Below is the report offered by Women's Ministries director Judy Nolt at the recent triennial meeting held in Findlay, Ohio.
Many changes have taken place in the CGWM over the last three years. The organization was at a pivotal point in its ministry. We had come to the end of the river in our canoe and were faced with either ditching the canoe and putting on our hiking boots, or we could sit in the canoe and watch the ministry continue on the decline. We chose to put on our boots and climb the mountain in order to explore the possibilities of ministering in new and different ways so that we could reach the current generation for Christ.
We are grateful for the women who went before us. They too faced adversity and challenges. We have great admiration for them, their dedication and faithfulness to God and to the body of Christ. We would not be where we are today had it not been for their perseverance, dedication and courage.
Five regions are represented in the CGWM active Networking Team. The members are:
Judy Nolt - Director (Kathy Foor Director elect)
Jamie Welsh - Assistant Director & Web Coordinator
Nancy Scott - Treasurer
Heather Boss - Secretary
Tammie Gitt - Blog Coordinator
Susan Fennig - Missions Coordinator
Kathy Foor - Newsletter Editor
Norma Klock - ERC Representative
Lynn Kaufman - Social Media Coordinator & Flourish Director
With the financial help from CGWM and Transformational Ministries, four of the Networking Team members (Lynn Kaufman, Nancy Scott, Jamie Welsh and Judy Nolt) went through a year-long Leadership Huddle with Gina Mueller from 3DM. Gina discipled us in leadership, vision and seeking God’s guidance. Each of us personally benefitted from this training and the CGWM has been strengthened through the development of her leaders.
The Networking Team has spent much time seeking God’s guidance through prayer, conversations with one another and respected advisors. We saw that we needed to change the way we were ministering and agreed that we should to be about training leaders. We want to develop women leaders so that they are able to be strong spiritual leaders not only in ministering to women but in their God given calling in their church, communities and lives.
To begin with we began having regularly scheduled internet meetings. We have reformatted and kept current the CGWM website. We have strived to build better communication through email “Shout Outs." We have started a blog and our Facebook page has inspirations and information posted daily.
The annual Flourish Conference provides a challenging speaker and leadership breakout sessions. We have also had a year of quarterly CGWM Newsletters, that have communicated what has happened across the denomination in Women’s Ministries. We felt it was important to support women who are trying to get out of harmful situations or are advancing their education to live boldly for God. Therefore, all of the recipients of Thank Offering have to do with supporting women.
We do not know everything there is to know about climbing a mountain. We don’t know what challenge the next bend will bring. But we are committed to continue to refine, develop and create to be able to Train Leaders to Connect and Equip Women to Live Boldly for God. Please support us through your prayers, encouragement and financial giving in order to advance this ministry.
Living Boldly for God, Judy Nolt, CGWM Director