Purpose Statement

MOPS Purpose Statement: MOPS International exists to encourage, equip and develop every mother of preschoolers to realize her potential as a woman, mother and leader in the name of Jesus Christ.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

March 14 - Easter in Your Home



Guest Speaker: Pastor Lloyd Miller from Maroochy Baptist Church
Morning Tea Theme: Easter treats
Craft Activity: Leather Beaded Bookmark
Here are the notes provided by Ps Lloyd from his talk today.
Jesus in our homes by Pastor Lloyd Miller from MBC
Today I want to talk about the topic of ‘Jesus in our Homes’. I know as we all sit here today that we are from all walks of life and levels of faith and spirituality. And that is ok. But as you would know that I am pastor of this church and when it comes to encouraging faith and walk with God, you are kind of speaking to the converted!!!
If there was ever a need in the world for people to know more of the presence and power of God in their lived and families, now would be the time.
I believe one of the harders things to do today is to take on the challenge of raising children and holding a family together. It is really tough, Simone and I have three boys, Jordan, Drew and Ashton – 8, 3, and 3 months …and believe me we find it really tough and I know that most of you do too.
If there is a God and a great and mighty power that is beyond me in the universe and he wants to be part of my life and is offering to help me and us with our families then I’ve got to tell you I have both arms open to receive. I want all the help I can get. And I know for a fact that Jesus can, and will, make a real difference in our lives.
I want to offer a few tips about how you might encourage Jesus’ presence and power in your family and get to know him and watch him make all the difference in your lives.
Two verses that I want to share with you from the lips of Jesus:
Matthew Chapter 11: Verse 28-30 (Bible: New International Version)
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light”.
Matthew 7:7-8
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks received; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened
Another scripture says that ‘you don’t have because you haven’t asked for it’.
Firstly, it is really important that you tell God that you need him in your family. It is important to ask and make it really clear to God and to yourself that this is really impossible without his help! God loves for us to realise that we can only live life the way it was intended, with his awesome help!
It is ok to offer desperate cries for help; if we lose it and cry out for help we feel that we are less than human; but this is what God intended. (Ps Lloyd gave the example of being very frustrated and at his wits end with one of his children and crying out to God for help with the situation).
Three Areas: Spiritual, Physical and Emotional
Some practical tips
  1. Spiritually: When you first come to faith, you invite Jesus to come into your life and Jesus’ presence is only in your life and house as much as you let him (don’t just let him into the foyer, let him into all of your house/life). God needs an invitation; he never crosses our will to choose. The same goes for your family
  1. Pray for Jesus’ presence in your home, seek his presence, his power and his protection
  2. Pray together
  3. Avoid things that oppose his presence. Illustration: Angels in our home. When Ps Lloyd and Simone moved into home concerned about things such as angels etc everywhere. Things not from God.
i. Trinkets and Idols can carry spiritual influences, be careful that you know the origin and meanings of things (e.g., PNG gods, buddah’s etc)
ii. Zodiacs, star signs, astrology
iii. Clairvoyants
iv. TV programs you watch
  1. Get rid of all doubtful things
  2. Have people pray through your home
  1. Physically/Practically:
    1. Model and live in front of your children that you invite Jesus to be part of your home
    2. Have a quiet time with God/Christ and let your kids know about it
    3. Pray (say Grace) before you eat
    4. Pray with your kids before bed
    5. Demonstrate a living relationship with Jesus, at your best and and your worst (Jordan has said to me at time that ‘You’re not the boss Dad, Jesus is”)
    6. Make church a consistent part of life
    7. Encourage your kids to face their difficulties with God’s help
  1. Emotionally:
    1. Let Jesus be part of the highs as well as the lows
    2. Genuinely care for each other
    3. Show affection to each other
    4. Keep short accounts – ‘don’t let the sun go down while you’re still angry’
    5. Encourage an open spirit, words and actions can OPEN or CLOSE someone’s spirit (see book Gary Smalley’s Homes of Honour). A model for righting a wrong (apologising)
i. Say sorry for what you have done
ii. Ask for their forgiveness (will you forgive me)
iii. Ask if you can have a hug (make physical contact)
Live as if you expect Jesus to be there, look for his hand in things. Ps Lloyd gave example of having to go away and leave wife Simone home alone with the three boys and not well etc and worried about her and the situation so prayed for Jesus’ hand on things and at the same time a friend turned up unannounced at home to help out with the boys while he was not able to.


Easter Story Cookies or 'Resurrection Cookies'
This is a great recipe to make the night before Easter and discuss the Easter story with your children.

Ingredients:
Bible
1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch of Salt
1 cup sugar
Tape
Zipper baggie
Wooden spoon

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important, don't wait till you're half done with the recipe!)

*Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was Beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

*Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1tsp vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

*Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

*Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

*So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

*Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

*Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.

*Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

*GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

*On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

Read Matthew 28:1-9

CRAFT: Today we made beaded leather bookmarks. This involved threading beads of our choice onto a strip of leather that had a small trinket (butterfly) attached to one end (butterfly part of this years theme/logo of Home Factor: Start Here Go There). Description/Photo of craft to be added
Posted by Michele @ The Hills are Alive at 9:47 PM Labels: , , , , ,

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Theme Scripture

Psalm 139

1 You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand — when I awake, I am still with you.

19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Annual MOPS Participation Fee

The annual MOPS Participation Fee of $10 assists MOPS Australia in covering the cost of training for Regional Coordinators to help other MOPS groups to develop around Australia. It also allows more MOPS group leaders around Australia to access regional training.

This will go a long way to helping MOPS Australia bring MOPS to more Mums around Australia.

When you register for MOPS each year, you will be handed an Annual Participation Fee form, and we ask that if you are able to pay this $10 participation fee, please do so before the end of April 2011.

The payment options are...
1. Direct Debit to MOPS Australia bank account
2. Credit card
3. Cheque payable to MOPS Australia
4. Cash to MOPS@MBC front desk

Thank you, from the MOPS@MBC team.

How did MOPS begin?

It was a Tuesday morning, at about 9.30. They each had faced spilled cereal, tangled hair, and a few had even been forced to change their outfits due to a last-minute baby throw-up on a shoulder or lap. They had driven, or pushed strollers, to the church and had dropped their little ones off in the creche. They had made it!

And now they sat, knees almost touching, in the circle of children's chairs from the Sunday school room. Hands held hot cups of tea and biscuits in utter freedom because this treat did not have to be shared with a child's sticky fingers. Mouths moved in eager, uninterrupted conversation. Eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. Hearts stirred with understanding. Needs were met.

That morning in 1973, was the first morning of MOPS, or Mothers of Preschoolers. Little was it known that from this small beginning in a church in Colorado, USA, the seeds of the MOPS concept and format had been planted. The needs of the women were met even then, through the opportunity for friendship, creative outlet and spiritual emphasis. MOPS International now charters approximately 2,500 MOPS groups in churches in the United States and 13 other countries throughout the world.

How did MOPS begin in Australia?

How did MOPS begin in Australia?

Nineteen years later and thousands of kilometres away, the same mutual need for sharing was realised by a group of mums with children under school age in Melbourne. After reading about the MOPS concept in the US, leaders introduced the program to the Clayton Church of Christ Fellowship in early 1990 and MOPS was born in Australia. From this small beginning, the seeds for future growth were planted, resulting in the formation of an affiliated body to support the ever-increasing number of Australian groups and the mums they served.

Since its formation in June 2000, MOPS Australia, Inc has grown rapidly and there are currently over 100 groups throughout Australia. In the last year alone, 35 new groups have commenced, with groups starting up regularly throughout different Christian denominations. Groups now meet in every state and territory in Australia, with an estimated ministry to approximately 2500 mums and 3000 children.

How did MOPS begin at MBC?

A Brief History of MOPS at MBC by Karen Askey-Doran (COordinator of MOPS til 2008 and currently Regional Coordinator).

In 1999, the leader of MBC’s women’s ministry caught the vision of MOPS. At that time I was a new Mum with little inclination to help; I was interested but not convicted!

Roughly a year later another meeting was held to generate interest. At this time I had another little baby girl, a 16-month-old toddler and, although I was unaware of it, Post Natal Depression. And once again people were interested but not compelled to lead.

In 2005 Holly, caught the vision of MOPS and began to sow the seeds of interest throughout the young Mums in our church. Robyn Robertson came to our first meeting and inspired us into action…the seeds Holly planted took hold!

People came slowly at first to fill the positions, it seemed there were a lot of blanks for a long time! Holly was going to be our Coordinator and when she filled out the charter she realised that a Mother of Preschoolers should really fill that role…. So she called me! Very graciously, Holly took a side step into a Mentoring role (very appropriate really).

God was moving in our midst, we had been blessed with an inspired team of 15 Mops Leaders and 9 Moppets Leaders, each one having a testimony about how God had lead them to this ministry!

I suspect that God has big plans for our group. I still feel very inadequate sometimes but I do trust God and I want to serve him and to reach out to Mums who are hurting, to support them. I want to encourage, you know, to build up… to make a difference in people’s lives, especially my children’s!

I know I’m not alone… In Romans 8:28 it says “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” He planned for my girls, my twins, my battle with PND. He planned for MOPS - at this time - in our church! The door has literally been flung open!

What happens at a MOPS meeting?

When a mum enters a MOPS meeting, she is greeted by a friendly face and escorted to MOPPETS, where her children enjoy their special part of the MOPS program. In MOPPETS, children from infancy through to school age experience a caring environment while they learn, sing, play and make crafts.

Once her children are settled, the MOPS mum joins a program tailor-made to meet her needs. She can grab something to eat and not have to share it! She can finish a sentence and not have to speak in words of two syllables!

The program typically begins with a brief lesson taught by an older mum who's been through the challenging years of mothering and who can share from her experience and from the truths taught in the Bible. Then the women move into small discussion groups where there are no "wrong answers" and each mum is free to share her joys and struggles with other mums who truly understand her feelings. In these moments, long-lasting friendships are often made on the common ground of finally being understood.

From here, the women participate in a craft or other creative activity. For mums who are often frustrated by the impossibility of completing anything in their unpredictable days, this activity is deeply satisfying. It provides a sense of accomplishment and growth for many mums.

Because mums of preschoolers themselves lead MOPS, the program also offers women a chance to develop their leadership skills and other talents. It takes organisation, creativity, and management skills to run a MOPS program successfully.

By the time they finish the MOPS meeting and pick up their children, the mums feel refreshed and better able to mother. MOPS helps them recognise that mums have needs too! And when they take the time to meet those needs, they find they are more effective in meeting the needs of their families.

Meeting the needs of Mothers of Preschoolers

The MOPS program is dedicated to meeting the needs of mothers of preschoolers. These needs have been identified by Elisa Morgan and Carol Kuykendall in their book, What Every Mum Needs:


The need for Identity: Sometimes I'm not sure who I am

The need for Growth: Sometimes I long to develop who I am

The need for Relationship: Sometimes I long to be understood

The need for Help: Sometimes I need to share the load

The need for Perspective: Sometimes I lose my focus

The need for Hope: Sometimes I wonder if there's more to life


Here's How Some Mums Describe MOPS

"MOPS means that I am able to share the joys and frustrations and insecurities of being a mum. Our meetings provide the opportunity to hear someone else say, "I was up all night," or "They're driving me crazy!"

MOPS mum, Perth

"As a single mum, this is the first group I've felt accepted in for who I am."

MOPS mum, Canberra

'On my first day at MOPS, I knew my life had changed forever! The women made me feel so relaxed. I had a peace I hadn't felt for a long time. They were so caring, pleasant, helpful…the list goes on! I just want to say, "Thank you MOPS!" If it weren't for MOPS, I wouldn't be where I am today.'

MOPS mum, Melbourne

'When I first started MOPS, I was very, very lonely. MOPS gave me a chance to get out of the house which I was grateful for. The talks were very informative. I found out a lot through these talks. My problems seemed to become smaller. When I first started at MOPS, I thought I was a Christian. I wasn't. Through MOPS I can now say, 'I am a Christian.' MOPS to me is not only Mothers of Pre Schoolers, but My Own Private Salvation!'

MOPS mum, Canberra