MOPSTalk Zone 22 ~ Eastern PA and NJ: Strengthening Your MOPS groups relationship with your Chartering Ministry

CONVENTION UPDATE

Ta da! A Convention announcement!
We just signed the papers and we thank you for your prayers as we worked on moving, well, a whole lotta details in just a few days.

Drum roll #1: The Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, FL (Orlando area) was able to welcome us (in the midst of many conventions needing to move).

Drum roll #2: We're able to keep the registration fees the same, so some of you might decide to come early or stay late, and enjoy the Orlando amenities with your friends (or family).

And thanks for all the great ideas of cities! You helped our future dreaming. 'Twould be fun!
And again, it will be great because of Who we'll be with: "Where(ver) two or three (thousand) are gathered in my name, there am I with them." (Mt. 18:20, our year's theme verse with my additions).

Naomi Cramer Overton

Convention Details:
The MOPS International Convention will be at the Gaylord Palms, Kissimmee, FL (Orlando area). Dates will be the same, August 5-7, 2010. Speakers and artists will be the same great lineup — Julie Barnhill, Margaret Feinberg, Donald Miller, Naomi Cramer Overton, Shelly Radic, Go Fish, Mandisa, The Katinas and Richie McDonald.

Convention registration will re-open on Monday, May 17.
The early bird registration deadline will be extended to June 7.
We are working with the Gaylord Opryland for an official letter we can provide to anyone who has already purchased airline tickets to use with airlines to avoid rebooking fees. This letter should assist you in rebooking airline tickets — it will be posted online at www.MOPS.org/convention.
We continue to pray for families and businesses affected by the flooding and we have sent MOPS materials to local MOPS leaders who are distributing supplies in the Nashville area.

MOPS International Convention 2010

August 5-7, 2010
Gaylord Palms, Orlando FL

Check back often for more information!

Your MOPS International Convention Checklist:

Register for Convention (re-opens May 17)
Reserve a room at the hotel (register first!)
Schedule shuttle transportation

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Strengthening Your MOPS groups relationship with your Chartering Ministry

STRENGTHENING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MOPS AND THE CHARTERING MINISTRY

As the new MOPS year is looming here are some suggestions to help you enhance the relationship between your MOPS group and your chartering ministry.

COMMUNICATION WITH STAFF

1. Keep in touch with the pastor and staff overseeing the MOPS ministry. On a regular basis inform them of both your needs and your accomplishments.

2. Attend a church staff and/or board meeting and communicate to the leaders the effectiveness of MOPS as an outreach.

3. Be careful to follow church procedures and policy. Ask for permission to use church materials, office equipment, and storage space.

4. Inform church staff of MOPS activities by putting those dates on the church calendar. Cooperate with other groups using the same facilities.

5. Remember who owns the MOPS group: the MOPS group comes under the authority of its chartering ministry. Issues of finances, MOPPETS staff, Steering Team members, etc. require guidance from the governing entities of the church.

6. Make friends with the church office staff. Find out what services (ie. copying, typing, computers) are available to you. Set up a mailbox for receiving MOPS materials.

7. Show appreciation for staff who work to make your MOPS ministry effective. Find ways to communicate your gratitude to those who encourage and help you.

8. When a new pastor comes to a chartering church, be sure to meet with him/her and provide information about the ministry of MOPS and its relationship to the church.

9. Never speak ill of the chartering ministry or its staff. Resolve issues through the proper channels with respect and confidentiality.

COMMUNICATION WITH CHURCH MEMBERS

1. Ask for prayer for MOPS needs. This can be done through prayer requests during worship, written prayer concerns in the church newsletter, or by asking persons from the church to be MOPS prayer warriors. Inform the church of answered prayers, too.

2. Write an article for the church newsletter entitled "Did You Know?" and tell about the ministry opportunities and outreach that occur through MOPS.

3. Display a bulletin board in the church with pictures of MOPS activities, information about your MOPS group, and samples of moms’ or MOPPETS’ crafts.

4. Design an eye-catching insert for the church bulletin. Be brief, informative, and creative. Pass out a bookmark with MOPS information on it or a "Thanks for supporting MOPS."

5. Make available a flyer with information about your MOPS group. This can be distributed to invite moms to join the MOPS group or to solicit MOPPETS workers.

6. Have a MOPS Awareness Sunday. MOPS moms can attend the worship service, a mom can tell what MOPS has meant to her, a few moms can do a skit describing MOPS, and the MOPPETS can sing a song.

7. Attend adult church school classes and take a few minutes to inform and update the class about the blessings of the MOPS ministry.

8. When speaking to others, refer to MOPS as a ministry and outreach. If MOPS leaders describe MOPS as meeting moms’ needs, the greatest of which is hope in Jesus Christ, church members will come to see MOPS as a part of the church’s outreach to the community.

9. Provide the MOPS International Web site address and encourage church members to find out more about MOPS in our nation and around the world!