Meeting Recap - October 27, 2011

MOPS Coordinator, Lauren Byrne

Today's meeting focused on "Traditions".  Our delicious breakfast this morning was provided by the Pink Petunia Table.  Feel free to provide some of those recipes over on our facebook group ladies!  Our guest speaker was Christy Conner, of Portico Church in Charlottesville.  But before we get to our speaker we heard some announcements:

• Covenant Church of Charlottesville will be having a Fall Festival on Sunday, October 30 from 2-5pm.  This is a free event.  This year they will have train rides!  For more information click here.
  
•  Sign-ups have begun for the annual MOPS Christmas Party on December 2nd.  Childcare is available!  Be sure to sign up at next week's meeting if you missed it today.
  
• We have a meeting NEXT week (Nov. 3) due to holiday scheduling.  Be sure to put it on your calendar ladies! Next week's theme is "Education".  We will have a panel discussion about educational options.  Be thinking of any questions you may have for the panel.
  
• The next Girls' Night Out is tentatively scheduled for November 16th.  The Harvest Orange Table will be sponsoring a Dessert Night at the Dunlora Clubhouse.  A firm date and more details will be posted on the blog.
  
• The theme for our November 17 meeting is "Tea & Thanksgiving".  This will be a time where everyone is invited to share testimony about how God is working or has worked in your life.  If you would like to share with the group please email Meredith Curs or Kathy Fox.
  
• For our December 1 meeting we will hold an ornament exchange!  Everyone is asked to bring one wrapped ornament - and you will leave with one unwrapped ornament for your tree.

Next we played the "Guess Who" game.  Kathy G. won a blue ribbon at a county fair for a sweater she knit - her first one ever.  Laurie B. sung a solo at Carnegie Hall when she was a junior in high school.  Nancy R. has a street in Charlottesville named after her family - Sadler Street.  Who "loves loves loves" Peyton Manning? That would be Amanda N.  And who likes listening to 80's music while eating Hershey's Kisses?  Nicole J.

Rachel Gerber

We were then blessed by MOPS mom Rachel Gerber as she shared about how God uses motherhood to test and try us, and ultimately make us more holy.  It was a beautiful and timely message Rachel, thank you so much for sharing with us.

Christy Conner

Our featured speaker, Christy Conner, then shared with us about the importance of traditions in our families.  She shared from the Bible how Old Testament kings of Israel either did or did not follow the traditions of their forefathers and how it affected the nation of Israel.  Christy explained that traditions are "an intentional effort to make sure you remember Christ" during the holidays, or really anytime of the year.  She gave several good examples of traditions from her own family, including preparing a Passover meal, going for a hike each Sunday after church, or giving a special written blessing to her children on their sixteenth birthday.  She recommended a book by Gary Smalley, "The Gift of the Blessing".  The handouts she provided for her talk can be downloaded here.  Thank you Christy for joining us.

Don't forget our next meeting on November 3rd.  See you there!