Newsletter
December 2024

Is God calling you to pray more regularly or fervently for the needs of our church, community, or the world? Are you in need of prayer yourself? In either case, we hope you’ll join us monthly to lift all these petitions to our great God and expect to see Him work in wonderful and unexpected ways! We’ll be meeting in Room 7 on Wednesday, Dec. 11th from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. (Hint: It’s a great way to spend time if you bring your teen to youth group)—and men are welcome!

Contact Marianne Wallin with questions (505-670-5016).

All women are invited to join our annual women's Christmas gathering on Saturday, December 14th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm in the worship center. We’ll enjoy a traditional Lessons and Carols program that dates from the 1800’s and pairs scripture passages about the birth of Christ with beloved hymns that help tell the nativity story.

Friends and family are welcome and light refreshments will be available afterwards so we can enjoy a time of fellowship. We encourage you to wear your festive or formal Christmas best!

ALL women are invited to attend our monthly comeUNITY gatherings for fellowship, discussion, and discipleship!

Please plan to join us for an evening of festive fellowship this month on Tuesday, December 17th from 7:00 to 8:30 pm (come early and stay long)! Please bring a holiday treat or savory appetizer to share and an object related to a treasured holiday tradition or experience. We will enjoy a time of Christmas Show & Tell, a short devotional, and a game. Everyone is invited and encouraged to bring a friend!

Then save the date for our first meeting of the new year on Tuesday, January 21st, when we’ll be having a women’s worship night. You won’t want to miss it!

Text Leigh Thomas, comeUNITY Coordinator, with questions (208-206-6620).

With a rapidly-expanding church family, we have a growing need for women to be in discipling relationships with other women as they learn to be like Jesus together. It’s not complicated: that’s what discipleship relationships are all about! For those of you seeking a spiritual mentor, I would recommend the following 5 things you can take action on now:

• Seek discipleship through existing opportunities like groups, classes, and activities that bring you into close contact with other women you can get to know organically. The best connections are often those that spring up naturally as you continue to grow in community.

• Don’t wait to be approached or matched with a mentor. Take ownership of your own growth and invite women to join you for coffee or a walk to get to know them. You don’t necessarily need to establish a formal mentoring relationship: you can enjoy one another’s company informally and achieve the same result.

• Be gracious and understanding of your mentor’s schedule and other commitments. Don’t necessarily expect a long-term relationship to develop: agree to meet for 4-6 weeks and go from there. Not every connection will turn into a lifelong friendship! Be grateful for what you glean from every meeting and then pray about it: the Holy Spirit is your true Mentor and will confirm what you learn as you go.

• Expect a challenge. The value of having a spiritual mentor is not only in knowing someone who will comfort and encourage you, but in having them stretch you. Just because it gets difficult doesn’t mean you connected with the wrong person: persistence is key.

• Remember that we learn the most when we teach. If you have been a dedicated follower of Jesus for any length of time, you have something to offer someone else. Help “pay it forward” and meet an ever-present need for spiritual mentors by offering to disciple others!

Whether you are looking for a mentor or mentee, check out this free eBook called “Growing Together”, by Melissa Kruger, and download it for free!

Women in the Word

It’s a great time to join our Women in the Word bible study, which is led by Theresa Groenewold and beginning a new study of 1st and 2nd Peter on January 6! This diverse group - made up of women of all ages and stages of life - meets at her home on Monday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. All are welcome!

Contact Theresa for more information (208-521-5047).

And finally, on a personal note . . .

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have led, volunteered, and attended our women’s ministry events this year — and more importantly — played a role in ministering to other women behind the scenes in countless ways: with prayer, meals, financial help, a shoulder to cry on, wise counsel, a listening ear.

A special word of gratitude goes to the 18+ women who so faithfully and fearlessly lead our CCC women’s groups, classes, and ministry teams — week in and week out. I’m also profoundly grateful for those of you who have regularly lightened my load and cheered my spirit with words (and actions) of care, support, and encouragement this year. It’s an honor to serve you.

May God bless us every one this Christmas!

The women’s ministry at Christ Community Church exists to engage, encourage, and equip women to know and share the love of God and serve His church.