September Meeting Recap

Whether you missed out on our September kick-off meeting or have just developed a case of mom-brain and can't remember every AMAZING minute, here's the lowdown on the first MOPS meeting of the year:

Introductions & Announcements

Anita led us in prayer and provided a warm welcome to all of the moms: "Our hope is that you leave this building feeling loved and encouraged."  Click here to watch the video - featuring members of the steering team - that explained a bit about this year's theme, "We are the Starry-Eyed".

Mentor Moms

Jan Gropp, Abbey Gropp's mother-in-law, comes to us by way of Chicago, IL, where her husband served as pastor to a church. This is her second year as a MOPS Mentor Mom. 

Mandy Smith is from Anderson. Married 46 years, she has two sons and four grandsons. She is a former teacher and a current member of Boulevard Baptist. 

We are so thankful to have these two experienced moms as a part of our group!

Discussion Group Leader (DGLs) 

Table 1: Brittany Kephart              Table 2: Samantha LeMonds

Table 3: Sonia Rose                           Table 4: Linda Jenke              Table 5: Heather Beasley

Table 6: Ashley Bailey                     Table 7: Sarah Rettew                Moppets Procedure Reminders Please be sure that each child is properly identified with a name tag, including a name tag on the front of the 3- and 4-year olds in Wild Things. All bags and sippy cups should also be labeled. Sick policies: We hate for moms to miss a meeting due to a sick child, but if your child is visibly ill or has been ill in the past 24 hours, we want to keep the rest of our kiddos healthy. A count at the meeting produced a grand total of 52 children in Moppets on Thursday. Our workers were busy making sure the little ones enjoyed the meeting as much as their mamas did! Free-Cycle & Scholarships

• Got stuff you think someone else might want? Bring it to our free-cycle table. Leftover clothes and toys will go to the consignment sale in the spring, but if you bring anything else and it is still there after the meeting, please take it with you :) 

• If you would like to sponsor a MOPS membership for another mom, contact Katie Bell: katie.michelle.bell@gmail.com

***Mark Your Calendars!***

• Photo Fundraiser Saturday, October 15th with Margaret Berry. Great for Christmas card photos!
• November 12th Waffle Breakfast fundraiser at Boulevard
• September MOPS on the Town: Chick-Fil-A Backstage Tour, Tuesday 9/20 at 9 a.m.
• September Moms Night Out: Yogurt Mountain, Tuesday 9/27 at 7:30 p.m.
• Women's book study of Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst led by Abbey- meeting times TBA

Devotion

Stay tuned for a separate post "devoted" to September's devotion from Sarah.

Craft

This month's craft was a "Today is Wonderful Because..." frame. Check out this lovely example:

"Becoming Familiar With Kindness" Video

This video, provided by MOPS International, featured author Leena Tankersley who, in a way that was both honest and hilarious, reminded us moms to be kinder to ourselves.  Why do we squeeze ourselves into pants that don't fit us? she asked. Why do we insist on making ourselves uncomfortable in order to appear like we have it all together, like we are the same women, with the same bodies, that we were before we had children? She referenced the "toxic voices" in our heads that tell us all the time that we aren't good enough, that we are failing. But we can talk back to those voices, she tells us. We can learn to receive kindness from others and to be kind to ourselves. 

Until next time, ladies!