Sisterhood Summer Gatherings

Stop for a moment to think of a Christian woman who has influenced your life by listening, speaking truth, or just letting you know she cares about you.

I can think of women who have taken me to coffee, watched my kids, brought me meals in hard times, guided me in being a wife and mother, or even just chatted with me on an email string. Being a spiritual sister to another woman can range from a decades-long discipleship relationship to getting to know each other while working a ministry event together. It can be long or short. It can have any age range. It can be over an endless number of connection points. But the one thing that is consistent is two women caring for each other and sharing truth. 

Redeemer’s Summer Sisterhood gatherings exist to further this non-negotiable truth: God created us to be in relationship. Redeemer Women’s Ministry hosts our Sisterhood Summer Gatherings to cultivate relationships and to allow us to learn from each other. We invite women in all seasons of life to join us for these casual evenings of fellowship, learning and enouragement built on the Titus 2 model of women equipping women for a life pursuing what is good. Our speakers on these evenings are women from Redeemer who have been invited to share their wisdom on a particular topic, followed by a question and answer time with the group.

The Scriptures are full of exhortations to us on the beauty of this kind of discipleship.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow (or sister!). But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!—Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16

Love one another with brotherly (or sisterly!) affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.  Romans 12:10

In the creation account of Genesis, we see God say “It is good” six times in a row when he gazed upon his creation. But then we hear a jarring break in God's cadence of approval when his eyes rest on Adam alone. “It is not good that the man should be alone,” God says.

We were made for relationship. And as women in the church we can uniquely encourage one another as we walk through this life together. Will it be hard? Yes, if we really sink ourselves into another’s life, it will be challenging at times. But time sacrificed to love another woman well is time invested in eternity. As Gloria Furman says in her book, Word-filled Women’s Ministry: “Our ministries exist not simply for the purpose of helping people live well now; our ministries, like our whole lives, must aim for the end, when we’ll see Jesus face-to-face.”

Think back to our opening question. Could you think of a time another woman encouraged you in seeking to live as a godly woman? I hope you have been given that gift, but if not, this is your chance. Please join us for our Summer Sisterhood Gatherings, praying that God would show you how to pour into another woman.

Pray about bringing a friend, and be prepared to be amazed at what God does. Biblical sisterhood is a powerful thing:

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout...so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose. Isaiah 55: 10-11

2019 Sisterhood Summer Gatherings

• Tuesday, June 4^th, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Hartzler home (204 Garrapata Lane) Topic: "Honoring God in the Workplace."
• Tuesday, July 2^nd , 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the home of Doerfler game (316 College Boulevard) Topic: "Friendship"
• Tuesday, August 6^th, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Tubbesing home (15822 Eagle Cliff Street) Topic: "Biblical Sexuality in Marriage or Singleness"