Sister Care: Equipping Women for Caring Ministry, Mennonite Women USA, 2011.
How can congregations provide better care for women's needs?

Mennonite Women USA has prepared this 4-session manual to address issues of identity, self-care, compassionate listening, loss and grief - for women/caregivers in the church. Four units, with reflection and action options, and an extensive appendix, offer women's groups an important manual for discussion and discovery. Based on the "Sister Care" seminar, this manual can also be used separately to move your group closer to God and to each other as you extend "care" to the women in your church and community.

Borrow free
from Mennonite Church Canada Resource Centre here.

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or check our loan policy.

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We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

Assitance Recipient - Alicia Good

Dear Mennonite Women Canada,

In thanks for your support of my education, I would like to share with you a brief update on my progress this past semester.

This fall my courses were God and Abuse, which was taught by Mennonite pastor Carol Penner and offered through Toronto Mennonite Theological Centre, Greek, Basics of Preaching, and Theological Integration. I am also halfway through a 10 hour a week pastoral internship at Toronto United Mennonite Church. I did well in my courses this semester, although it was a busy time. I have not yet received my final marks but I am fairly confident that I have maintained my A- average.

I particularly enjoyed having opportunities to preach and to lead worship twice in my congregation this semester. My sermons seemed to be well received by my congregation. I also participated in Worship Committee, Missions and Service Committee, MCEC gatherings, and the Christmas Eve Service planning committee. Pastor Marilyn Zehr’s mentorship has been exceptionally valuable in helping me to grow more confident in my sense of call to ministry. I have also appreciated her guidance in learning about how to juggle many different responsibilities as a parent, a student, and an intern. I am looking forward to a 40 hour a week internship this summer in another Mennonite congregation, in which I hope to learn more about pastoral care, preaching, and other aspects of ministry in a congregation.

My daughter has been adjusting very well to Junior Kindergarten. She has learned to count by 2s to 100 and how to sound out small words, the first steps to reading. She loves school and has made many friends at her afternoon playschool as well. My husband has been quite involved volunteering as the assistant treasurer at her playschool. My family also celebrated the return of my parents this fall; they moved from Alberta to Guelph in November. I am thankful that my daughter will have more opportunities to spend time with her grandparents.

This semester I will continue with Greek, as well as taking courses in Postmodernity, and a theology course called Image of God. I am particularly excited about taking a course called Bread, Wine and Water with respected professor Dr. Joseph Mangina which explores different denominational perspectives on Sacramental theology, including readings from John Howard Yoder. I am considering writing my thesis next year on Anabaptist understandings of the Lord’s Supper and how the Supper forms a particular kind of community.

Thank you again for your support of my studies. I have been blessed by this affirmation of the Church as I prepare for ministry.

Shalom, Alicia Good

For SPGA Fund application form contact Liz Koop - Mennonite Women Canada president at koopfarms@becon.org

Prayer for a New Year

God, a new year brings a sense of freshness, of possibilities for the future and of discoveries yet to be made.  As we look forward to stepping into the days ahead, we trust that you will guide us into the good purposes you have planned for our lives.  We ask you for an extra measure of courage, strength, optimism and faith to meet every challenge along the way.  Thank-you for your guidance and lead us into each new day with open hearts and minds.  Amen

Adapted from My Personal Daily Prayer Book, Publications International 2003