November 2014

For YOU...a LEADER's Moment:

     This post started out as September's post, then became September & October's...and now is officially November's - ugh!!  Isn't often like this in MOPS leadership - where a balance between our mommy lives with our goals and desires for MOPS ministry becomes difficult to achieve?

    Well, the truth is that this can be frustrating... Frustrations & unmet expectations can lead to discouragement in leadership.  So, what do we do?  I've learned that keeping ourselves encouraged and built-up goes a long way!  It is my desire to do what I can to help you find resources that will help accomplish this for you.  So, here's a list of suggestions that can meet whatever moment you find free (12 minutes or hours...you choose ;-) ):

• www.mops.org - they, like me, love you all!!  Here, you will find webinars, devotionals, and articles to meet your woman & leader needs.
• Sidebar on right - a list of daily radio/online programs ranging from 12 to 25 minutes in length.
• www.fullfill.org - Elisa Morgan's (President Emeritus of MOPS Intl.) monthly digizine.
• www.JustBetweenUs.org - seasonal magazine for women in Christian leadership.

Let us know what worked for you & why!

COMMUNITY Updates:

• Stay Connected in your MOPS Community!:  I've added a list of the churches in each community (24F & 23N) to the bottom of this blog.  Check yours out!  Knowing who is in our communities makes us aware of each other, and therefore more accessible, too.  Also, you will see a link to your Community's Facebook page at the bottom of each list.  Join TODAY!!  Facebook is a fantastic way to stay abreast of announcements from your Area Coach team, as well as receive and give ideas and prayer requests from fellow MOPS Leaders in your designated areas.  Stay connected!!

• YOU are invited...Coordinator Conference Call: I have scheduled a Christmas conference call for Friday, November 14th, 2014 at 10:00 - 11:00 am for Coordinators, Co-Coordinators, and Assistant Coordinators from both Area 24F & 23N.  This is a time to get-to-know other MOPS Leaders, and share thoughts, ideas, and information.  Though an open discussion time will also be included, we will start the call with the following theme: "It's Christmas-time at MOPS".  

• "Mothering with Purpose: Personal Mission Statements": Struggling with finding a focus in your role as a mom?  Do you feel like there is so much to do and are having a hard time figuring out how to do what you're responsible for well?  It could be that you are struggling with narrowing down your God-given purpose!  I have a talk prepared entitled "Mothering with Purpose" including a group project of starting DYO mission statements.  If your group is interested, let me know!

MI (MOPS International) Updates:

• MOMcon 2014:  Did you know that YOU can also watch the general sessions we experienced at MOMcon?  They will continue to be available for a limited time!  The date noted is November 2nd, however, the link still works - so, GO...Watch today!! MOMcon 2014 ~ General Sessions  And if you couldn't make it to MOMcon this year, start saving & planning for attending in September 2015 in Indianapolis, IN.  I'm not just saying this...yes, it's a sacrifice; but you'll love it, be refreshed, encouraged, and energized for more MOPS and life!!

• **MOPS 2014-2015 Registration**: Please be sure to register your moms!!  The cost is $24.95 per person.  Registration is the vehicle MOPS International uses to step-in and help you encourage and equip your moms for their motherhood journeys!  It also helps us keep track of who we are serving in order to better provide relevant resources to all MOPS moms.  So, if you have questions or need help with the registration process, please let me know... 

• A FREE website is available for your group: A website for your group is now included in your charter!  You can find it under the resources section of your group's Dashboard.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

• "Brave Mom: Facing and overcoming your real mom fears", by: Sherry Surrat: Sherry's new book has officially been released!  If you are a Coordinator who did not attend MOMcon, a copy for your group will be sent to you as part of your Group Experience Kit.  They are due to arrive shortly!!  Copies are also available for purchase through the MOPS Shop.

• It's Christmas Prep time at MOPS on November 11th: Announcing MOPS Leaders' 2nd annual Bring-Christmas-to-your-Group Facebook party!  Mark your planners for November 11th at 9:30 pm EST.  Prizes & great ideas will be available to all who attend.  Just LIKE us at the MOPS Leaders' page then come watch at party time:http://ow.ly/i/7jHi4 

• MOPS on AmazonSmile: MOPS International is now registered with AmazonSmile!  AmazonSmile is a great program that lets anyone who shops on Amazon pick a charity in order to donate 0.5% from their purchase to that charity.  When first visiting AmazonSmile, customers are prompted to select a charitable organization from a long list of organizations.  This choice will be remembered for eligible purchases every time you shop at Amazon.  Easy-peasy!! 

• ON-going Leadership Training Opportunities: Please make sure to check the left tab of this full blog for live training events, webinars for MOPS International, etc. throughout the year.  These are excellent opportunities to grow your & your group's leadership potential!  Plus, in truth, none of us know where God will choose to use our leadership experience in, or after, MOPS ;-).

Prayer Request:

• Pam, Ministry Coach: Please continue to pray for Pam, a former member of our Area 24 MVS team.  She is continuing to undergo chemotherapy treatment for brain cancer & is doing well!  Please pray for God's hand of healing, as well as continued support & strength for Pam's husband and children.

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 :-).