December Meetings and Announcements!

On Thursday, December 5th we will be talking about the "Embrace Your Story" aspect of our Beautiful Mess theme for the year, and God's plan for us.  I'm going to be speaking about what MOPS means to me.  We may also be having another one of our mentor moms speak to us. 

The Dust Bunnies group is on for bringing brunch this week!  The Messy Minivan Mamas group should bring a box of crackers or other snack for Moppets.  Please remember to check labels, as Moppets snacks need to be peanut-free. Some suggestions are Welch's Fruit Snacks, Ritz Crackers, Honey Maid Teddy Grahams, and Honey Maid Grahams 

Our next meeting will be our Christmas party on December 19th.  We will be having a devotional, playing some games, and make a craft.

Each group will need to bring the following to share:
Dust Bunnies - sweet treats
Frayed and Fabulous - salty or savory items
Messy Minivan Mamas - "healthy" treats or snacks
(We also make up goodie trays to give to our childcare workers with what is brought.)

Our next Steering Meeting is January 9th!  Please welcome Nathalie Wilson as she takes over for me as Publicity coordinator.  Thanks all, I will miss you!

November Meetings and Announcements

November Meetings:

This Thursday at 9am, our own MOPS member Amber Richter will be talking with us about Photography and Photo storage.  We also plan to make a craft related to photography.  The Frayed and Fabulous group (Bridget's) is scheduled to bring brunch.  

This Friday, November 8th we'll be having our first Mom's Night Out for the year at Clifford's in Watertown.  Meet us there at 7pm for a kid-free night; you are welcome to just join us as you can and have coffee or dessert. 

On Thursday, November 21^st  is our next meeting.  Jan Schull, our newest mentor mom, will be speaking and we will show a DVD about “Avoiding Mothering Comparisons”.  The Messy Minivan Mamas will be on for bringing brunch.

Our next Steering Meeting is Thursday, November 14^th – to finalize December and January mtgs. and possibly plan Swim Meet fundraiser.

Announcements:

*This week please bring your favorite quick dinner or slower cookie recipes.  These will be put together in a small cookbook to be given out at our November 21st meeting.  You can also email your recipes to Erin at erinjohnson326@gmail.com

*Also, please remember if you are filling a shoe-box for Operation Christmas Child to please bring it to our meeting this week, or drop it off to Cornerstone Church or New Life E Free church by Nov. 17th!  For more information about this, please check out:  http://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

*As you may or may not have heard, I will be moving out of state shortly before Christmas.  This means that we will need a replacement Publicity person to serve on the steering team.  If you feel this is something you are interested in, or could help out with, please speak with me at the meeting on Thursday or give me a call/email anytime. 

OCTOBER Meetings and Announcements

We will have two meetings in October.  On October 3rd, we have Shannon Arnold scheduled to speak with us.  Her husband passed away after he donated a kidney to his brother.  We will be sitting in our Discussion groups for this meeting.  If you are in April's group, you are scheduled to bring brunch.  If you are in Bridget's group, please bring a box of crackers or other snack for Moppets.  (Please see post below for more info.)

All groups should be thinking about what they want their group name to be, and remember to bring a couple of items to fill our center pieces!  (Something that relates to the "Beautiful Mess" theme and that represents you and your home, that will fit in the vase such as: legos, broken crayons, hair ties, an army guy, a pacifier, a comb, etc.)

Our second meeting this month will be on October 17th.  More info. about this meeting to come!  If you are in Melanie's group you will be bringing brunch for this meeting.

Announcements

Just a few announcements:

Our steering team still has two positions open, Moppets and Creative Activities.  If you are able and willing to help out with either of these, please contact Erin or Marcy.

 Beginning with our first meeting in October:
*Due to limited space at the church we will be asking one D-group at a time to send a box of crackers for MOPPETS snacks.*We are going to try to keep MOPPETS peanut-free.  Do not send snacks which contain peanuts, traces of peanuts or are made in a factory with peanuts.  Some suggestions are Welch's Fruit Snacks, Ritz Crackers, Honey Maid Teddy Grahams, Honey Maid Grahams.*If your child has another food allergy or intolerance, we are asking you to send a box of crackers specifically for your child with his/her name on it which we will keep on hand for him/her.  If this is the case for your child, you do not have to send crackers for the rest of the group.*If you have any further questions about MOPPETS snacks, please feel free to contact Kristin (Hospitality) or Marcy (Co-Coordinator). 

Thank-you!

September 2013 OPEN HOUSE Kickoff Event and meetings!

We are very excited about our Open House and MOPS Kickoff Event on Thursday, September 5th from 9:00 to 11:00am at First Baptist Church!  We will be having light refreshments and fun activities for the children, as well as introducing this year's theme.  You may stop by at any time during our Open House and register for the 2013-14 MOPS year.  We hope that you all can join us, and please feel free to invite your friends!

Our first "official" meeting of the year will be on September 19th, from 9:00-11:00am.  We'll be talking more about this year's theme, and making our name-tags and meeting calendars for the year.  You'll be assigned to your D-groups so that you have a chance to get to know some moms better, and have you'll have your picture taken for our directory.  We also have a few other fun activities planned, so we hope that you all can join us!

Why Join MOPS?

Benefits of joining MOPS:
• All the great things you get from MOPS International
• 2 meetings a month with a focus on growing as a mother, wife, and Christian.
• Creative activities
• Wonderful food and fellowship at each meeting!
• Awesome and inspiring guest speakers
• A mentor mom at each table gives us a wonderful perspective and insight into all stages of motherhood  (From someone who has "been there"!)
• The opportunity to develop life-long relationships for you and your little one
• On-site child care
• A feeling of connection and the satisfaction with knowing that you are not alone! 

A Beautiful Mess

Mom’s live in messes! The toys, crumbs, and spit up are their natural surroundings. Moms often feel like a mess! They are exhausted, under-showered, and hormonal. Their past and present circumstances and decisions can leave them feeling inadequate for God’s love and purposes. 

This years theme, A Beautiful Mess, reminds moms that beauty can come out of their difficult spots. The grime of mothering young children brings the beauty of motherhood. The bruises of life can bring God’s redemption. Embrace Your Story — reminds moms that their past, present and future can be used for good. God knows where each of us has been, where we are today and has set in motion where we are headed.

It’s true we are a mess. And this scripture reminds us that we are indeed beautiful!

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He 

had created us anew in Christ Jesus, 

so we can do the good things he, 

planned for us long ago.”