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.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Summary of May 29th Growth cont - Composting and Worm Farming/Floristry Demo


Topic: Growth cont... (Part III)


Guest Speaker: Sandy from Sunshine Coast Regional Council spoke on
"Composting and Worm Farming"
Organic materials make up 50% of the waste we throw away each week.
Composting is the breaking down of large oranic matter into small pieces. The created compost is usefukl in the garden as a nutrient rich soiil conditioner containign the full range of nutrients needed for plant gtrowth.
See the Councils factsheets on Composting and Worm Farming for more info including how to get started, what you need and do's and don'ts and trouble shooting etc.
Compost bins can be homemade or purchased in nurseries and hardware stores or from the Council Customer Service Centre which can be contacted on (07) 5475 8501.

Worms can be purchased from various sources - one company is called Worms Downunder. Dr Paul Harrey 162 Glenview Rd Ph 5439 6349 or see www.wormsdownunder.com.au

Sandy also took the worm farm to show the MOPPETS preschool group and said they loved taking a look at the dirt and worms and were interested in the story she told to them and lots of them talked about gardening and vegies etc.





      The council kindly donated both a compost bin and a worm farm (minus the worms). These were won by Carien M (the compost bin) and Jessica L (worm farm). Happy composting/worm farming and gardening. Be sure to let us know how you go and bring in any fruits of your labour for show and tell.

      A quick postscript on the topic of composting and reducing waste: I was reading that Australians throw away 3 million tonnes of food every year. That is $5 billion dollars worth. And get this - at a local household level it has been estimated that:


      Australian discard up to 20% of the food they purchase.

      This is the equivalent of buying five bags of groceries and throwing one away.


      Crazy isn't it!


      Planet Arks "Save Food Stop Waste" campaign recommends composting organic waste, creating a meal plan and shopping list, buying less, using what you buy sensibly, looking for ways to store things longer. See more information at savefoodstopwaste.com

      Creative Activity: Todays craft was a Floristry Demo by the very talented Pauline S (who works part time as a florist). Pauline showed us several ways to arrange flowers and foliage (traditional, modern etc) and gave lots of handy tips if wanting to do a floral arrangement at home (ways to line the container to make it waterproof, how to cut stems on an angle, wiring stems, positioning of the items, where to source the foam and flowers etc). Pauline's demo was followed by MOPS mums learning how to wire up and decoratively wrap gerbras with paper and ribbon etc. Thank you Pauline for sharing your floristry skills and talent with us this morning.





      M/Tea Theme: Flowers

      Finally, a thankyou to everybody for allowing MOPS to finish up a little earlier than usual and to our speakers who had to cut their talks short to accommodate this change. The Team members, MOPPETS carers and MOPS mums who were then able to attend the funeral at MBC today were very appreciative.

      SOME ADDITIONAL INFO FROM SANDIE POST MEETING:

      I emailed Sandie to clarify a few points from my notes.


      Where can we buy compost bins?

      Compost bins can be bought through council if you wish but they only have one style and it’s rather large. I would recommend checking out your local hardware store as they tend to have a range of compost bins where people can chose the system that suits them best.


      Does council sell worms and worm farms? Or where can we get them from and which type do you recommend?

      Council don’t sell worm farms but I would recommend getting the ‘Can of Worms’ style from local hardware. I haven’t seen the rectangular ones for sale in hardwares for some reason. Always recommend buying worms from a worm farmer, whether Worms Downunder (card handed out) or Landsborough Worms (Bob Lewis 5494 1512) Please order ahead of time as farmers need time to ‘round’ the worms up for sale


      Why is it best to have compost AND worm farm working in tandem and how do the two work together or how does the user makes them work as a system – you did mention but I didnt capture in my notes sorry.

      It’s certainly not essential but I prefer to have a compost bin and a worm farm working together as the compost can take the bulk of your food scraps and your garden waste. The worm farm will take a small amount of food scraps to start with until the population grows. With a compost bin you can keep layering it up as you need to dispose of food scraps where as you need to wait until the worms have almost finished the old food before placing the next lot in. So keep them both close to each other and when you take your scraps out check the worm farm and give it only a little food as it needs it and throw the rest in the compost bin. Worm farms give a very high quality product to use on the garden, both solid and liquid forms of fertiliser. While the solids are great to use straight on the garden you may want to water down the liquid. The liquid should look like a weak cup of tea… not an espresso coffee.


      And finally Sandie - some of the mums wanted to know what are councils rules about chooks. Do you know or can you point me in the right direction and I will add it to our website so the mums that want to can chase it up. Thanks.

      The rules for keeping chickens vary depending on which part of the Sunshine Coast you live in. Check out this website for your area: http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/sitePage.cfm?code=keeping-animals

      THANKS SANDIE - an excellent session - learnt heaps and you inspired us all to be a little greener!



      Posted by Michele @ The Hills are Alive at 4:42 PM Labels: , , ,

      No comments:

      Post a Comment

      Hi to all our MOPS Mums. We would love you to leave a comment.

      Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

      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