Newday Adventist Church in Parker, Colorado, United States, is launching a Mother of Preschoolers (MOPS) group and expanding the group to include moms of all ages and in all seasons of life — from expecting mamas to empty-nesters.
MOPS is a national organization that began with a small group of mothers in 1973. MOPS groups now meet across the U.S. and around the world. Each MOPS group exists to provide resources and empower and equip moms to do the good and hard work of motherhood. Through community, prayer, and good food, the hope is that moms will leave each MOPS meeting feeling refueled and ready to go.
Newday Adventist Church is excited to reach out to moms in the Parker community and surrounding areas. We are coming out of a long season of loneliness and are ready to offer a safe space to develop true friendships and community.
Søren Kierkegaard, a 19th-century theologian and poet, wrote “People settle for a level of despair they can tolerate and call it happiness.” This is the year we no longer settle for tolerable despair, but instead, dream bigger, risk greater, and love better. And the way we’re going to do that is through the company we keep. We’re here to remind you that having your people by your side is not a perk of living a giant, beautiful, juicy life; it’s a prerequisite.
It’s time to toss out any notion that we must do any of this alone, that it’s too late to create an abundantly rich group of girlfriends or that the pace of life leaves no room for meaningful connection. Instead, we’ll take in something new, something God is always using to reach out to us — deep relationships.
Having a genuine, supportive, honest group of female friends in your circle is one of the biggest life upgrades. If you desperately want this kind of friendship, but it feels hard to come by, you’re not alone. Community seems like such a clichéd concept, but the truth is, we are all pretty desperate for it. We know it will make our lives better, and yet finding friends as adults can feel intimidating. Despite our best efforts, we seem to be in the midst of a loneliness epidemic.
At Newday MOPS, we plan to pursue friendships where we aggressively believe in each other, pray for each other, and believe the other deserves the world. If you’re ready for a community like this, then you belong there. What you can’t do alone, we can and will do together.
Anika Engelkemier is “KIDSMIN” pastor at the Newday Seventh-day Adventist Church in Parker, Colorado, United States. The original version of this commentary appeared in the Rocky Mountain Conference news site.
