United Church of Pittsford

WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP GROUP

The Women’s Fellowship Group is open to all women and friends of UCP. It is held twice a month – on the 1st and 3rd Thursday evenings of each month at 7:15. The purpose of these gatherings is to promote deeper friendships and personal spiritual growth.

BLESS AND BE BLESSED - BECOME A SECRET SISTER!

“A word spoken in due season, how good it is!” Proverbs 15:23

All of the ladies of the church are invited to participate in this ministry of caring and sharing with their sisters in Christ.

What do I do if I choose to become a Secret Sister?

1. Know that it is a commitment. Your Secret Sister will be so blessed to know you are praying for her and she can rely on you for encouragement.

2. Pray daily for your sister. Get to know her and her family’s needs so that you may pray specifically for them. The tricky part is doing this without her knowing you are her Secret Sister! You can be the instrument that God has placed in your sister's life to give her the encouragement she needs right when she needs it. Praying daily for your sister will strengthen you, and the rewards are immeasurable.

3. Be an encouragement to your sister. Encourage her the old-fashioned way through the U.S. mail. Stock up on some cards so you have them on hand or write a quick note on any note paper. The important thing is that your Secret Sister hears from you on a regular basis.

4. Keep it a secret and have fun with it!

5. Give one gift. You will purchase and bring one gift (no more than $10) for your sister at our Secret Sisters Revealing Party in February, 2009. Otherwise, no purchased gift giving.

6. Contact a Secret Sister coordinator if you are unable to continue. Let Debra Hegley or Pam Ernst know, so another sister can be found.

When does this start and how do I sign up?

You fill out a form with some information about you. Click here for a printable form (or download the MS Word version if you want to type in the info before printing). The forms will be collected and Secret Sisters chosen the first week in September, 2008. Stay tuned for more details in the August Dialogue.

Reflections from Susan Dutcher, who participated with a total of 20 UCP women this past spring as a Secret Sister:

If you have a sister or a close friend, you know the comfort that relationship can bring in knowing someone cares about you. "Secret Sisters" allows us to extend that feeling to a member of our faith community. The relationship begins in secret but ends in wonderful acknowledgement of both the giver and the receiver. As a Secret Sister, we have the opportunity to be cared for and to be caring. It becomes a pleasure to think of ways in which we can show our love for our "sister." And it is a blessing to know that you have a "sister" who is praying for you every day and encouraging you.

My participation as a Secret Sister gave me two sisters - one who was secretly watching over me and one for whom I was secretly responsible. Receiving a note in the mail reminded me that I mattered - not to my husband or my children whom I love dearly - but to someone whose life was separate from mine and was taking the time to think about ME; and I, in turn, provided that for my Secret Sister. When at last everyone's identy is revealed, it does not mark the end of the relationship but a new beginning - a new friend or perhaps an old friend whom you now know better. I, for one, will continue to be a Secret Sister and look forward to praying for more "sisters" and having more "sisters" pray for me.