are doing this with the whole group at once, decide the amount of time you will alot for each of the five areas and have a bell, music, or some type of sound go off to signal the change to the next area to cover. You can also alot time at the end to give each person a time to pray about whatever God has put on their heart. Then, conclude with a group prayer and with singing a song such as "In the Garden."

Submitted by: Kim Schartow
Email: kschartow@gmail.com

Hearts and Hands Knitting Ministry

Objectives: To reach out to those who need comforting in the times of grief, illness, worry and even celebration!

What We Do: We meet once a week to knit and crochet prayer shawls, lap robes, cuddles (small blankets for children), and felted purses. Chemo caps are next!

We have classes to teach new patterns. At each meeting we pray for our ministry and those receiving our gifts. When items are completed, they are prayed over again and then delivered to the special folks. A personalized note card, designed by a ministry member, is given with the gift and includes a message from the knitter.

How We Started: We started with three ladies who had a desire to make a difference. From there, word of mouth along with announcements in our church bulletins and newsletters, helped to gain new members.

When folks see you excited, they want to be a part of it.

How We Keep It Going: Church members have donated to our ministry and we have received money for memorials when someone passes away. We just held our first fundraiser. It was a garden luncheon held at a historical home and it was decorated like something from Southern Living! All the proceeds go to buy new yarns so we can make more items. We also will have a booth at the church's fall bazaar.

Wrap Up: The items are distributed in our church, community and mailed to anywhere we hear of a need. We are the ones blessed by this ministry. It is a wonderful fellowship enjoyed by ladies of varying ages, from recent college graduate to those in their 80's.

Submitted by: Sherri Bassham
Church: First United Methodist, Athens, Alabama
Church Size: Between 250-500
Email: spbassham@aol.com

Here is a second chance to visit our great sponsors from the last issue.

She would really like to use the theme "Learning to Be Content," but she is having some problems generating ideas for games, decorating, gift bags, workshops, music, etc.

We know many of you are very creative thinkers, and I thought we could have our own little brainstorming session to see what ideas we... or you... can come up with.

So... think it over, pray about it, and send your ideas to me at robyne@womensministry.net.

In Him... Robyne Beaubien, Editor

Did you miss the June Issue of Java with Jennifer?

The response to the all new Java with Jennifer "monthly" update was just fantastic. Thanks to many who responded with raving reviews.

Java with Jennifer is an informal monthly ministry update specifically for friends who want to keep up-to-date on what is happening with Jennifer Rothschild's ministry of writing, speaking, and singing.

Obviously, because you are receiving this eNewsletter, you are signed up for the Jennifer's "weekly" WomensMinistry.NET eNewsletter. However, if you want to get up close, and personal with Jennifer, just click on the Update Profile link at the bottom of this email, and select the Java with Jennifer interest group.

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See the June Issue here.

Objectives: To build unity and get to know each other better.

Materials: Small pieces of paper, pens, and women!

Procedure: Each woman in the group is given a small piece of paper and a pen. They are instructed to record on paper a fact about themselves that no one knows. This could be something in their past, a dream, or something that they want to do in their life.

The papers are collected in a small basket and can be read by one person, or the basket can be passed around the room and each woman reads one. The group tries to identify the author of each paper.

This is great fun and lets people show a different side of their personality!

Submitted by: Rita Hillhouse

Someone Has to Win! Why Not You!

When you visit our Featured Sponsor link, you will automatically be entered to win a free book, cd, or other resource from WomensMinistry.NET.

 

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Here's how it works... send us your great ideas and if we use them in a newsletter you will be automatically entered to win the book bundle for the quarter. The more great ideas you submit, the more chances to win. At the end of the quarter we will announce the winner and the books she has won!

WE HAVE A WINNER...

Congratulations to sheila@daysofgrace.org, the winner of the 2nd Quarter Book Bundle. Sheila submitted the Event Idea: Purse-onality Banquet that was used in our June 12th issue. Sheila, send your mailing address to robyne@womensministry.net and we will send you:
 

• Women Mentoring Women by Vickie Kraft & Gwynne Johnson
• Growing People through Small Groups by David Stark & Betty Veldman Wieland
• Love Letters to God by Lynn D. Morrissey
• The Dance of Restoration by Abel Ortega & Melodie Fleming
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