August 2014

A LEADER's Moment:

I trust your summer was...

Slow enough the savor the mundane;

Fast enough to wonder where the time went;

Filled with snapshots of time with your family & friends;

Full of grace for the difficult moments you experienced;

In short, everything God knew you needed it to be.

It's a new year...

    Ladies, it is time to start a new year of serving the moms in our communities through this amazing ministry we call MOPS!  This year, together, we will explore what it means to "Be You, Bravely".  Along the way, I am sure that if you are anything like me, you'll experience some tough moments in which you will be challenged to seek what brave looks like in your unique situation.  Yet, because God is all-good and fully sovereign, He will lead you; He will sustain you; and He will use you in the midst of it all.  
    Staying connected through your regular Leadership Team meetings, Coach calls, and this update blog are a few of the resources you have available to help you navigate through what will be a great year with your MOPS & MOMSnext moms.  I'm looking forward to what He has in store for us all! ~ Nydia

COMMUNITY Updates:

• Any questions about your MOPS Group Experience / Renewal Kit??  If so, let me know.  Send me an email, text, or place a call to me, and I will do what I can to help you get to where you need to be.  Also, if you need EXTRA theme books, you can purchase them at the MOPS Shop.

• YOU are invited...Coordinator Conference Call:  We had a fantastic Coordinator-Connect call on July 1st!  We discussed MOPS & MOMSnext...ideas for reaching moms thru the summer and the school year.  There were suggestions given for growing the MOPPETS staff, as well as ideas on reaching more moms thru MOMSnext.  I have scheduled a fall conference call for September 30th, 2014 at 8:00 - 9:00 pm for Coordinators, Co-Coordinators, and Assistant Coordinators from both Area 24F & 23N.  Though an open discussion time will be included, we will start the call with the following theme: "Back-to-MOPS".  Let's "get-together" again and chat methods, ideas, successes, and blunders!  

MI (MOPS International) Updates:

 
• MOMcon is ONE month away!: Be a part of an "Amazing Happens Here" weekend to encourage & inspire you as a woman, mom, and MOPS Leader!!  We're off to Louisville, Kentucky on October 2-4, 2014 to hear speakers like Lisa Chan, Shania Nequist, Sherry Surrat, Mandy Arioto, and Food Network's Melissa Arabian, as well as Meredith Andrews for worship.  You will not regret attending this "business trip" weekend for moms :-).  For more information & to register, visit: http://www.mops.org/momcon.

• IMPORTANT - Registration for 2014-2015:  The cost of registration in now $24.95 per mom.  Please make sure that you register all of your moms & leaders so that they can receive their theme package, access to the mom resources on the MOPS website, weekly emails, & monthly "Hello Darling" magazine.  As you already know, these are incredible resources for doing motherhood from day to day!  Log onto your group's dashboard on www.mops.org.  If you have not renewed your charter yet, you no longer have access to the details of your group's dashboard.  In order to quickly reinstate it, you can pay the renewal fee though the MOPS website today.

• A website is now available for your group: NEW this year is the availability of a website just for your group!  You can find it under the resources section of your group's Dashboard.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

• IDEAS, IDEAS, IDEAS!!:  Are you looking for ideas for any of the areas of your MOPS ministry?  Be sure to check out the leader's section of the MOPS website.  Find your position under the "Position" tab and start exploring!

• "Brave Mom: Facing and overcoming your real mom fears", by: Sherry Surrat: We are looking forward to the release of our MOPS President and CEO's new book which falls in line with our new theme!  It is due to release in October 2014.  A copy will be sent to each Coordinator as a part of your Group Experience Kit.  Copies will be available for purchase through the MOPS Shop.

• Partner with an International MOPS Group: Does your church or chartering ministry have a missions program?  If so, here's a need: Recently, a church in Colorado successfully partnered with a MOPS International Group...we'd love to see this experience repeated with other churches in the United States.  These partnerships help our International Groups promote & grow MOPS to other churches in their countries who do not yet know about or charter a MOPS group.  If you'd like more information or are interested in participating, please write an email to jfrohne@mops.org.

  

  Ever wonder what MOPS looks like in other countries?  Here is a picture out of a MOPS Brazil group during their Father's Day celebration earlier this month.
  There are almost 20 MOPS groups in Brazil right now!!

Prayer Request:

• **Pam, Ministry Coach**: Please continue to pray for Pam, a member of our Area 24 MVS team, who had a brain tumor removed in May.  She is undergoing radiation then chemotherapy.  Please pray for the success of these procedures, God's hand of healing, as well as continued support & strength for Pam's husband and children as they walk this difficult road together.  Pam says this year's theme speaks right to her, right now :-).