Ideas for Your Shepherdess Meetings

THE "Sharing Meeting" in the New York Conference is one of the best attended and most enjoyed of all their Shepherdess meetings. This is a time when workers' wives have an opportunity to exchange ideas, share tips on time-saving devices, demonstrate new crafts, and in general present anything that particularly interests them and has been a help to them in their work. . .

-Minister's Wife, Washington, D.C.

THE "Sharing Meeting" in the New York Conference is one of the best attended and most enjoyed of all their Shepherdess meetings. This is a time when workers' wives have an opportunity to exchange ideas, share tips on time-saving devices, demonstrate new crafts, and in general present anything that particularly interests them and has been a help to them in their work.

Mrs. A. J. Patzer, wife of the conference president, leads out in these meetings, and many wives take part. Before camp meeting or workers' meetings requests are sent out to a number of wives or other Shepherdess members asking them to share something of interest with the group. Topics are as signed to those who have a special interest or talent, and the women come well prepared to share their specialty.

We are grateful to Mrs. Patzer for sharing a list of the items that have been presented successfully to their group. It may give ideas to other groups who would like to have a "Sharing Meeting,"

1. Time-saving Devices.

2. Money Saving (places to purchase at discounts).

3. New Crafts.

4. Garnishes and How to Make Them.

5. Sprouting of Seeds.

6. New Sewing Tips and Notions.

7. New Cooking Tips (canning, freezing, etc.).

8. Baby Shower Ideas.

9. Wedding Shower Ideas.

10. Farewell Party Ideas.

11. Senior Citizen Activities.

12. Fund-raising Ideas.

13. Handicraft Ideas for Bedridden Children.

14. VBS Craft Ideas (made from styrofoam, felt, yarn, bottles, etc.).

15. Seasonable Table Decorations.

16. Readings and Skits.

17. Pathfinder Outings and Projects.

18. Recipes and Organization of Feeding 100 People (victory banquets, etc.).

These "Sharing Meetings" can be adapted to the interests of any particular group. Ministers' wives can go back to their churches and in turn share ideas with the women of their congregations.

At our request Mrs. Patzer sent in lists of suggested topics that speakers might use for these workers' wives' meetings. She writes: "Ministers have ministerial meetings, where they are inspired and charged, where they are enlightened, and where they can communicate. Ministers' wives need this same inspiration and outlet. Where ministers' wives meetings are held regularly a rewarding source of fellowship, encouragement, and sense of motivation has been the result.

"Following are some of the topics speakers have used in the New York Conference ministers' wives' meetings."

Specialized Speakers' Topics

1. Mother Needed in the Home.

2. Mother, Go Home.

3. Counsels on Health and Nutrition.

4. Living Within the Minister's Income.

5. Cooking Without Eggs.

6. The Home a Sacred Circle.

7. Making Obedience Fun.

8. Making Sabbath a Delight.

9. Are We Really Keeping the Sabbath Holy?

10. The Ministerial Image.

11. Tools for the Minister's Wife.

12. Increasing Preacher Husband's Efficiency.

13. Messages to the Minister's Wife From Ellen G. White.

14. How to Conserve the Family Health.

15. Good Grooming and Your Figure.

16. Our Reading and TV Watching and Their Influence.

17. Your Children a Challenge, Not a Chore.

18. What to Do Now for Delinquents.

19. Promises for Preachers' Wives Abound in the Scriptures.

20. Rules for Marriage (a happy home).

21. What I Expect of My Minister's Wife.

22. Role of Diet in Preparing a People for Christ's Second Coming.

23. Money Management.

24. Stretching the Food Dollar.

25. Women's Lib Isn't Biblical.

26. Why Discouragement?

27. Why Men Leave Home.

28. Careers at Home.

Ideas for Panel Discussions

1. Assigned chapters from Child Guidance, The Adventist Home, The Great Controversy, etc.

2. Suggestions for self-improvement.

3. Reading, studying.

Interviews Given at Women's Meetings

1. Successes and weaknesses of cooking schools.

2. Teen Dial-a-Prayer and its success.

3. SDA weight watchers and exercise clubs.

4. New Sabbath school material for children's divisions.

a. Devices.

b. Songs.

c. Decorations and where to get them.

5. Successful Investment projects.

6. Telephone evangelism.

7. Young married clubs and objectives reached.

8. New ideas used for shut-ins and hospitalized people.

9. Organization of caring for a bereaved family.

10. New do-ahead Sabbath dinner recipes or menus.

11. Weekly prayer groups meeting in homes, answers to prayers.

12. Things a pastor appreciates of the conference office staff.

13. Things a conference president appreciates of the pastor.

14. Pathfinders' projects for helping the needy.

15. Sabbath afternoon activities for children and youth.

16. Special homecoming programs.

-Minister's Wife, Washington, D.C.

May 1972

Download PDF
Ministry Cover

More Articles In This Issue

Cyrus--Man of Prophecy

The following article was written at the request of the Shimran District Education Office in connection with the 2,500th-year celebration of the Iranian constitutional monarchy, as observed in Pasargadae, Iran. Under the title "God's Chosen Founder of the Empire of Iran" it appeared in English and Farsee in the official bulletin of the anniversary observance. It has been adapted for use in our magazine.

Are You Saved?

HAVE you ever talked to a fellow church member about the most important subject you could possibly discuss his salvation? I£ you have, then you may have noticed that a great deal of uncertainty seems to exist about this topic. One of the greatest threats to the spiritual strength and progress of our church in sharing the gospel with the world is that so many within the church are uncertain about their salvation. . .

Let's Pull Up the Root

HE WORE no necktie, his suit was soiled, and his face was red from past drinking. He spoke soberly about his problem. For a number of years he had been a local elder of four or five different large city churches, but his drinking had caused gross problems, and finally in exasperation and desperation he had sent his wife and children to live with relatives. He was a man of talent, under fifty years of age, and his appeal was for money for a new start. Could we help him?

Going Through the Motions

HOW is it possible for us as ministers of the gospel to be in danger of allowing the sacred fire that we handle to turn into cold ashes? By our very office we are in constant contact with religious duties. We revel in studying Scripture with people, praying with and for people, and public presentation of precious truths to people. . .

The Charge and Welcome to Newly Ordained Ministers

MY FELLOW MINISTERS, the church has considered your call to the ministry and by prayer and the laying on of hands recognizes you as representatives of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. . .

Communicating With Minorities

HOW do you reach the black man and other minorities? Are today's methods compatible with today's madness? Must we take the time and energy to develop "separate but equal" methods and materials to reach different audiences one black, one brown, one white, perhaps one even red, and later on one yellow? What is the church's responsibility in mass communication? What should we do today and tomorrow, and will we have to change again?

A New Outreach Through Adult Education

HAVE you been looking for a new approach in conducting your evangelistic campaigns? If so, read on. . .

The Church Ordinances (Concluded)

The Ordinance of Foot Washing IT WAS humiliating to Christ's disciples for Him to take the position of a servant and wash their feet. But in so doing Jesus was teaching some very important lessons. And that these lessons might be kept fresh in the minds of His followers through the ages to come, Christ instituted the practice of foot washing as a religious service. . .

Clouded Issues

STANDING on a crowded metropolitan street corner, I watched in amazement as five young men, American college students dressed in Eastern garb, danced to a monotonous chant---the mournful words of an Eastern religion---accompanied by the ringing beat of small bells. Worshiping? Yes, but what?

Disinterested Benevolence and the Social Gospel

IT IS time someone unmasked the catch cry of those people who interpose in the presentation of present truth by throwing up the objection saying, "Remember we are to show disinterested benevolence."

View All Issue Contents

Digital delivery

If you're a print subscriber, we'll complement your print copy of Ministry with an electronic version.

Sign up

Recent issues

See All