What It Is . . .
- Women's Ministries is a place to address the spiritual, emotional, physical and social needs of women in the church.
- It encourages women to improve their potential for participation in the mission of the church.
- It is a support system for hurting women—whether they are suffering from divorce, abuse or simply loneliness.
- It is a forum to help address topics and issues as they affect the woman.
- It encourages young women through a scholarship program.
- It encourages women to become involved in all areas of ministry in their church, their community, and in their home.
- It mentors young women so that they may find joy in the Lord.
- Women's Ministries recognizes that women have many Gifts of the Spirit and it attempts to help women discover and use these gifts to the glory of God.
What It Isn't . . .
- Women's Ministries is not new. In 1898 Mrs. S.M.I. Henry, with the encouragement of Ellen G. White, headed a church department for women's ministry. Her death soon after ended the work she began. It wasn't until 1990 that the Office of Women's Ministries was once again begun. It became a full church department in 1995.
- It is not a forum for women who have complaints, justified or not, against employers.
- It is not a place for women to promote equal right for women, although we admit it is an important issue.
- It is not a mere source of entertainment or the opportunity to spend endless hours on projects that merely promote selfish ideas.
- It is not a platform for the ordination of women, although we believe that everyone should use their talents to God's glory and should receive just recognition for work done for His honor.
- It is not male bashing. It is anti-sexist, not anti-male.
- Women's Ministries is not exclusive. Women's Ministries wants inclusion, not the exclusion of anyone.
How to be Involved . . .
Women are an influential force in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. When women are ministered to, the family, church, and community receive the benefits of their spiritual strength and their ministry.
You are invited to become involved in a number of ways:
- through prayer and encouragement;
- by helping to see that there is an active Women's Ministries program in your church, conference, union, and division;
- by volunteering your talents and leadership abilities;
- through your financial support.
Women's Ministries is involved in sponsoring and developing a number of programs and activities. Some of these are:
- International Women's Day of Prayer (First Sabbath in March)
- Women's Ministries Day (Second Sabbath in June)
- Literacy programs
- Abuse recovery
- Prayer and Love Saves
- Global Mission projects
- Area-wide retreats and rallies
- Prayer groups and prayer chains
- Small group ministries/Bible studies
- Church hospitality
- Mentoring young girls and women
- Leadership Training
There are six critical issues that particularly impact women around the world. These issues are:
- Illiteracy
- Abuse
- Poverty
- Health risks
- Work loads
- Lack of mentoring and leadership training
As Christians, seeking to follow the example of Jesus, we believe that it is important to do what we can to meet the needs of all people, developing trust, and helping them to find the answers to their needs. For this reason, Women's Ministries has chosen to focus much of its attention to these challenges.
Before much can be done to address most of these needs, a person must be able to read. Almost one billion adults cannot read; about three-fourths of these are women. They cannot read the instructions on a medicine bottle, fill out an employment form, or read the directions for a household cleaner. Neither can they read a Sabbath School lesson to a child nor read the Bible. Like many in the Dark Ages, they must get their Gospel from someone else.
These are certainly challenges for everyone in the church. Women's Ministries invites all to join together to share the Good News of the Gospel.
