Notebooks for Ministers' Wives
By: Louise C. Kleuser
Ideas, though not entirely new, may yet be very stimulating. And here are some simple ideas on unique notebooks and scrapbooks, and how these may be used by the minister's wife in her church work. Therefore, we are sharing with our sisters in the field what we have received from one" of our helpful, energetic minister's wives. We know that some of you will want to expand this notebook plan, and needless to say, we in THE MINISTRY office will be looking forward to receiving your ideas on this notebook project.
Today the average Seventh-day Adventist minister's wife is a college-trained woman. In many cases the young woman's marriage to the minister-to-be may have curtailed her college education, but she may still have had a fair start on her college course. Now, after a few years in ministerial work, the wife is recognized as a minister's wife, and yet she may be largely sharing the role of the average home- maker and mother. Of course, she would be assisting her ministerial husband in his work generally; but, as is the case with many ministers' wives, she may hardly recognize the responsibility of a very definite church leadership •on her part. She simply works with her husband while he does most of the planning for their ministerial duties as a team. But how can the wife make her own leadership more effective? Women have such unique gifts. When these are properly employed they usually make a place for their sex—a place quite different from that of the minister, perhaps, but still an indispensable place of service.
Now you will want to meet Mrs. Thelma Stevens, the wife of Joseph Stevens, recently of Miami, Florida. Both are well trained for ministerial and educational leadership. I personally learned to know Mrs. Stevens while her husband was working for his degree at our Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. Mrs. Stevens is amiable and helpful wherever you see her. Being a nurse as well as a teacher, she uniquely fits into the place of the minister’s wife, a place she has already filled in our midst. Bearing in mind that our sister developed her extensive notebook library during her busiest days as a nurse in a doctor's office, I wish to emphasize the point that often the best work is accomplished by just such busy people.
Our ministers' wives throughout the field would be deeply interested in Mrs. Stevens' complete scrapbooks. Some of these collections of literary material are of the notebook type, and others feature clippings and may be better defined as scrapbooks. Mrs. Stevens has almost fifty of these books. These are works of art as well as usefulness, the loose-leaf type suggesting that her ideas are never stagnant. The culled material of some of these scrapbooks dates back to her own girlhood days, for she began collecting in her youth. Because of her progressive interest in developing her note book ideas, the whole project has become a personalized yet practical hobby dedicated to God's work and the benefit of humanity.
These notebooks suggest many themes—religion, doctrine, worship, church activities and departments, education, health, nature, house hold arts and crafts of all kinds, guidance from babyhood to old age, and many other topics. In the field of cookery alone Mrs. Stevens has numerous scrapbooks of interest to housewives young and old. Her accumulated recipes are a treasure store. Her notebooks on adolescence and courtship and marriage are beautifully artistic and most attractive for youth's contemplation. These particular books suggest sound Christian psychology and the crystallizing of beautiful principles. They are far more than mere youthful ideals, and there are scrapbooks for young men as well. From their perusal youth will consciously and unconsciously dis cover some wholesome formulas for living a very enriched life.
Some of us will occasionally look back to a most profitable evening spent in a social way while becoming acquainted with Mrs. Stevens' unique scrapbook library. At the home of one of our families in Takoma Park I found six tables artistically arranged for this display. A few sought a more secluded nook in the library of the home where one might do a little browsing as well as take notes on these useful scrap- books. Mrs. Stevens then informally told the history of some of her notebooks and suggested how they may be used by the minister's wife. It would be difficult to list her many fine suggestions, but one may suffice as to her entire note book scheme. I shall quote this collector's suggestions as far as memory will assist.
"I like to invite young people to my home," Mrs. Stevens told me. "While I am preparing supper for my guest I find an occasion to introduce a few of my scrapbooks, the type I know will be sure to interest my visitor. An occasional exclamation from the adjoining sit ting room may assure me out in the kitchen that my scrapbooks are taking hold; these young people are showing an interest in their ideas and ideals, and by the time we are ready for our meal my guest usually has some questions to ask which may lead into the very discussion we had hoped would be forthcoming. There are direct, practical results from such a visit, and better yet, these notebooks continue their influence, for often these callers come back to borrow other scrapbooks. In this way many new ideas are set into action, for the building of character, as well as church cooperation. And these ideas are mutually shared by the pastor and his wife and the inquiring member. It may be that these young people from now on feel freer to discuss their particular problems with their ministerial friends in this, investigative atmosphere. This will produce better understanding, of course. It is astonishing how these scrapbooks will keep circulating in the church."
Mrs. Stevens then continued to tell how her scrapbooks and notebooks have been a blessing in dealing with the problems of advancing years. In her excellent collection she has a number of attractive books portraying old age. These set forth the secrets of how to grow old gracefully. Since this is becoming a difficult church problem for many a pastor, his wife may here be able to bring in tactful assistance. Although this is a unique type of ministerial service for the pastor's wife, Mrs. Stevens asserts that she had found many uses for her scrapbooks dealing with advancing age.
In many homes outdated periodicals and journals, which become the basis for such a notebook project, are called for by some paper collector or may reach the home incinerator. The pinched budget of the young minister's wife may not be able to provide many of these periodicals for the home, but her neighbors may be very willing to help her by turning over their used journals for making scrapbooks. In this way the plan is not dependent upon the family budget, and for this reason the project is most practical as well as feasible.
Now, you alert ministers' wives have been charged with an idea that scrapbooks belong in the minister's wife's personal library. You need a little corner in the home for your very own books. May these practical scrapbook ideas keep developing in your plans until your friends learn of your useful hobby. This project is so wholesome that non-Adventists may become your best promoters. The project also holds great possibilities for missionary work. You will want to bear in mind, however, that you will not be building a score of scrapbooks all at once. If you are wise, you will, at the beginning of your scrapbook project, start gathering materials for only a few books, gradually adding to your useful hobby.
It is very important for the minister's wife to find a need for these notebooks and scrap- books. There must be a sincere interest in people — people in life's common walks. This project will help the confused soul and will bring added comfort to the adjusted individual. Shall our ministers' wives resolve to become seriously in earnest, building the scrapbook plan into their personal library? And please do not overlook the point that we in the editorial office would like to hear from you as you develop this scrapbook idea.
Apollos Guild at S.M.C.
By LUCILLE WHISNAUT CARRICO, Wife of a Senior Theological Student, S.M.C.
We Often hear that a minister's wife makes or unmakes the minister, that she is her husband's assistant, the shepherdess of the flock, and that her husband's success de pends on how well she performs. We, the wives of the ministerial students of Southern Missionary College, believe this is true, and we rather tremble at the thought of the responsibility it places upon us.
Young men are not usually accepted into the work of the ministry until they have completed a regular course of ministerial training in one of our colleges. But there is no college that offers a regular course of training for the minister's wife. How then can the wives get that preparation which will ensure their husbands of having competent helpmates to stand by them in their work?
To meet this need, about five years ago the wives of the theological students of S.M.C., with the blessing and assistance of the faculty, organized themselves into a group known as the Apollos Guild. This was not merely another club but an organization dedicated to the training of the wives of the future ministers going out from this college.
Knowing that consecration and a deep Christian experience are of the greatest importance, the club sponsors special study groups, in addition to the regular devotional portion of each meeting. One of these is the Spirit of prophecy study group, in which the girls meet and study together the Spirit of prophecy counsel given us on subjects of special interest to the minister's wife. These have been blessed experiences to us all. Then there is the Dorcas Society work, which helps to broaden our vision of the service we are to render humanity by actually serving. The reading circle not only encourages us to gain a deeper experience but also broadens our knowledge and gives us opportunity for self-improvement. There have also been groups for studies in child training, lessons in singing and conducting have been given, and this year a special class in ceramics has been conducted.
That which has brought the greatest blessing to all of us, however, is our association together in the biweekly guild meetings, and the instruction and counsel we have received there. The meetings are planned so as to give a course of instruction covering every detail of our service. Guest speakers from among the faculty of our college and other workers of experience are featured from time to time, and during the year we study such practical subjects as "The Minister's Home," "The Minister's Wife in the Sabbath School," "Child Training," "Living on an Intern's Salary," "Healthful Cooking," "Home Nursing," "Etiquette" (in its various phases such as weddings and formal dinners), and instruction on many other subjects which we are sure to need when we take our places as the minister's wife in the local church. Another regular feature of every meeting is "The Question Box," conducted by our sponsor, Mrs. E. C. Banks, who is herself a minister's wife with years of experience to draw from.
Another thing that every wife will find most helpful is a file of useful material, which all have been encouraged to keep. In fact, at every meeting materials are distributed, such as readings, poems, shower and party suggestions, and helps for teaching children in the Sabbath school, until our file has quite an accumulation of valuable materials.
Next year it is planned that we shall have field work with our husbands in the surrounding churches, conducting a Sabbath school, a Dorcas Society, and classes in cookery and healthful living.
One former member, who is now in the field with her husband, writes, "Please tell the girls not to miss one meeting of the Apollos Guild. As I look back over our years in college I feel I have received more help from the guild than from any other training I received while there."
Another writes, "Every day I am grateful for the things I learned in the Apollos Guild."
