GC Women's Ministries Newsletter September 2000 Headlines: Important Women in Treasury | Changes in division Leadership | Additions to the Church Manual | WM Dept - Church Manual Addition | One Minute Idea: Consider Personality Types to Solve Problems Effectively EDITORIAL
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Changes in Division Leadership The beginning of a new quinquennium often means changes in leadership. We are sorry that some of our faithful division directors will be going on to new and different assignments also. We have so appreciated their dedicated service that has made a difference for so many women in their territories. And there are others who have already been re-elected, so we rejoice that we will be able to continue working with them. Those who will be going to new assignments are Ludmila Krushenitskya from the Euro-Asia Division; Natasha Ivanova will be taking her place. Birthe Kendel is leaving the Trans-European Division and is being replaced by Anne-Maj Wollan; and Vasti Viana is leaving her post at the South American Division. Her replacement has not yet been named. Welcome, Natasha and Anne-Maj. We will let you know more about these women later. Those who have already been re-elected are Priscille Metonou of the Africa-Indian Ocean Division, Priscilla Handia Ben of the Eastern Africa Division, Noëlle Vitry of the Euro-Africa Division , Waveney Martinborough of the Inter-American Division, and Linda Koh of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division. The North American Division, the Northern Asia-Pacific Division and the Southern Asia Divisions have not yet held their meetings to decide on departmental positions. Carole-Ferch-Johnson has announced that she is retiring and will be replaced when the South Pacific Division fills these positions in November. Additions to the Church Manual Several issues of particular interest to women and Women's Ministries were voted at the 57th General Conference Session in Toronto. One of these actions is that the Women's Ministries leader in the local church is a position to be decided by the church Nominating Committee (this will be found in the new Church Manual in Chapter 10, pages 128-130); and the leader should be included in the church board membership (Church Manual, Chapter 7, pages 79, 80). In the Church Manual section on "Reasons for
Which Members Shall be Disciplined" (Chapter 13, Church Discipline,
pages 168-170), numbers 4 and 5 have had the following changes (underlined
sections are additions): 4. Such violations as fornication, promiscuity,
incest, homosexual The full text of Church Manual addition on the Department of Women's Ministries in the local church (this section will be found in Chapter 8, page 116 in the new Church Manual) as voted in Toronto on July 7, 2000, is as follows below. Department of Women's Ministries -- Church Manual Addition The Department of Women's Ministries exists to uphold, encourage, and challenge Seventh-day Adventist women in their daily walk as disciples of Jesus Christ and as members of His world church. The mission of Women's Ministries is, in the larger sense, common to all Christians -- that of uplifting Christ in the church and in the world. Objectives -- This ministry seeks to: 1. Foster spiritual growth and renewal among women. 2. Affirm that women are of inestimable worth by virtue of their creation and redemption, and equip them for service in the church. 3. Minister to the broad spectrum of women's needs across the life span, being sensitive to multicultural and multiethnic perspectives. 4. Liaise and cooperate with other specialized departments of the church to facilitate the ministry to women and of women. 5. Build goodwill among women in the world church that encourages bonds of friendship, support for service, and the creative exchange of ideas and information. 6. Mentor and encourage Seventh-day Adventist women, creating paths for their involvement in the church as they reach for their potential in Christ. 7. Find ways and means to challenge each Seventh-day Adventist woman to
use her gifts to complement the talents of others as they work side by side to further
the global mission of the church. Women's Ministries Leader -- The Women's Ministries leader is elected by the church to develop specific ministries to nurture women and equip them for service to God and to the church. She serves as chair of the Women's Ministries Committee, and encourages ideas and plans which maximize women's contributions to the mission of the church. As chair, she is responsible for putting together the agenda, moderating discussion, and developing group cohesion through personal sharing, prayer, and fellowship. She also serves as a member of the church board, integrating activities
and programs for women into the larger church program. It is her responsibility to keep
the church informed of the contribution of Women's Ministries to church life. The leader's liaison
for training and resource material is the local conference/mission/field Women's Ministries
Director. Qualifications of the Women's Ministries Leader -- The Women's Ministries leader should be a woman with a sensitive,
caring nature, a burden for women's ministry and concerns, a balance in her perspectives so as to
represent a broad spectrum of women, and an ability to encourage other women to cultivate their
spiritual gifts. She should be able to work well with women in the church, the pastor, and the church
board. The Women's Ministries Committee -- The Women's Ministries leader works with the pastor and the church
board to establish a Women's Ministries Committee to foster a ministry to women in the
church. This committee should be composed of persons interested in the broad spectrum of
women's needs and services. To form a balanced team, the members should be persons with varied
talents and experience. [The following section will be found in Note #22 at the end of Chapter 8, on page 143 of the new Church Manual.] The major responsibilities of the Women's Ministries Committee shall be as follows: 1. Assess the needs of women in the local church and community, by utilizing surveys and interviews, and in counsel with the pastor and church leaders. 2. To brainstorm, develop strategies, and cooperate with other specialized departments of the church to foster programs and activities which minister to women. 3. To plan and implement these and other initiatives which relate to women's specific and varied needs, in cooperation with the pastor, departmental specialists, and other church leaders. 4. To facilitate local church participation in annual programs and activities initiated by the conference/union/division/General Conference such as the International Women's Day of Prayer, Women's Ministries Day, and small group ministries to support women and encourage them in service. Information regarding these programs is available through the conference/mission/field Department of Women's Ministries. Consider Personality Types to Solve Problems Effectively When you need to solve a problem, consider what kind of a problem-solver you are. If you're a pathfinder you depend on logic and facts; you prefer to analyze information carefully and painstakingly, ignoring intuitions or hunches. If you're a helicopter pilot, on the other hand, you like to take a general, more big-picture view of the situation in order to develop a list of possible solutions you can test one by one. Whichever category you fall into, consider teaming up with someone from the other set. You'll have a better shot at coming up with solutions that are creative and also attentive to details. (Keep the two categories in mind when assigning employees to work together on projects as well.) From The Motivational Manager. 800-878-5331, Adapted from "Module 105: Problem solving and decision making," on the Web at http://www.hrs.cmich.edu/star/.
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