Disciples Women Connect at NBA Office Space
The Executive Committee of Disciples Women began their term in October 2014 recognizing that they had some catching up to do to be prepared to lead women’s ministries for their term. While the ministry is making use of technology where appropriate, when new people are asked to work together, some teambuilding is helpful. After we visited the NBA’s new space earlier this year, Mark Anderson invited the Disciples Women team to meet in St. Louis.
Our team members were already familiar with Indianapolis and the ministries at Disciples Center, so it seemed a good reminder of our other Disciples ministries to meet in St. Louis. And we realized it could also be an opportunity to meet with some of the NBA’s ministry staff, so we moved forward with plans.
The team not only received an amazing welcome once we were in St. Louis, but NBA staff member Kara Whitehouse, who worked with us, was extremely helpful in arranging many aspects of the logistics required. The welcome by the NBA was above and beyond any expectations, and the meeting space and arrangements inspired creativity and offered comfort.
Both Mark Anderson and Rev. Rebecca Hale spent time with the team to talk about the NBA’s history and celebrate that it was women recognizing a need in the world that started what is now the NBA. One of the reasons the team decided to meet with NBA was the hope and possibility of partnerships centered around social service and justice ministries. The team has been considering some ideas that might possibly be a place to learn from and/or share with the NBA Affinity Groups. Disciples Women has hopes of working together to share information through one of the NBA XPLOR Residents who will be working with trafficking victims.
Our purpose statement is: “Disciples Women’s Ministries is a conduit for diverse connections empowering each woman to find her voice and live out her call.” The hope is that by helping women connect with one another, communities (both local and global) will be formed to provide the basis for strengthening one another to follow God and live boldly as sisters of Christ. The NBA’s vision statement, “creating communities of compassion and care,” connects meaningfully with the ministry of Disciples Women. Both ministries recognize the power of healthy communities and are working to provide the tools and resources to encourage their formation and growth.
Disciples Women is exceedingly grateful for the welcome received at the NBA, as well as for the generous spirit of each member of the NBA team in exploring how these ministries might partner for continued care to the people of God.
