Women from the Cornerstone Team of churches and the wider community came together in faith and fellowship over an online prayer breakfast recently.
It was a time to gather and chat, read the Bible, worship together and pray.
Around 45 ladies attended the ‘zoom’ session, from St Luke’s church in Thurnby, St Catherine’s Church in Houghton on the Hill and St Mary’s and All Saints in Stoughton.
The event was organised and led by a team of women from across the benefice, including Emily Devas and Lynda Creber-Davies.
The idea had been on Emily's heart, while Lynda, having recently moved to the area with her family, thought it would be a great way to get to know people.
Lynda says: “The intention was to support all those who have been feeling weary and lonely during the pandemic and encourage them to persevere in Christ.”
The theme for the Women's Breakfast was indeed ‘Perseverance’, and Emily did a short talk from Hebrews 12: 1-4, while another lady, who works in the NHS, shared how she perseveres in difficult times.
A lovely additional touch were goody bags - including homemade muffins, teabags and daffodils - which had been delivered to the ladies, prior to the breakfast.
With lots of faces present that the churches had not seen for some time, it turned out to be really precious gathering people together again.
Women’s ministry has been on Emily’s heart for a long time. “I spent between September and Christmas just praying and asking God where he wanted to lead us forward as a church,” she explains. “As I spent time with God and in his Word I felt really drawn to two passages of Scripture.”
The first was Ephesians 4:16 (NLT). He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
“After so long apart from one another, I really felt the need to draw the ladies of the church back together because we need one another to function - like a body - so that we can be ‘healthy, growing and full of love’,” says Emily. “It is so important to have friendships in church and to work at growing those. Where there is friendship, there can be honesty, joy, sharing of life and vulnerability. We can sharpen, encourage and bless one another.”
The other passage was Colossians 2:7 (NLT) Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
Emily says: “I really felt that as women we need to be totally rooted in Jesus Christ - we need to know Him and know the truth of the Bible so we can be really strong in our faith. Strong faith really builds the church!”
The Cornerstone Team are now planning to do four Women’s Breakfasts a year and a retreat day, if possible, and hope to be able to safely meet in person for these events.
“I think this was such a worthwhile event - it was simple but hugely encouraging,” says Emily. “For any other worshipping communities looking to do something similar, I think I would just say if you have a heart to reach out, encourage and bless the women in your church and community then just start by praying and asking God to lead you. Then gather people together and simply open the bible together and pray, worship and have a cup of tea together.
“All we did was gather women together but it was the work of the Holy Spirit that brought the real depth of encouragement and love that we felt for one another.”
It’s really inspiring to see the variety of ways we’re coming together across the diocese in faith and fellowship. The video invitation to this event really made us smile, as the bunch of ladies passed their mug of tea from one screen to another – each of them offering warm words of welcome. (You can see it here.)
What new ways are you engaging as a church and wider community? #everydayfaith