Click on images to download Download Leadership Guide Download Handcards for Meetings  Never hosted a Bible Study before? Nervous? We found a great resource from Laura Krokos of Missional Women. We recommend reading this while you prep for the Bible Study.

BUILDING YOUR FIRE

Community Organizing regardless of your circumstances

Beyond your family and love of God, what fires your passion? Children’s health? School issues?
Children at risk? A community challenge? Taking care of God’s creation? If you know what you want to work on but have no idea how to start, or maybe you want to do something but not sure what it is. This program can help moms find and build their fire.

How do you start if you are beginning from scratch? What are you trying to achieve? How do you identify potential partners? If there are a group of you, how do you proceed? How can you get the issue in front of other concerned people? Have a speaker come in and discuss how to organize effectively.

SPEAKER OR VIDEO PROGRAM

Moms Clean Air Force Local Representative, Non-profit Organizer, Mom in Community who organized her own group, EEN Director of Women’s Ministries.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What breaks your heart?
2. Are there others already working on this issue?
3. Do you have an idea what could help the challenge that the community is facing?
4. What do you think the first steps are?
5. If you needed help for this issue where would you first go?
6. Are there others in the group who care about the same thing?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Get a community organizer to come do a training.
• Find a group in another community doing the same thing and contact them to find out how they organized.
• See if your local church organization has resources to help teach organizing.
   

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR OFF MOPS MEETING WEEKS

• Host an organizing meeting to set goals and strategies.
• Attend or host a community organizing training.
• Ask a non-profit that you are interested in helping how you can lift and support their work.

DIGGING DEEPER

Building your fire is so much easier with friends. Plus the work is always more fun with friends. It goes quicker and builds relationships all at the same time. There are plenty of projects that industrious moms can do together. Just find one and start fanning the flames and watch what happens.

1. Find people with the same passions. With social media and email it's amazing what you can achieve without ever stepping a foot out of the house. That doesn't mean you can't get togehter and have coffee or lunch! Just pick a project and get going. 
2. Join as a group with others or start your own group to tackle the challenge. Taking a couple of friends along with you makes it less intimidating and you can carpool too! If you have to start a group then check out Finding Your Fire if you need help finding your passion. 
3. Divide the work and make it easier. Just like with MOP leadership teams, assessing each members skills and dividing the work will make it go smoother. Plus, everyone excels at what they are good at. 
4. Set actionable goals and final results. Setting goals to achieve along the way keeps people focused. You also need to set the final goal or the result. Sometimes it's easier to set the final goal and then work backwards. For example: Final Goal - backpack drive for children in need. Set the end date and the number of backpacks you want to collect. Then set the communication goals. Instagram? Facebook page or group? Maybe you need sponsors? Set a deadline for that. Are you going to have a stuffing party before distribution? Set a date for that. Being organized is the best thing you can do to make your project successful. Planning doesn't mean there won't be changes or challenges, but it does mean it will help with focus. 
5. Celebrate each success. No, you don't throw a party for each achievement, but at the end of each task accomplished, send a thank you text or email. A high five, maybe? Just something that recognizes the end of each part that makes the whole. Then at the end of the project plan a get together. Sure it can be a party and if it is a big goal plan a party, but meeting for coffee or a ladies tea works too.