Anti-Human Trafficking Training

Human trafficking is the modern-day form of slavery. Victims of trafficking are subjected to force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor. There are currently over 27 million slaves worldwide, of which over 50% are children. It is estimated that this 32 billion-dollar industry will soon surpass the use of drugs and alcohol.

Young children, teenagers, men, and women are all victims. Approximately 600,000 to 800,000 people annually are trafficked across international borders, and thousands are trafficked into the United States. It is sickening to realize this industry employs people full-time to look for vulnerable victims in North America.

Wesleyan Women announces training to abolish human trafficking:
September 10-12, 2009
The Wesleyan Church World Headquarters
Fishers, Indiana

Who should attend?
Individuals, church and community leaders who are willing to learn and serve as trainers and caregivers of trafficking victims.

What is the curriculum?
The curriculum uses a community-based holistic approach to addressing the needs of trafficking survivors, and will be taught by professional trainers.

What will the training cover?
· Defining and understanding human trafficking
· Biblical framework for Christian response
· Trafficking in persons community assessment
· Cultural issues in trafficking and trauma
· A holistic approach to aftercare – understanding the spiritual, physical, psychological, and social needs of survivors
· Combating the demand for commercial sex

What is the cost?
$125 (due with the registration form)
This fee includes training, curriculum, meals: continental breakfast (Thursday-Saturday) lunch (Thursday–Saturday), and dinner (Thursday and Friday).
Transportation and lodging expenses are not included, but lodging in local homes is available for those coming long distances. Contact the Wesleyan Women office if you want to stay in a local home.

How do I register?
The following link will take you to the registration form:
https://regserv.wesleyan.org/eventmanager/OnlineRegistration.asp?EventCode=A1F

Churches Join Together to Host Auction Benefit

On Sunday, February 22, the Wesleyan churches in Colorado Springs hosted a joint potluck dinner and auction to raise funds for the 2009 Heart of Ministries Offering. "Vanna and Pat" (Marlene Bizub and Jim Lawson) assisted the bidders and provided many opportunities for laughter along the way! This offering suppports both domestic and overseas ministries. Click here for more detailed information and to view the Heart of Ministries Videos: http://www.wesleyan.org/ww/. Thanks to everyone who participated in this enjoyable evening for a terrific cause!

Am I Beautiful?

Every little girl seems to be born with a desire to know she is beautiful. It begins with dress-up clothes, princess costumes, and twirling endlessly in front of the mirror. But as little girls grow into young women, they may give up the pretending and the costumes, but the question always remains in their minds…longing to be answered…”Am I beautiful?” To some extent, this question creates an insatiable appetite for affirmation, and many women have learned the sad consequences that accompany this search to know they are beautiful to someone. So as Christian women, how do we let God be the one to affirm our beauty?

First, we must settle the fact that there is a huge difference between inner and outer beauty. Although we should do our best with what God has given us to work with in regard to outward appearance, this type of beauty is superficial, and will never last. But as we focus on inner beauty, what qualities should we look for? How can I tell if God thinks I am a beautiful woman? Although a beautiful woman consistently displays godly attributes such as the Fruit of the Spirit, I recently discovered some additional descriptions of beauty that I believe are worth contemplating:
· Beauty speaks…and assures others that all will be well.
· Beauty is peaceful and at rest…not anxious.
· Beauty is inviting…it captures you, makes you want to sit down and drink it in, holds your attention.
· Beauty nourishes…a kind of food our soul craves.
· Beauty comforts…and is profoundly healing.
· Beauty inspires…it calls us to something higher.
· Beauty is transcendent…it is our most immediate experience of the eternal. It draws us to God.

This author goes on to state, “Every woman has a beauty to unveil, an essence that is given to her at creation, because she bears the image of God” (from Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge).

Ladies, if there is a beautiful woman in your life…make sure you tell her this week, and be sure to tell her why you find her beautiful. God wants to use you as an instrument of His grace to speak life-changing truth into another woman’s life! What a tragedy it would be for her to go through life never hearing that she is truly beautiful! And I pray that God brings someone into your life to affirm your inner beauty as well.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. --Proverbs 31:30

Thank You!

Thank you to all the churches who have registered so far!

Atkinson Faith
Colorado Springs Heritage
Colorado Springs Mountain View
Denver First
Fort Collins Foothills
Greeley
Naponee
Oshkosh
Red Cloud

If you haven't registered yet, it's not too late! See the post below for registration details.

Just thinking about...OUTREACH!

Just this morning I was reading an e-mail from a relative of mine who is a missionary in Papua New Guinea. She was describing an upcoming outreach event they were undertaking as follows:

Monday they took a bus to Lae on the coast and (hopefully) Wednesday boarded a boat bound for Oro Bay. After a night on the boat, they land and take a bus to Popendetta, another bus to the Afore district, and then walk 2 hours to a village to sleep. Besides Bibles, they took guitars, extra strings, lanterns, loud speakers, microphone, car battery, and ace bandages sent by some of you. They’ll spend 10 days walking in the Afore area, another 2 days in Popendetta on their way back, and then return. Our team has been praying that the Lord will bless their skits, songs, and sermons to His glory.

Can you imagine the passion they must have for their people to know God that they are willing to do all this just to have an opportunity to share? I must admit…I was convicted.

As women's ministry leaders, many of us are in the middle of planning outreach events for our women, and encouraging them to invite their co-workers, friends, neighbors and relatives. I know that it is sometimes discouraging if women within our ministries don't take advantage of these opportunities for outreach that we leaders work so hard to provide. But my encouragement to you today is not to give up. Your next outreach event may just be the open door that will eventually change a woman's eternity! (And most of us won't have had to walk for 10 days carrying a car battery to make the event happen!)

Have a blessed day!
Dawn

Just thinking about...CHANGE!

It seems that life is always full of changes, but sometimes we come to those seasons of life where many big changes come all at once and we just have to hang on for the ride! This year seems to be one of those years for me. I never dreamed that God would call me to begin pastoring a small church in Fort Collins. In addition to new personal responsibilities, a new home, a new community and a new school for my son, my daughter left yesterday for her first year of college—in Indiana! Although all these things are good things and very much directed by God, they are all big changes nonetheless. I am so glad that in the middle of chaotic-feeling seasons we can hold the hand of our God who never changes! God’s word assures us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” This also means that the promises we find in His Word are just as true today as the day they were spoken or written. They never change or expire!

I am aware that many of you have gone through or are going through big changes in your life that may not be as positive or as pleasant as my big changes. Give yourself permission to grieve and keep your hand tightly in the hand of our very big God who never changes by hanging on to one or more of His promises!

Now it’s your turn. What is a promise you are hanging on to today in the middle of your ever-changing life? Encourage your sisters in the Lord today by sharing your promise. Be assured of my care and concern for you. You are loved!

Dawn

Note: Some of you may be confused about my new responsibilities and how they fit with my position at Greeley Wesleyan. At GWC I am employed part-time as Director of Women’s Ministries. My remaining time is spent as solo pastor of Foothills Wesleyan Church, a small congregation going through a re-focus process to help us reach the people in northwest Fort Collins with the good news that God loves them! I appreciate your prayers as I endeavor to balance these two areas of ministry.

Kickoff Ideas from Oshkosh!

Vonnie Lutz shares the following kickoff ideas...thanks Vonnie!

During the summer, our women's leadership team meets for a "marathon" meeting. This can last up to 6 hours so we set aside an entire day, an evening & morning (with a fun sleepover), or one very long evening meeting. By the end of this meeting, we've set a tentative schedule for at least 8 monthly outreach events (OASIS-like), monthly leadership team meetings, selected offering projects for each month, planned our annual Craft Show fundraiser, and planned the kick off event (usually held in August) in detail. Of course, we also have lots of fun and brainstorming along the way -- and good food!

The key to helping us carry out all of our plans, though, is to assign two team members to each event. (We pair inexperienced members with more experienced ones.) The pair is responsible for researching ideas for their event, including theme, decorations, food, program, helpers, etc. They present one or two suggestions to the rest of the team at the leadership team meeting prior to their event. Then the rest of the team helps to "flesh out" the ideas and shares responsibilities to carry it out. Having the ideas at the beginning of the meeting really helps to save planning time for the team. It also gives everyone a chance to suggest ideas they would like.

These photos were taken at a western-themed event we hosted called "Spur One Another On." A local gal does a hilarious impersonation of Dolly Parton and was a sensation! We had also included a time of line dancing to Christian music, races on stick horses, and a western barbecue. Of course, we also included a short devotional on Hebrews 10:24. Cowboy boots, saddles, etc. were used as decorations and women were encouraged to wear their western outfits. Great fun!!