This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission from purchased products at no additional cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
A women’s ministry can play a key role in helping the women of your small church develop their faith. From Bible studies to prayer groups, caring circles, outreach opportunities, and fellowship times, a women’s ministry refresh can help participants successfully journey on their spiritual walk. Get your women’s ministry refresh with these ideas!
Women’s Ministry In Your Small Church Matters
Encouraging your women to be involved in the vision and women’s ministry activities, can give them a sense of belonging. Women’s ministry can help them find where they fit in their church body, where they can both serve and be developed!
Did you know it is reported about 55 percent of Christians in the United States are female, which means it’s likely more than half of every local church body is made up of women? We need to provide them with opportunities to grow and connect!
It stands to reason as the women of our small church grow in their faith, their ministry can bear fruit, which in turn can strengthen the whole ministry of your small church. Remember, excitement is contagious. If your women are excited about what is happening within their group it could spread to others!
Looking for a step-by-step to starting or restarting your women’s ministry?
Check out the Women’s Ministry Bundle For Small Churches!
24 Ideas To Boost Your Women’s Ministry Refresh
So the question is, do you want to bring a renewed passion and excitement to the women of your small church? Start or re-start on a high point. Provide new and fresh ways to make connections and deepen relationships in your small church women’s ministry.
Below are 24 ideas. We pray these ideas spark creativity and excitement in your leadership as well as give your small church women’s ministry a boost in a positive direction. Let’s get to it!!
Meeting Ideas For Small Church Women’s Ministry Refresh
Whether your small church women’s ministry meets weekly, monthly or quarterly it has the opportunity for great impact! No one wants to go to a meeting that ends up being the same old thing time after time, the same format, and the same content. It’s hard to get people excited to come and even more, excited to invite someone else to participate.
Now, you don’t have to try something different every meeting you have, but don’t be afraid to mix it up now and then. Try something new, from the seating to the content, even down to the snacks. You might find it’s worth the effort to try!
1. A New Word For The New Year
At the first meeting of the new year, play off the numbers of the year. Have a time of Praise for the Lord in the new year. For 2024, break up into table groups or if you have a smaller group, break into pairs, give each team a paper, and have them list 20 praises for God, and 24 ways to show God’s love in the new year ahead. For a bonus question, have women write the names of two people they can pray for this year to come to Jesus.
Have a time of sharing things out loud, celebrate God’s goodness together, and then close in a time of prayer.
*Additional idea: take the sheets from each group and put them in a decorated folder and pull them out the next year and note how God has worked in your small church throughout the year.
2. Do You Know Me Night?
Have everyone be a ‘guest’ at your meeting. Many times we go to church and are involved in ministries together and never really know much about each other. This is a fun way to share your story, little-known facts, hobbies, interests, and spiritual journey.
To make it easier for those who may not be as comfortable talking about themselves, come up with a list of general questions and hand them out before your meeting.
Here are some question ideas:
- When I was young I used to like to (list an activity, hobby, sport, etc.)
- My favorite subjects in school were… and my favorite teachers were…
- When I was a teen I thought I might like to be a ______when I grew up!
- The first time I really thought about having a relationship with Jesus was____
- Someone who really encouraged me spiritually was_______
- One of my biggest struggles in my young adult life was_______
- At this point in my life I enjoy __________________
Have a fun time with that theme.
Ask everyone to wear name tags, like you are all new attendees. As the moderator, lead off the night by introducing yourself first. Hello, my name is _____ and I love to….. Welcome to our meeting!!
Play a different mixer game or try an icebreaker. I love #1 from this article Why Icebreakers Are Important.
3. You Made A Difference Night
Invite the women in your small church to share stories of those who have impacted their faith journey in some way. Whether it be a Sunday School teacher from when they were young, a speaker at a youth retreat, a friend at church who encouraged them to grow in their faith or a Pastor who has had an impact on their life. Whatever it is, share the story and appreciation.
Let others know what a difference we can all make in someone’s life, even by just small things.
Provide blank cards and envelopes on the table and encourage everyone to write thank you notes to send to the person who impacted their life. If that’s not possible, then send a note of thanks to your pastor or teacher, or your child’s teacher, someone who is making a difference in your small church.
It would be very fitting to use the devotional story about the starfish.
To fit in with the “make a difference” theme, create a bulletin board or some sort of display (like a clothesline or wall hanging) with cards describing opportunities for them to serve at your small church. Encourage attendees to consider taking one home to sign up for and perhaps they can make a difference to someone else today!
4. Mixed-Up Meeting Mash Up
Do everything in mixed up order for your meeting, if you usually have refreshments at the end of your meeting, then start with refreshments. Mix up where you sit, and use different people to lead different parts of the meeting. If everyone usually dresses casually, try having a ‘dress code’, one that’s different and perhaps a little silly, like wearing colorful t-shirts or favorite team shirts, or wearing tropical decor if you are in a cold climate. Or, wear winter wear if you are in a warm climate, or have a hat night. Whatever you do ust have fun with it!!
5. Time Change Celebration!!
If you usually meet in the evening, try a daytime meeting. Try a Saturday morning breakfast or a brunch as part of your meeting. Try an afternoon tea party as part of your women’s ministry meeting. Changing the time might afford the opportunity for some women to come who may not otherwise be able to. This would be a fun meeting idea for spring and fall if or when you have the daylight-saving time change!
6. Guest Speaker Meeting
It’s always great to hear from others, whether it’s someone who is an ‘expert’ on a certain subject or field, someone who is sharing a way God worked in their life, or someone who is creative and can share a reading, a poem or a first-person drama! You might be surprised at the talent you already have available in your own small church for this!! Just take the time to ask questions, listen, and network with others!
Women’s Ministry Mixers For Small Churches
With just a simple mixer, you can get the ladies in your women’s ministry who have never really connected with anyone besides their ‘inner circle’ before, meeting and even starting conversations with new friends.
You can see people finding things they have in common with others, discussing jobs or where they came from, all because of some fun little starter games!
Even though we attend small churches, that does not automatically mean we have deeper connections with all the people in our church. Sometimes we need a little help to get the conversational ball rolling. When you can do it while you’re laughing and having a great time, all the better.
1. Pick A Card, Pick A Seat
Before your meeting, print out ‘That’s Me’ category cards (approx. 4 x 3 inches) or you could use index cards as well. Each card should have a different category on it that could describe something about someone’s life (‘Grew up in the city’, ‘Was born in a different state’, ‘Have traveled to another country’, ’Attended college’, ‘Played a team sport’, etc.). Use your imagination!
Attach the cards to the back of the chairs where you are meeting. When participants come to the meeting, they must find a seat where the card correctly identifies something in their life. After everyone has found a seat, you can have everyone share what their card says. A fun way to get to know a fun fact about the other women in your small church.
2. Color Coded Table Time
A simple way to get people to mix up seating is to have inexpensive colored tablecloths. Use a different color for each table. Then, put pieces of cut paper or paper with a colored dot on them in a basket. (The colored dots match the tablecloth colors.) When attendees arrive, they draw out a card and find their seats at the coordinating table. If you only have chairs for seating you could just put a colored square on the chair and do the same drawing as they arrive.
As an icebreaker question, we asked everyone to share what their favorite color is and why.
3. Question Cues
I like using the 8 1/2″ x 11″ acrylic frames from the discount store, they fit a regular sheet of copy paper in them. I print out an inquisitive question to spark conversation and help people discover a bit about the others at the meeting. When your guests arrive, have them walk around the room and see the question at each table or space and then sit at the one they would like to answer (or whatever space is left!)
Here are some examples of questions we used:
- The first paying job I ever held was…
- What talent would you ask for if you could have anyone?
- What is the best trip you have ever been on?
- Who has been one of the most influential people in your life?
It’s wonderful to see people make connections with things in common or just things they want to talk more about. This really helps everyone in your group to have a little peek into the others in your small church women’s ministry, building connections and relationships!
4. Puzzle Pieces
Find a small jigsaw-type puzzle with bigger pieces (I used a child’s puzzle). Get one puzzle per table and use a different one for each table. Depending on how many pieces are in the puzzle, leave a few of the pieces together on the table, and put the other pieces to complete the puzzle in a grab bag. (Do this with all the puzzles. Put all the extra pieces in one grab bag).
As attendees arrive, they grab a piece of a puzzle and try to find which one it belongs to. Once they discover it, they place their puzzle piece in and take a seat.
We did a small devotional about how each of us plays an important piece in our small church family and together we make one beautiful picture of God!
5. Welcome To The Zoo
This is a fun one to do and you can customize it to the area where your small church is located. If you are in a rural area, you could do a ‘farm’ theme, a city fits the zoo, near a beach you could ocean sea life, etc. The idea of this seating placement is like a trivia game and a hunt for your seat all at the same time!
First, I printed a large picture (8 1/2″ x 11″) of each focus animal to put on the table as a centerpiece. But, I put it in an acrylic frame with a piece of cardstock covering the picture. We don’t want to reveal it until the right time!
Then I printed out a trivia page (8 1/2″ x 11″) about the focus animal for each table. I taped it to the outside of the frame so it covered the picture inside.
As everyone arrives, have them pick a table and see if they can work with the others who are sitting there to try and guess what their animal is.
When it’s time to begin, the hostess calls everyone together and each table gives their official guess. (Only one guess per table you have all agreed on.) Then, reveal the animal picture. We added to the fun and placed bowls of animal crackers on the table and placed some fun plastic animals around the room.
Meal Ideas for Small Church Women’s Meetings
Jesus modeled the importance and significance of sharing meals together in the Bible. Think about it, sharing a meal at a church function is one of the primary ways relationships are built in our small churches. People have the opportunity to share with one another around the table and time spent together is enjoyed both with spending time with God and with others. Adding a meal event to your women’s ministry can have a great impact on your group. Here are a few suggestions to try some different kinds of gatherings with a meal.
1. Souper Supper
Have you ever heard the commercial that says ‘soup is good food’? Well, it’s true, and hosting a Soup Supper has a very warm and comforting tone to it. Have a few people bring soups, some other breads or side dishes and some dessert and you have a whole meal! It doesn’t need to be complicated or fancy, just a warm gathering of friends!
2. Restaurant Blessing
This one I love! Plan an outing for breakfast (usually because this is one of the most affordable meals, but you could do any meal your group decides). Tell everyone who is attending to bring money to pay for their meal and $10 (or whatever your group decides on) to be a blessing to your server that day.
After your meal, collect everyone’s tip money and put in a card with a verse of encouragement and a handwritten thank you note of blessing. Make sure to hand it to your server before you leave and ask them if they have any prayer requests your group can pray for them about.
This can definitely impact their day!! A hint: if you have a larger group, call ahead to make a reservation so they can be prepared for you.
3. Chocolate Extravaganza
This is a night of chocolate delights and bites! Ask volunteers to sign up to bring small bites of chocolate treats of different varieties (does not have to be homemade, bakery-purchased is just fine). You could have fun and do a chocolate fondue or a chocolate fountain with small bites for dipping. Doing this event near Valentine’s Day could make a great event to invite new friends too. Call it a ‘Pal’-entines party!
Always be sure to have a few non-sweet items available for those who may not be able to eat sweets. Snacks such as veggies & dip or fruit cups work great.
4. Meals For Minis
This idea comes to us from another blog post article on our website, Your Kids Will Love These Summer Events. (#14 on the list) Do this at your small church or take it to a local park or even a school in your area. Host this event to teach kids how to make a sandwich and of course then they get to eat them. This would be a wonderful thing to do for an area where children have food insecurity!
5. Mixed Up Dinner Mayhem
This is one wild and crazy evening, but it’s so much fun. You’ll laugh so much and have so many opportunities for pictures too! You can host it as a potluck where everyone brings a dish to are. Or, if you are really adventurous, serve spaghetti and see just how much mayhem you can cause!
The idea is to use unusual containers and utensils at each place setting, e.g. a sand pail and shovel, a frisbee and a spatula, even a pot lid and a pair of tongs. The possibilities are endless and so much fun! This is one they may be talking about for a long time!
6. Featured Flavors Of The World
If you have people who are interested in trying new flavors and tastes, host a “Flavors of the World” night. One of our small church community members does this at their church when they have a missions focus weekend. Seek out local restaurants you could buy some items from, or people of different ethnicities in your church who love to cook their cuisine. Check out the details here, under the ‘refreshment ideas’ section: How to Host A Weekend Missions Festival.
7. Tea Party
Tea time is commonly thought of as a time to slow down, to sip and enjoy, to savor and relax. Tea parties aren’t limited to the month of May. Find a friend and ask her to help you start planning a tea party for your women’s ministry. Consider your group culture and choose a theme that would work with your ladies. If you need some help, check out the Tea Party Bundle. We’ve put together 3 tea parties with different themes, a planning guide, and printables all ready-to-go, for you to jump into.
Looking for a done-for-you complete tea party?
The Tea Party Bundle Vol. 1 has 3 complete, creative, and engaging tea party programs, themed beautifully for you!
Check out the Tea Party Bundle Vol. 1!
Try These New Ministry Ideas
Nothing brings your group together like ministering, giving to others, and serving side by side. It gives us time to build relationships, spend time with each other, and have an opportunity to experience joy together. Be the hands and feet of Jesus in your small church women’s group!
1. Socks & Sharing
Host a silly sock night, Invite your ladies to wear some outrageous socks. Of course, you’ll want to have a little fashion show and take some fun pics for posting on social media! The ministry part of the evening is everyone brings a pair of socks (or 2 or 3) to donate to a local shelter or some other ministry that gives away clothes to those in need.
2. Caring Crews
Think about what an impact your small church family could have on your community by creating a night of caring crews. Break into some smaller groups and have each group focus on a way to show care to either someone in your church or in your neighborhood. Check out all the ideas in this blog post article and get your ladies involved in this impactful ministry opportunity: A One Day Event To Widen Your Outreach.
3. Date Night Designers
Gather your ladies together and offer a night of ‘freedom’ for parents!! Plan and host a night out for parents. Recruit teens and others to help provide activities and games for the kids!
Or, make a romantic evening for couples of all ages. Provide a meal, decorate the space, and make the table settings fancy. Play a fun Newlywed type game after the meal and invite a speaker in to address how to improve your marriage. Couples reserve their spots, but arrange for their own childcare. Your women’s group acts as the hosts for the night!
4. Seniors Fair
This outreach is a very valuable tool for seniors in your community and is a great opportunity to build connections with people, including those who provide services for our senior adult community.
Contact various healthcare agencies and ask them to send a representative to host a table to give out information and answer questions. Have a mainstage speaker from your local police station talking about safety for seniors and how to watch for scams. Find someone to host a table where they check someone’s pulse and take their blood pressure for free. There are so many agencies around that would love one place to come and have exposure to a group of people at once.
5. Monday Morning Muffins
Do you have some women in your group who love to bake? Then turn it into a ministry when you deliver some Monday Morning Muffins just to say thank you and have a great week to people such as first responders, teachers, school bus drivers, or others in your community you would like to bless! A wonderful and delicious way to share God’s love.
6. Pie Our Dads Day
This idea was mentioned in our Facebook community when we were talking about different ideas for Father’s Day. This small church actually had volunteers make pies of all sorts and gave them away to each man who attended the church service on Father’s Day. What a fun and memorable way to stand out to the men in your small church!! So go ahead ladies, get those rolling pins ready!
New Ideas Can Help Start Or Re-Start Your Ministry
So there you have it! Twenty-four ideas to freshen up your small church women’s ministry! The most important thing to remember about your women’s ministry refresh is to bathe it in prayer and care! Inspire your women to connect with each other, spend time building relationships, and learn to care for one another. Encourage them to connect with the Lord more and more this year by providing opportunities for prayer, ministry, outreach, and more.
The inspiration for small church ministry is to teach us ministry the way Jesus did it. He showed us lives are transformed by relationships, not programs, not events. Events are just tools we can use to create opportunities for connection. Jesus led by example in all of these areas in His earthly ministry. He was great at teaching us about the importance of relationships –– between He and His Father, between us and God, and us with each other. He emphasized caring for one another. He encouraged us to share the love of God with those around us!
So, are you ready to step into a new year or re-start with a new passion and some new ideas to share? That sounds exciting and life-giving, and we can’t wait to hear how it goes. Don’t forget to share on our Small Church Facebook Community. We’re in this together!
Read More:
Women’s Ministry: Low-Prep Summer Event Ideas
Valuable Ways To Assist Widows This Holiday Season
055: Level Up Your Women’s Ministry: How To Move From Fluff To Life-Change
