Mother-to-Mother Ministry: Endings and Beginnings They mingled: words of gratitude and appreciation for Disciples for their far-sightedness in funding the program and their long-term holding together of the national network along with the acknowledgment of the need to place that responsibility elsewhere. They mingled: coordinators of local MtMM programs with some of their board members, national consultants, and the former national resource coordinator, recently retired staff member from Disciples Home Missions. They met together for three days at the Marillac Retreat Center in Leavenworth, Kan., for the annual seminar for MtMM coordinators. They mingled: stories of celebration about women whose lives had been touched and forever changed because of the friends they had found, found across barriers we don't ordinarily cross, boundaries of race and economics; along with stories of frustration, the search for new funding sources, communities with need for that which MtMM offers, but no resources of volunteers or money. In the mingling, in the celebration, in the search for God's new vision, out came a strategic plan for going forward. Through the planning process, four goals were identified and action planned. The need for a new central organization was identified. An interim
leadership team was named, five women who will guide the initial
steps of this new national network. Chair and volunteer staff person
will be Judie Siria, former coordinator of the program in Oklahoma
City, a member of the United Methodist Church. Treasurer and coordinator
of the Deloris B. Holt scholarship fund will be Sister Margaret
Finch, local coordinator of the program in Leavenworth, KS, and
a member of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. Other team members
are Melody Bratcher, local coordinator in Hutchinson, Kans, a member
of the Disciples of Christ, Ann Ghabel, coordinator of the program
in Iowa City, Iowa, and Lori McAlister, local coordinator in Beatrice,
Neb. Planning was also done for the continued training for new programs and crisis intervention by the national consultants, production and distribution of promotional and training resources to continue the original mission and integrity of the MtMM program, and sources for funding and financial services. The group left with a place and date for the 2005 annual seminar for coordinators and with a feeling of having done essential and helpful work in beginning a new way to continue the national network of MtMM. Contact MtMM at: moms@mtmmn.org. Carol Cosby is a member of Allisonville Christian Church, Indianapolis. |
They
mingled: the joyful celebration of 35 years of the innovative and
effective Mother-to-Mother Ministry along with the sorrow of losing
staff and funding from the Disciples of Christ through Disciples
Home Missions.
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Home Mission Advocate published by Disciples
Home Missions |
