The Messenger
New Eyes, Open Hearts, Able Hands: Grow - Connect - Serve
Message from the Co-Moderators
Oh, February! You can be cold and gray and dark. You bring forth in me a sense of homesickness, a feeling that I am longing for things that are no longer here and not yet arrived. You feel long, even though you are short. You challenge me to find the light, search for the good, celebrate the joy and help carry others’ burdens. You, for me, are perhaps the most challenging month of all.
Does anyone else feel this way?
I find that in this time between the holiness of the holidays and the coming of Spring, we can be caught in a place of longing and of hope. We long for more sunshine, more light, more warmth, maybe even more purpose. We KNOW that Spring will come, we can even see that the dark comes a little later at night, so we have hope. As we step out into the early days of a new year, we want to have a spring in our step and determination to begin new things. But somehow, it is just so difficult to do!
So what can we do with all of this longing and hope? Maybe this homesickness is actually our soul’s ache for something bigger. Douglas McKelvey’s A Liturgy for Inconsolable Homesickness says, “That is the holy work of homesickness: to teach our hearts how lonely they have always been for God.” Perhaps more than a longing for sun or warmth, we are longing for a deep connection with our Creator. God IS our home. She IS our light. He IS our warmth. God IS our hope! Perhaps February is a perfect time for holy work.
How do we set about this holy work? How can we insert holy Sabbath into our days?
One way is to simply sit with God and listen. We can listen through prayer, through the reading of scripture, through a holy conversation with someone we trust, or encountering nature during a walk. But don’t forget to stop enough to listen. Quiet your own thoughts and listen for God. Allow God to bring you peace and clarity. Maybe you would like to start a journal and allow God to hear your deepest fears and greatest hopes. That brings God such delight!
What is it that your soul needs? What are the ways that you care for yourself and allow others to care for you? Where do you find nourishment for your mind, body and soul? Let’s seek THOSE things in February. Let’s explore all the wild and winding and thrilling paths that lead us home…to the Home where we are known and loved, healed and fed. Let’s go and seek that light and warmth and hope that is only found in God.
Susan Satterlee and Cindy Henderson
Co-Moderators
PW Craft Night Scheduled for February 1
Wednesday, February 1, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. - Village on Antioch, Fellowship Hall.
Are you working on a sewing, needlework or knitting project? Bring it and make great progress while chatting with friends. Do you have a box of photos you’ve wanted to sort through? This is the night to get it done! Don’t have a project? We’ll set up several card-making stations so you can leave with several cards to send out this winter! AND we’ll learn how to repurpose plastic shopping bags into sleeping mats. Refreshments will be served!
Spiritual Growth Corner
the Bed of Bags mission. See details below.
Women with Spirit Cooking Class on February 5
Women with Spirit will meet for a private, hands-on cooking class on February 5 at 1:00 pm.
Email Rachel Ciordas for more information and to join!
Requesting Input on 2024 Retreat Experience
Believe it or not, we have already begun planning the 2024 Women’s Retreat! But before we dive into the logistical details of timing, location, and programming, we’d like your input on the overall experience so that we may better serve your needs next year.
We recognize there are countless ways that a retreat can benefit individuals and groups. We've identified 9 primary experiences that we'd like you to rank from most important to least important. If we missed one, let us know!
1. Studying God's Word and increasing Biblical knowledge in a group
2. Studying God's Word and increasing Biblical knowledge by myself
3. Time of prayer and sharing experiences with other women
4. Time of prayer and reflection by myself
5. Worshiping together
6. Laughter and fun and connection with friends (old and new!)
7. Time to complete service projects with others
8. Time for creative expression
9. Time in nature
You're welcome to email Stephanie Morrison with your feedback or submit it using this survey.To rank your preferences in the survey, simply drag and drop the options in order of importance then scroll down and click Submit.
Please submit your responses by Monday, February 20. Thank you for your input!
Stephanie Morrison and Jan Zimmerman
PW Circles - All are Welcome!!
Please come and join us in one of our 8 Circles as we gather for fellowship and discussion of the Horizons Bible Study, Celebrating Sabbath, Accepting God’s Gift of Rest and Delight.
Most Village on Mission Circles meet the second Tuesday of the month at various times of day. The Village on Antioch Circle meets at 6:00 p.m. the second Monday of the month. All are invited to attend the Circle of your choice.
For questions and information regarding meeting times and locations for the Circle meetings, please contact Sherri Robeson, PW Circle Activities Coordinator (srobeson49@gmail.com) or 913-219-9925.
"Circle of the Month" - Lakeview Village Circle
The Lakeview Village Circle meets from 1:00-2:00 p.m. in the Gardenview Room, 4th floor at Lakeview Village. Diane Quaintance is the leader, and can be reached at 913-856-8744 or hqdqfarm@gmail.com
This circle is a friendly, caring, faithful group of Lakeview Village residents who gather once a month to share their stories, their faith, their questions and their hope.
Special Guest Shares Jewish Traditions with Circle 2
Amazing Graces Book Club Selections for 2023
The Amazing Graces Book Club has selected the following books to read and discuss over the next several months:
- February 1 - Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Grams
- March 1 - Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver
- April 5 - Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post, by Allison Pataki
- May 3 - Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt
We’re happy to have you join us! We meet year round, usually on the first Wednesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. All are welcome (if fully vaccinated). We meet in homes, so please contact Sara Wallace to be added to the monthly email distribution.
Page Turners Will Meet on February 28 to Discuss "The Maid"
Page Turners Book Group will meet Tuesday, February 28, at 10:00 a.m. in Room 127 at Village on Mission. Our book selection is The Maid by Nita Prose.
Molly the maid is all alone in the world. A nobody. She’s used to being invisible in her job at the Regency Grand Hotel, plumping pillows and wiping away the grime and the secrets of the guests passing through. This novel addresses what it means to be the same as other people, yet very different. “A Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heart-warming journey of the spirit.” It is a Valentine to those who work quietly behind the scenes of our lives.
The book for March will be The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles.
New members and visitors are always welcome to join our lively discussion, having read the book or not. If you like to read there is a place for you in Page Turners.
For more information please contact Barbara Lee, lhlee@att.net, 217-891-3557, or Ann Raikula, ann.raikula@sbcglobal.net, 913-481-4730.
Mission Sewing - The Joy of a New Dress
One of the projects our sewists love to do is to make dresses for little girls. While we do these all year round, we supply about 30 dresses to City Union Mission every summer for their day camp. For some of the girls, this may be their only dress. They wear them at camp and then take them home at the end of the week. This is a photo of Mary, who loves to make these dresses and adds special stitching, ruffles or trims to make each one unique.
We also have a long term sewist who loves to make women's dresses. She makes about one per week, doing most of the sewing at home. These go to either City Union Mission or our Clothes Closet at the Village Food Pantry. She takes care to combine pretty colors and add embellishments like special stitching and trims.
Hurray for these women who are bringing joy to both children and adults!
Presbyterian Women
Email: laura.hobbs@villagepres.org
Website: villagepres.org/pw.html
Location: 6641 Mission Road, Prairie Village, KS, USA
Phone: 913-262-4200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PWofVC