Networks - Empowering our Local Leaders
What is a Network?
A network is a group of women's leaders
gathering on a regular basis to be listened to, encouraged, and equipped.
As well, they may come together to address a common issue that will impact
their entire network area.
Why Have Networks?
Every Alliance Church in Canada has a mandate to fulfill the Great Commission. As part of local ministries, Women's Ministries strive to contribute to the health and mission of their churches. As we contemplate ways to improve the health of our ministries, one of our main priorities is to ensure the health of our women's ministry leaders. By networking our women's leaders, we're hoping to see them become equipped, encouraged and empowered and therefore, better able to lead healthy, balanced ministries. The outcome will be women influencing other women for Christ who in turn will influence other women for Christ - making new disciples and fulfilling the Great Commission! Every local church will benefit from a women's ministry like that.
What Happens at a Meeting?
Networks meet 3-5 times/year. Facilitators guide each network. They themselves are or have been leaders of a local women s ministry. Each network gathering includes a time to:
- CARE, where women are eager to share their lives and pray for one another.
- There's also a CAUSE element at each gathering, where a training component on something relevant to the participants of the network takes place.
- Then, lastly, there's a time of COMMITMENT. Each participant is asked to commit to something they want to work towards on a personal or ministry level.
- Along the way, leaders will develop their strengths; build great relationships; be prayed for; assess their ministry's effectiveness and come alongside their churches to accomplish their goals. Who knows, maybe they will help another church begin a women's ministry or even target an unreached people group in their own neighbourhood. The possibilities are endless!
- It is our prayer that each leader in the network will be encouraged, equipped, resourced, and trained not only on a skills level, but spurred on in character growth as well. In the end, we want healthy leaders with healthy ministries that will build better women's ministries and consequently, better churches!
How Can You Get Involved?
Women's ministry networks are currently functioning in 3 of our districts and in the investigation stages in some of the other 4. These networks are open to all women's leaders. It is our hope to see every women's ministry leader in Canada eventually be a part of a network.
Are you interested in becoming part of a network?
Contact your District Director of Women's Ministries for further information.
Glendyne Gerrard
National Director of Women's Ministries
What Others are Saying About Networks....
Three years ago I felt God calling me to take on the responsibility of leading our Women's Ministry. I had no idea of how God was going to direct me, but I knew He would lead me down an exciting path.
The first year I led I knew I needed a team. I prayed about it, and God impressed upon me that I should choose a lady from each age group in our church. This was done so that we could brain storm and figure out what the needs were in our own church community and the the community around us. We had good brain storming meetings and some of our ministries today were birthed from those sessions.
I still did not know how it was all going to shake out. I met with Cheryl Peitsch, the network facilitator for Winnipeg. She explained networks and invited me to be a part of it. That spring, Glendyne came to Winnipeg and did a seminar on how to get a women's ministry started and WOW! I am truly amazed at God's timing.
Myself and one team member gleaned all that we could from that seminar. Cheryl also took this material and has used it at our WM Network meetings to help us develop our own ministries in our churches. This has been a huge asset to me team and me.
We now have a purpose and a vision for our women's ministry. It is exciting and freeing to know that we are heading in the direction that God wants us to. Without a vision and a purpose, we were floundering big time and were beating ourselves us trying to come up with events that would just fall flat.
I also enjoy meeting with the other ladies from our other churches. We are becoming a great support to each other through networking.
Sarah Janz
Transcona Allance Church, Winnipeg, MB