Course in a nutshell

A 5 week course to enable women who have recently had children to come together and explore the way in which their lives, relationships and spirituality have been changed, and to support and affirm each other in growing in this new stage of life.

Why this course?Caring for women, not just childrenChurch statistics – churches are struggling to retain and attract mothersImpact of any major life event on faithTo create space at a time of pressure for women to actively and consciously shape their spirituality and walk with GodDiscontinuity with the past: need for new models

Theoretical underpinning

Women’s faith development: story telling and communityStages of life and stages of faithThe learning spiral – building on the past and integrating new experiencesSession specific – cognitive dissonance as motivator for growth, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Educational Methods

Dual emphasis on encouraging independent learning and learning from diversityFacilitating approachIntegration with the whole of life

Practicalities

Target group: Christian women with pre-school childrenTiming: during Sunday service, joining congregation for drinks at the endVenue: church hall/premisesCrèche provided (normal Sunday) but children allowed in session

Session Structure

Opening prayerIntroduction to the session (with ice breaker)Short reflection on a Biblical textJournaling/creative timeInteractive activityAct of worship (including prayer stations)Drinks with the rest of the church and/or prayer ministry

Between Sessions

A diaryBlogPrayer ministry if requestedMentoringAnything else agreed between the members of the group

Course Outline

Session 1: Who am I?Session 2: Great ExpectationsSession 3: Body BeautifulSession 4: Stress and PressureSession 5: Practising the Presence of God

Session 1: Who am I?

Aim: to define ground rules for the group so as to create a safe space for women to share

to find truth, affirmation and value in one’s identity, to locate one’s own story within the wider story of God and his people

Key text: Mark 8:27-28

Activity centred on telling personal stories of faith and reflecting on each other’s lives

Session 2: Great Expectations

To come in more detail later!

Session 3: Body Beautiful

Aim: To embrace the changes that we understand to have occurred externally and see these in the light of our inner changes.

Key text: Psalm 139:14

Activity: creative prayer exercise that allows for both joy and lament

Session 4: Stress and Pressure

Aim: to discuss strategies to deal with the stress of early motherhood, with a focus on the re-negotiation of relationships to self, others and God

Key text: ‘love your neighbour as yourself’ Mark 12:31

Activity: creative prayer stations and embodied prayer

Session 5: Practising the Presence of God

Aim: to formulate a strategy for encountering God within a busy life

Key text: Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Activity: creating home prayer stations and thinking about a rule of life

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Unto us a child is born....

AIMS

•Discern what expectations are attached to mothering and where those expectations are coming from

•Enable women to become increasingly self-aware and confident about their choices in mothering

Underlying theory

Exploring cognitive dissonance

Maslow's hierarchy of need

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmykFKjNpdY&feature=player_embedded

Mary and Martha

•Short reflection on the different expectations of all the characters in this scene

•Ignatian meditation

Group discussion

Open ended discussion prompt – what leapt out of the passage or the meditation?

Follow up questions on what expectations we see bearing on ourselves, which are legitimate

or not

Creative space and journal

CLOSING ACT OF WORSHIP

Blog

Sources and resourcesK. Aune, S. Sharma, & G. Vincett (2008) Women and religion in the West: Challenging Secularisation, AshgateBrother Lawrence (2008 edition) The Practice of the Presence of God, Wilder Publications LtdJ. Fowler, KE Nipkow & F. Schweitzer (1992) Stages of Faith and Religious Development, London: SCMA. Heppenstall (2006) Wild Goose Chase: Exploring the Spirituality of Everyday Life, Iona: Wild Goose PublicationsJ. Morley (1992) All Desires Known, London: SPCKSlee, N. (2004) Women’s Faith Development: Patterns and Processes, Ashgate Publishing