Women’s Ministry
Women's Ministry Staff and Council
The Women’s Ministry at West Shore welcomes women of all ages and walks of life. Our programs have emerged by assessing the needs of our women and developing ways to meet them.
We strive to create a loving atmosphere where women laugh, listen, and learn. We are driven by our desire for all women to know Jesus Christ in a personal way and to encourage them through all stages of their life’s journey.
Women's Bible Study
Bible Study Team
Discover who God is through Women's Bible Study. One of the highlights of the ministry is the opportunity for women to learn about God and develop friendships with each other.
On Tuesday mornings in the fall and spring from 9-11 a.m., 300 women meet at the church for Bible study. There are typically 5-9 classes from which they can choose. We offer beginner, intermediate and advanced courses (which may include Beth Moore, Kay Arthur's Precepts, a study of a book of the bible, topical studies like What the Bible is All About and who Christ is).
Morning studies include child care for infants through preschoolers. The cost is the price of the book and registration fee. We do take up a weekly love offering of $5 (optional) which helps to cover beverages and child care. On Tuesday evenings studies are held from 7-9 p.m. There are typically 3-4 studies from which to choose and some may be identical to those in the morning session.
The lives of many women have been changed through these studies because of the opportunity to spend time in God’s Word. The team leaders for Women's Bible Study are Cindy Steffan (AM) and Beck Neff (PM)2.
Women's Retreat
Be refreshed at the annual Women's Retreat held each fall in late October. As busy women, we need to set aside time to be refreshed and regain our focus. This is the perfect opportunity to spend a Friday evening through Sunday afternoon becoming spiritually refreshed.
Each year features a special speaker who brings encouragement and much-needed insights about God and His Word. The 2010 retreat will be held at the Black Rock Retreat center in Lancaster county.
There is free time incorporated into the retreat where women can relax, get a message, attend a cooking demonstration, spend some time in the prayer chapel, just to name a few. But, there is also a lot of time for fun, laughter, and fellowship as well as personal reflection spent with God.
We offer different packages and rates. For many women who attend, this is a life-changing weekend. The team leader for the Women's Retreat is Kimberly Steiner.
MOPS
MOPS Steering Committee
MOPS meeting dates
Are you a mother of a preschooler (birth -- kindergarten)? Do you have nights of interrupted sleep? Has an endless array of toys and stuff invaded your home? But, are you also experiencing the joy of seeing the first smiles and coos; the thrill of hearing words you understand; the wonder of trying to catch bubbles, ants and butterflies; and the success of seeing understanding in your children's eyes as they master a new concept?
MOPS is here to help you connect with other mothers because of very often we can feel like we are alone in this "Adventure in Motherhood." We want to offer authentic community, mothering support, personal growth, and spiritual hope to help you become the best mom possible.
MOPS meets twice a month on Thursdays for a time of sharing and learning about motherhood and parenting. We offer a variety of speakers to encourage you during this season of your life. To learn more about MOPS, go to www.mops.org. For registration information, please contact Julie Stansbury at 717-770-0917.
In the book of Titus, chapter 2, older women are instructed to teach the younger women. Our desire is to implement that instruction into our mentoring ministry. Women of mature age and/or spiritual maturity come alongside younger and/or spiritually immature women and develop a one-on-one relationship that is Christ-centered.
We try to pair women together who have similar life experiences. Our hope is that the relationship will foster prayer-filled encouragement and guidance. If you would like to be a mentor or be mentored, please contact the team leader, Cyndi Alioth at 620-2330, ext. 102.
Discipleship
When a woman yearns to be discipled, they are eager to learn and know what the Bible is all about and who Jesus Christ is. Our goal is to fulfill such a desire -- we pair them with a spiritually mature woman who will come alongside and teach them the ABC's of Christianity. This can be done one-on-one or in a small group setting. The team leader for Discipleship is Cheryl Balinski at 717-732-1180.
 Be refreshed and encouraged by hearing about God’s work in the lives of women through This Is My Story events. This Is My Story is an opportunity once or twice a year to get together and hear from two women in the church whose lives have been touched by God in a special way. The evening begins at 7 p.m. and the only thing you need to bring is a piece (or can) of fruit for the fruit salad snack during the middle of the evening.
Many women have been blessed by these events. The women who speak are not skilled conference speakers, rather they are women who have been asked to share their story. Stories have been told by—a woman who, with her husband, co-founded an organization that builds pediatric hospitals in developing nations, a woman who was orphaned as a child, a woman who learned to live joyously as an amputee . . . The stories often revolve around a tragedy that God has used to show them Himself in an even deeper way.
The next event will be January 2011.
The team leader for This is My Story is Barb Syvertson at 717-432-4094.
Caring and Sharing
Caring and Sharing are opportunities for women to have fun together. The activities that are planned several times a year are intended to give women a chance to make new friends, learn something new, and fellowship together. There have been Christmas cookie exchanges, line dancing, game nights, shopping trips to NYC (just to name a few) planned over the years. The team leader for Caring and Sharing is Kathy Carbonaro at 717-697-2080.
Women's Spring Outreach Event
This is a yearly event (in which the local community eagerly anticipates) that was developed to invite friends and family to an evening of entertainment. Although it is evangelistic in purpose, it is always a fun, crowd pleasing event that is done with the attention to detail that welcomes all women!
The team leader for the Outreach Event is Kathy Purcell at 717-620-2330, ext. 128.
Ministry Staff
Nancy Makowski, Director
717-620-2330, ext. 120
Cyndi Alioth, Coordinator
717-620-2330, ext. 102
Lisa Dunlap, Administrative Assistant
717-620-2330, ext. 103
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