Renewal, the Women’s Ministry at Pulpit Rock, holds a special place in my heart. Which is a sentence I honestly never thought I’d write.
I was raised in the evangelical church and have a picture in my head of what a typical church women’s ministry is. It’s something I have no interest in. Thankfully, Pulpit Rock Church (as it does) is tearing apart my long held ideas of what women’s ministry is and replacing it with something beautiful and sacred and SO necessary to my life today.
I’m 43. I’m pretty much the textbook definition of middle aged mom. (I even just got the asymmetrical haircut that apparently happens during this phase of life.)
Over the past 13 years I’ve attended Pulpit Rock, I’ve gone through a variety of life phases. I’ve gotten married and had two kids. I’ve gone from diapers and bath times and middle of the night feedings to juggling soccer practice and science fair projects and middle school drama.
And honestly, while I do look back with nostalgia at the D.I.N.K life, and I remember fondly the innocent cuteness of the newborn phase and the hilarious antics of the toddler years and I anticipate (okay … fear) the angst of the teen years, I’m pretty happy with this place in which I find myself. Middle aged isn’t what I feared.
Through all these life phases, I’ve been a part of the Pulpit Rock Women’s Ministry. I’ve participated in Bible Studies and book studies, served on the leadership team, shared part of my story at multi-day conferences, attended weekend retreats, gone to bonfire and worship nights and summer picnic lunches and monthly happy hours. For seven of those years, I was working on staff at Pulpit Rock and even as a staff member, participating in the women’s events was a joy.
I’ve met and developed deep friendships, some of whom I would now classify as my BFFs. I’ve eaten lots of delicious food. I’ve laughed til I cried. I’ve made and delivered meals for other women. I’ve participated in dance parties and Bible studies and (yes) pillow fights.
Sounds like I could be describing a sorority, right?
Here’s what vocabulary.com has to say about the word “sorority”… First used in the 1530s, the noun sorority stems from the Middle Latin word sororitas, meaning “sisterhood, of or pertaining to sisters.” Although members of a sorority aren’t actually biological sisters, the idea is to form a strong bond between members — or “sisters” — based on commitment to the group.
Sound familiar?
Renewal | Women’s Ministry is a place for women. All women. Ones that have it together and ones that don’t. Ones who have finished the journey of raising kids and ones just beginning the adventure of motherhood. Ones who are single. Ones stuck in a lifeless marriage. Ones going through a divorce. Working moms and stay at home moms. Foster moms. Grandmas. High school and college students.
Our most recent event, Reset, was a one day retreat where we paused our regular lives, gathered together, breathed deeply of the mountain air, took time to ourselves, ate together, created together and shared life for a few hours. We are soon entering the summer season and have a variety of fun ways to connect with each other. As life ebbs and flows, so too does the shape of Women’s Ministry.
But through it all, Renewal has created a unique and beautiful space for developing deep, authentic, safe relationships with other women, and it is in the context of those relationships that we can truly be the Body of Christ for each other.
A place where we can discover the gift of sisterhood … the sororitas.
If you want to learn more or get involved in Renewal | Women’s Ministry, you can find all the info here.
