July 6, 2009 issue
Sister Care seminars help women support each other
Mennonite Women USA events offered as tool for outreach
By Patricia Burdette For Mennonite Church USAELKHART, Ind. — Seventy-three women in the Indiana-Michigan and Central District conferences of Mennonite Church USA attended a Sister Care seminar May 15-16 at Belmont Mennonite Church.
Ivorie Lowe, left, and Betty Schrag engage in a table discussion at the Mennonite Women USA Sister Care seminar for Central District and Indiana-Michigan conferences. — Photo by Rhoda Keener/MC USA
The seminar, a new program of Mennonite Women USA, provides low-level pastoral training for ministry as a framework for women to support and care for other women in their congregations or communities.
This is a tool for outreach to others who can then be referred to pastors or to professional counselors, if necessary.
Rhoda Keener, executive director of MW USA; and Ruth Guengerich, MW USA board chair elect; co-facilitated the event.
Keener has co-facilitated Sister Care seminars this year in Virginia, Franklin and Mountain States conferences, in addition to the one in Elkhart. The next seminar will be with Atlantic Coast and Lancaster conferences Oct. 2-3.
Brenda Lazzaro Yoder of Shipshewana said the seminar “resonated with my passion for women sharing their stories, supporting each other and exploring and using their gifts.”
Yoder recently wondered if there was a place for her gifts within the church. She found Sister Care to be a place where women can share their stories and minister to one another with support and encouragement.
She believes Sister Care can be a powerful ministry, both in congregations and as a tool for outreach.
Outgoing MW USA board chair Rebecca Sommers of Goshen shared the story of her life-long battle with depression. She offered suggestions about the types of people and conversations that are helpful and those that are not helpful.
The seminar drew attendees from Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.
The seminars’ format includes short lectures, table discussions, skits and personal storytelling, as well as group and individual exercises designed to impart information while allowing participants to have fun as they discuss important topics.
Keener works with local women to co-facilitate and share personal stories, using the same basic format for each seminar.
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