Park Cities Presbyterian Church (PCA)

Do you hear what I hear?

Ministry leaders reflect, envision, and rejoice

By Ann Higginbottom

Published February 1, 2010 in Witness

Amidst the Christmas festivities in December, Women’s Ministries leaders gathered for “Do You Hear What I Hear?”, an annual opportunity to joyfully reflect on the Lord’s goodness in the year ending and seek His wisdom for the year ahead. Each attendee took time beforehand to pray and seek the Lord’s wisdom on provided questions. We met to discuss areas of possible overconfidence, the temptation to impress, and how to set our vision on the Lord in the years ahead.

“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.”

—Psalm 126:3

The room filled with joy as we recollected the many areas of service, study, and friendship that the Lord so faithfully provided for our women. In February 2009, the entire church community gathered to bless the urban areas of Dallas through Beyond Ourselves. Implementing a new structure to invite the greater church body, by His grace, over 600 people dedicated a Saturday to painting, building, planting, and cleaning the neighborhoods of our urban ministry partners. This unprecedented number of participants allowed us a new level of impact—not only on urban areas of Dallas, but also on the hearts of those involved.

Women’s Ministries stood witness to the Lord’s continued goodness through weekly Bible studies. The doors of PCPC were opened wide for women to enter into fellowship and the teaching of His Word. Each study, through different materials, provided fellowship among women, growth in prayer, and the study of God’s Word.

Initially canceled in June due the outbreak of swine flu, the women’s mission trip to Monterrey, Mexico, took place in August. The Lord made a way for the trip to be rescheduled. His faithfulness knows no boundaries! For five days, women from PCPC ministered to the women of Monterrey. The ongoing relationships with the women and ministries of Monterrey continue to affirm our mission in Mexico. It is a joyful thought to consider what the Lord might do through this partnership in the future.

As we continued to celebrate the Lord’s greatness in 2009, the Fall Gathering luncheon and dinner quickly rose to the top of the list. On October 22, women from PCPC and the community gathered for fellowship and to enjoy encouragement from a beloved teacher, Neatice Warner. Through the event and Neatice’s message, women were called to reflect upon and delight in the steadfast love of our Lord.

“For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

—Jeremiah 29:11

Our thinking soon shifted to the year ahead, and we anticipated beautiful hopes and visions for Women’s Ministries in 2010. By His grace, we long to cultivate relationships. Rather than bowing to the tempation to allow events to become a numbers game, we want to focus on each woman finding a connection. Our hope is that the heart of Women’s Ministries would be relational—ministry requiring time and dedication. Realizing that we live in a culture of constant busyness, there is a deep need to slim down and slow down. We are a full-plate generation in desperate need of Jesus.

We also long to grow disciples. Through events, trainings, and Bible studies, we hope to provide an environment that invites women of all ages to grow as disciples of Christ. We were reminded that prayer is our desperate need and our greatest strength for the coming year. As a culture, we are very put together on the outside and often dying on the inside. Prayer is our lifeline, and we long to equip women to know this vital need.

Our time together affirmed that we are not dependent on programs, but on the Lord. Already in 2010, we have seen His faithfulness continued. We must take that deep dependency to the women of PCPC. According to His grace, we must trust the Lord to grow us as women of His Word and to be who God wants us to be. The results belong to Him—for His eternal glory.