Women have a strong desire to fellowship. I believe it is how God created us, and it brings so much joy to just be with other Christian women. So what is Christian fellowship? In the New Testament, the term koinonía signifies it as “sharing with someone in something, or participating in something or with someone.” As we approach 2020, here are some ideas that can bring joy to those who choose to gather together.
Shopping Trip
You can easily rent a 44-passenger bus (with a driver) and take women on a shopping trip. Most women don’t like to travel long distances alone, so organizing a trip removes the stress of how they will get there and the unfamiliarity of a new city. You can charge a fee to each woman to cover the cost of the bus. Fun interactive games during your drive can build deeper relationships and add to the fun.
Progressive Dinners
This was a fun event that was more common years ago, but a great way to build relationships. My vote is we bring this tradition back. Five women volunteer to serve one course of a meal. The group starts at the home where the appetizer is served first and then follows the meal plan at other homes until you end at the dessert home. It feels like an event, and women love to see each other’s homes! Most women who volunteer to serve one course of the meal usually has a heart to share their home, so everyone has fun!
Service Project
It’s also fun and meaningful to plan an event where a group can go serve somewhere locally. You can gather the group for lunch and then head out to serve at a nursing home, women’s prison, home that cares for expecting single moms—the list is endless!
Short Weekend Trip
A fun way to fellowship together is on a weekend trip. Lifeway Women offers several amazing weekend getaways in 2020 perfect for your group of gals! From a trip to see Beth Moore at Living Proof Live or Priscilla Shirer at Going Beyond, to Kelly Minter’s Cultivate event, Lysa TerKeurst’s The Word Alive event, or a Lifeway Cruise (which would be more than a weekend, but even better!), they’ve got an event to suit everyone and help you and your group grow in community and in your relationship with Jesus.
If you’re the organizer, be sure to start planning your getaway for 2020 now! Also, think about the personalities of those you are inviting. Make sure the group has something in common. Recently I took four friends on a weekend trip, and they really didn’t know each other. The common connection was I was close to all of them. But this group had two things in common that connected us deeply: where we work and the fact that we were all caring for aging parents. Our trip ended with a precious prayer time for each other and the situations we were facing with parents.
Dinner and Treat
Invite a small group of women to dinner (less than 10) and ask them to bring their “favorite thing” to pass on. It can be a favorite makeup item, flavor of coffee, favorite color of fingernail polish, set of earrings, or unique hand towel, etc. Ask everyone to bring an appetizer, and as you’re eating, give everyone a number and swap favorite things with each other (like White Elephant). When someone selects your favorite thing, explain why you love it!
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
Plan a simple dinner for a group that has something in common. Surprise them with a secret guest who can speak to them on a certain topic. This is always meaningful and encouraging for groups!
All these ideas are easy to do and guaranteed fun! Be sure you get the date of any event on the calendar early so the majority of your group can attend!
To find out more about events at Lifeway Women, click here!
Faith Whatley is currently the Director of Author & Strategic Partnerships at Lifeway. Faith served as the Director of Adult Ministry (2012-2018), Director of Church Ministry Training & Events (2007-2011), Director of Women’s Ministry (2004-2007) and the Director of Women’s Events (1998-2004) when the Living Proof Live events were launched. She has been at Lifeway 29 years.
Most importantly she is a wife and mother. She has been married 33 years to Jim and they have two grown children who are married. This year Faith and Jimmy became grandparents for the first time to a precious little boy named Jameson, and also Hank, born in October. The Whatleys are active members at The Glade Church.
