Thriving Together- January 2023

Thriving Together- January 2023

Thriving Together is a newsletter for women serving in or preparing for ministerial leadership in The Wesleyan Church.

Rev. Belinda Selfridge | February 15, 2023 | Blog Education & Clergy Development Thriving Together

Thriving Together is a newsletter for women serving in or preparing for ministerial leadership in The Wesleyan Church. Each month, we want to embody 1 Thessalonians 5:11:

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,
just as in fact you are doing.”

Encouraging One Another

She arrived as soon as the doors opened. She had signed up for the Women in Ministry breakfast at The Gathering. She was the first guest–everyone else in the room was part of the leadership team or volunteers. I had the pleasure of greeting all of the guests, and I noticed that she had briefly departed from the meeting room. When she returned, I asked her how the breakfast was because I had not yet gone to the buffet. She turned to me with tears in her eyes and shared that she was having trouble eating. I prepared myself for what would follow–was she suffering from an illness? I was prepared to pray for her. But her answer surprised me. She was just overcome with emotion from seeing so many like herself–women in ministry!

Mentoring was the theme of the morning, and attendees participated in activities that highlighted teamwork and collaboration. Gift bags included ideas on how to encourage and engage in mentoring. Ninety-five people attended the breakfast that morning, including Dr. Wayne Schmidt, General Superintendent, who emphasized his appreciation and support for women in ministry. We are thankful for the several district superintendents and other denominational officials who joined us.

Dr. Jo Anne Lyon delivered an encouraging message via video that continued the theme of mentoring and networking.

The breakfast theme of mentoring and networking continues throughout this newsletter and is why we will do our best to connect you with others and why we will seek out creative ways to encourage, inspire, and support you as a woman in ministry. 

Rev. Belinda Selfridge serves as district administrator for the Tri-State District, local outreach pastor at First Wesleyan-Bartlesville, and adjunct professor at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. Belinda is pursuing a doctorate of ministry at Wesley Seminary.

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Doing Ministry

We understand. You’re busy. Many of us are bi- or tri-vocational. We have other responsibilities. Our email inboxes are overflowing. Maybe you’ve opted out of emails from Education and Clergy Development. We tried to get the word out about the breakfast, but unfortunately, we missed a few folks. Would you help us get the word out about this newsletter and other upcoming opportunities by sending this on to other women you know who are in ministry?

We’ve also created a subscription link for folks to be able to get on the mailing list. Any woman doing ministry in any capacity in The Wesleyan Church or discerning a call to ministry is invited to join this conversation.

Resources for Receiving & Pouring Out The Gift of Mentoring

Pray:

  • for a mentor
  • to be a mentor

Meet other women leaders like:

Fill:

  • our pulpits with women preachers on PreacHer Sunday throughout September

Write:

  • a note (or a check!) to a woman pastor/church planter

Read:

Subscribe:

 

1 Thessalonians 5:12 continues, “. . . acknowledge those who work hard among you.”

We’d love to feature your story in an upcoming Thriving Together email. Help us to acknowledge the work of women in the church. Click “calling all writers” below if you have a story to share.

Rejoicing, Praying, Giving Thanks

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 encourages us to “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
We are grateful for you! We want to be a blessing to you and to pray over you as God sends you out. If you have a prayer request, please click the prayer icon below to email us your prayer request. We commit to praying for you as you encourage one another, build each other up, and as you do the ministry God has called you to do.

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