We Have Moved!

We are pleased to announce the the MOPS Australia website has a fresh new look,

and the Leaders' Blog has now been integrated with the site!

Jump over to the new blog.

March News

Hi Everyone!

You will now have received your Walkathon email and Power Point Presentation. I am sure that Mothers On The March has been the most challenging venture I have ever taken on. I had not anticipated the hoops I would need to jump through and hurdles that would need to be crossed, nor had I realised how many others I would need to drag through the maze of bureaucracy and red tape to get Mothers on the March walking. Every day has meant a new obstacle, but each success is all the more rewarding!

I am sure as leaders you know what I am talking about. Leadership is challenging and to remain relevant and effective we need to develop certain characteristics. Coupled with humility, we need an unwavering resolve and determination to make sure that things happen in the face of opposition. On my desk I have an acrylic frame that holds a card with a quote from Winston Churchill that says “Never, Never Quit”. Why is it there you may ask? Because there have been many times in my years in different leadership roles when I have found the fight too hard, the pressure too great and the rewards too little. These tests and trials refine us so that our lives are an acceptable offering to God. If we quit in the face of adversity we will be afraid to try again. The old saying, “quit while you are ahead” makes for a much greater self-esteem and more positive organisations.

Mothers On The March Walkathon

While Juelz will be keeping you up-to-date with all the exciting news, developments and the how-tos, I just want to remind you why we are having the Walkathon:

• It is primarily to raise the awareness of MOPS in Australia, to open the eyes of churches to see what MOPS is about and encourage them to start a group.
• To inform mums that may never have heard of MOPS, and communicate that we are there for them.
• To alert corporations through Vibe Village of MOPS as a growing and effective organisation. 

Financial Support 

We have just completed a revision of the complete set of MOPS Handbooks and they are hot off the press.  Every group that walks will get a new set free, plus an outdoor, heavy duty, all weather banner with eyelets and ropes. It will have the MOPS logo and the individual meeting times of your group professionally printed. This will also be a gift to every group that walks. I understand that you will still have many unanswered questions related to the Walk, but all will be revealed next week.

Conference Dates

Mark these in your diaries and start preparations to get your entire team to attend.

Queensland August 13-15

Tasmania August 26-27

Victoria September 2-3

NSW September 9-10

SA September 16-17

WA September 23-24

MOPS Australia Website

The website is currently undergoing a facelift, so pay it a visit in the next week!  Once the new look has been rolled out, share your thoughts on our facebook page, or write your comments on the forum. We truly appreciate the work of Damon and Cath Oehlman, and Ben Sanders who have spent many hours working on different aspects of the site.

Some Housekeeping Issues

Team Data:This was sent out as a hardcopy with your Charter Renewals and again in February via email. We really need these back ASAP with the up-to-date names addresses etc.

This is required for:

· calculating Conference budget

· Selection of Elective Speakers

· Number of leaders we may reasonably expect to attend the Conference

· Accurate dissemination of information.

· Group Networking

·Regional Coordinator follow-up with groups

Charter Renewals: Thank you to all those that have paid their charter renewals, and we would appreciate a speedy reconciliation of those still outstanding.

Mums Participation Fees: These are due in soon. Thank you to those who have attended to this already - your prompt attention is appreciated.

First term is almost over for the Northern Territory, and then all the states follow close behind one another.

I pray that each of you will have a refreshing break. Keep the emails flowing to your team during the break. Remember it is the Coordinators responsibility to remind the rest of her team to visit the blog weekly on Monday mornings

Warm Regards

Margaret Sanders

National Director

Being You

As the Mentor of a MOPS group I am privileged to regularly interact with young mums, (though I can no longer kid myself that I am one of them!) The mums I get to know come in a beautiful plethora of shapes and sizes and an exciting array of personality types. There are the bubbly mums whose recount of their children’s wayward escapades become comedic sagas, shy mums who flower to reveal a dry humour and a fast wit, ideas mums who can’t wait for the next steering team meeting, and laid back mums whose composure barely ruffles while their toddler throws a tantrum and their baby spits up on their shoulder as they walk into the MOPS room.

As a Mentor I am also privileged to have the opportunity to read many wonderful books.  I have discovered ideas for creating fantastic family memories, gained insights into children’s needs, and learned steps for restoring romance in a marriage.

BUT HERE IS MY CONFESSION.....while I truly love these two aspects of Mentoring, there have been moments, when these very same experiences have also triggered feelings of sadness and regret. “Wow!” I think as that bubbly mum shares what she did with her family on the weekend, “I wish I had been more fun for my kids.” “Amazing,” I think as the laid back mum talks about leaving her messy house for a day of camping in the back yard, “I wish I hadn’t been such a neat freak.” “Cool,” I think as I read the chapter on whisking your husband away for a romantic weekend, “I wish I had not been so budget conscious.”

AND THEN....I read the MOMOLGY chapter on Core. What liberation!  

Shelley Radic explains that a better understanding of our temperament and personality type helps us to “accept who we are, the choices we make and the ways we react.”  Furthermore, “Knowing our temperament allows us to identify and work within areas of strengths and identify and reduce the impact of weaknesses.” Relating to this first statement Shelley shares two truths that have shaped her mothering:

·         I am wonderfully made

·         I have been specifically designed to match what my child needs in a mum.

What great reminders. Let them sink into your Core.

Mothering is not a comparison game. God blesses your family through the wonderful YOU he created you to be. Furthermore, while you will have strengths and areas of weakness in your Core, be encouraged, our God is a transforming God: Philippians 1: 6 “Be confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.”  This does not mean he intends to change you into a bubbly mum if you are a shy mum; it means he intends to transform you into the YOU he intended you to be; for you to become

“YOU-IER”.

Be encouraged, “Out of your specifically designed core, you have the ability to uniquely shape your child, your community, and the world.”

Erma Mayes

MOPS Australia Board 

Apple Cores and Mummy Cores

Have you ever played that ice breaker where you write down three truths about yourself and one lie, and people have to guess the lie?*  It’s a game about reading people and making assumptions about them, their likes and dislikes, their upbringing, their values - essentially their CORE.

1. I’m a Capricorn

2. I have 2 siblings

3. I was in the Army Reserve

4. I loved maths at high school.

Or did you ever play along with Tony Barber on Sale of the Century as he asked – Who Am I?

• I was born out of wedlock.
• I grew up in a poor family.
• I became a teacher.
• I spent my life pleasing my Father.
• I died young after a questionable trial.

Who Am I?   .................................................. Jesus of course!

A person’s core or innermost being can differ according to who is asking.  To a doctor or surgeon, our CORE is medical:  our beating heart, our pumping blood, a scientific mass of nerves, veins and organs.  To an employer, our CORE might be our work ethic: honesty, reliability, punctuality, ability and willingness to perform tasks.  To our children, our CORE is our mother’s heart: that maternal instinct of love, care and protection that can only come from being a mother. Where does it come from and how do we get it?

Shelly Radic explains in her book ‘Momology – a mum’s guide to shaping great kids’ that a mum can find the following from her resilient core:

Strength to deal with challenges.
Discernment for making decisions.
Self-control to manage behaviours.
Humility to ask for help.
Self-regard to do something for herself.
Flexibility to deal with change.
Gratitude to express thanks and appreciation.
Adaptability to manage conflict and stress.
Determination to use her influence.
Authority to create a sustainable community.
Integrity to live her beliefs.

I’d like to add one more...

Confidence to perform all of the above!   

Phew – I’m exhausted just reading all that, let alone living it on a nonstop basis.  As mums we often feel like we’re already required to be superwomen in order to tackle our endless to-do lists, and we only have a limited amount of time to do everything in.  But our CORE is central to who we are as women and as mothers, and it also influences our children. Developing a resilient CORE is more important than many of the items on our to-do lists.

Consider an apple.  Apples come in many different colours, shapes, varieties, tastes and textures, but they’re still all apples. They all have a core, but each one is influenced by many things. Temperature, water, fertiliser, pests, nutrients… all these things shape the apple over its life.  We too as mothers are shaped by many influences during our lives that ultimately have an effect on our CORE.  And our CORE in turn helps us shape and influence our children on their journey.  Shelly Radic opens her book with a scenario that demonstrates how we often find ourselves acting, sounding, responding and behaving like our own mother, much to our shock and surprise (or horror)!  But this is good news.  It reinforces to us that our mothering definitely matters and everything we say and do is having an influence on our children’s lives.  This may seem initially scary, but when we know that “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13) and we can trust ourselves to remember it 24-7, mothering becomes exciting and extremely rewarding. 

Love & Blessings,

Kathy Reid.

 * For the record, I only have 1 sister. The other three are true.

Announcing Mothers on the March

If you were at Conference you had a sneak peak…

You may have heard some whispers on the grapevine…

Perhaps you've been waiting with baited breath for some more information…

Wait no more!  Announcing the inaugural MOPS Nationwide Walkathon. 

Mark in the date Saturday 7^th May for Mothers On The March. Yes, mother’s day weekend. Grab your mum, your grandmother, your daughters, your friends, your neighbours and walk for ALL mums…everywhere.

The aim of the march is to:

• Raise the importance of mothering;
• Raise the profile of MOPS in our individual communities and across Australia;
• Raise connectedness within our groups (help our mums to bond!);
• Raise financial support in order to supply great resources for our MOPS groups;
• Be fun, fun, fun!

It is going to be HUGE, with competitions, prizes, t-shirts, giveaways and more.  We will also have the media involved so expect TV stations, newspapers and radio stations.  You don’t want to miss out!

It will be so easy to be involved. You will register to be a part of this amazing event, then simply raise money and walk. We will have big groups walking together in some areas (a coordinated effort), people walking just with a small group, or even just a friend or two.  On one day, all over Australia, thousands of people will be walking for MOPS! What an opportunity.

You can BE a MOP walking, or you can walk for MOPS.

You can walk alone, or walk with friends.

You can walk 2km or 20km (or anywhere in between).

You can raise $50 or $500.

You can be in it or you can wish you did.

Details on how to register will be sent to the groups soon.  Watch this space for more information in the coming weeks, and make sure you connect with us on Facebook too. Which State will have the most participants? Who will raise the most money? Which MOPS group will have the most walkers? Don’t forget… there will be prizes!

Juelz Sanders
Mothers On The March Coordinator

February News

Hi Everyone!

There has been a lot happening during the past four weeks. Children have started school and kinder, holidays are over and our MOPS groups are once again in full swing.


Unfortunately for many, their world has been turned upside down. Several of our mums have been caught in the midst of the floods in the eastern states and in WA. The cyclone in the far north has caused havoc over vast regions of Australia. Now we are witnessing an earthquake’s devastation in Christchurch, NZ where there are KIWI Mums groups. My husband assisted a couple whose house had been flooded in nearby Clunes and was struck by the damage even minor flooding can inflict.

The prayers of many are with those who have suffered loss at this time. It is our prayer that they will be comforted and supported by their churches, family, friends and those from other groups.

NEW GROUPS

It is a pleasure to welcome our new MOPS groups that have started out in earnest this year.

Western Australia

• Mandurah Baptist Teen MOPS
• Ellenbrook Baptist MOPS
• Pingelly Baptist MOPS
• Karratha Baptist  MOPS

South Australia

• Oakden Baptist MOPS

Australian Capital Territory

• Northpointe Baptist MUMSnext

Tasmania

• Smithton Christian Fellowship MOPS

New South Wales

• Blacktown Uniting MUMSnext

Please pray for these groups as they find their feet and grow during the coming year. We look forward to hearing good things about each one of them as they touch the mums in their communities.

MOTHERS ON THE MARCH WALKATHON

The Walkathon date has now been established as Saturday 7^th May. We will be bringing you more news of this exciting event over the coming weeks. Clean your sneakers and start exercising those calves ladies!

CHARTER RENEWALS

These were sent out on the 7^th January and many payments have been received turned to the MOPS Office.  If your group has not yet re-chartered, please follow this up as soon as possible.

PARTICIPATION FEE

Thanks to those groups who have sent in their donations already.  I get many questions about the new participation fee.  The fee is a small annual Registration Fee similar to that of any other group you join.  The purpose is to help MOPS Australia be an effective, up-to-date organisation that reaches out into the community with a professional image so that we might encourage more groups to start, and therefore allow more mums to attend a MOPS group.


‘CONNECTIONS’ BLOG AND THE MOPS WEBSITE

It is a pleasure to have Cath Oehlman and Alice Kan coordinating the weekly Connections blog. Their expertise and organisation have brought a professional and fresh approach to our new online Connections.  (You will soon find the blog as part of our site so that everything is in one place for you.)
Cath and her husband Damon will also be working on the website, giving it a fresh look and bringing it up-to-date. Please visit the site over the next few weeks. In addition to a fresh look, we will soon have all the MOPS groups listed, and a range of new downloads (MOPS policies, logos, templates, etc) available for you.  If you think there is something that should be on the site, please us know and we will see what we can do.

Margaret Sanders - National Director

Why I Love Regional Training Days

I LOVE chocolate. Lindt Excellence Extra Creamy - yum! Cadbury chocolate. Mmm mmm. Lindt Lindor balls. *Mouth watering* Belgian chocolate. Green & Black's Organic Chocolate. In fact, I love almost any chocolate - even cooking chocolate when I'm desperate!

I love relaxing with a great book. I love walking along the river and watching the sun come up. I love my husband and my kids. I love bluesy-jazz music. I love earl grey tea. I love girls'-nights out.

Another thing I love is Regional Training Days - I have from the first one I attended as a MOPS Coordinator. They are one of the things I love most in our MOPS calendar year!! I'm passionate about their role in supporting you as a MOPS leader.

Let me share with you four reasons why you and your team don't want to miss the RTD in your region.

1. Training. You know when you put on an item of clothing that feels like it's been custom made for you? You just want to sigh out loud? Well, that's what the training at your RTD is like. It's customised for YOU as a MOPS leader, serving in YOUR MOPS group in YOUR region. Training comes in different shapes and sizes: a DVD, or a forum, a session from your Regional Coordinator or perhaps a guest speaker. But it's a perfect fit for you and the needs you face in this season of leadership. Attending training is part of your MOPS charter agreement.
2. Networking. RTDs provide a great opportunity to meet other MOPS leaders in your region. These amazing women are doing what you are doing - they face the same joys, the same frustrations, the same needs. Sometimes networking happens in a structured way, sometimes it's chatting over morning tea or lunch. Don't miss out on the chance to take some notes and pinch ideas from others who might just have a wonderful idea for you and your group. At your RTD you will also be able to connect with your Regional Coordinator.
3. Team Time. RTDs give you some quality team time - whether it's chatting during the day, an allocated team discussion time or brainstorming in the car on the way home. MOPS mornings are busy, and team meetings are often filled with organising and administration. RTDs are a great chance to relax together whilst getting some great training. Why not take advantage of the child-free time (!!) and stop off for a coffee en route?
4. Inspiration. RTDs will inspire you, reignite your passion, remind you of the vision, give you some great ideas and encourage you. Why would you miss an opportunity like that?

Don't deprive the other leaders in your region of your presence, your gifts, your experience - you are precious and a blessing! I encourage you to mark the date of your local Regional Training Day in your diary, make sure your whole team knows, and plan to attend together. You won't regret it!!

PS - I think I need to go and have a cup of earl grey tea and some chocolate.

Donna Hill

NATIONAL FIELD STAFF LEADER

I Am Nothing Without Love

It's hard to avoid the topic of love today, given the date.  There are thousands upon thousands of love songs, but one song, more than any other, speaks to me about true love.  Every time I listen to this track by singer/songwriter Ginny Owens, I am stopped in my tracks.  If you have a few minutes, click this link to listen to "I Am Nothing"...

I could travel over oceans, cross the deserts, climb the mountains
Just to share your story, bring you glory, and win souls for you.
I could sing like an angel, songs so humble and so thankful
Full of drama and emotion, so the world would know your truth.
I could give away my money and my clothes and my food
To restore those people who are poor, lost, and down-and-out.
Oh, I could succeed at all these things,
Find favor with peasants and kings,
But if I do not love, I am nothing.

I could live a flawless life,
Never cheat or steal or lie,
And always speak so kindly, smile warmly, and go about doing good.
I could dedicate myself to do what everyone else wants me to-
Listen to them, compliment them, say the things I should.
I could show up every sunday, lead the choir and Bible study
And they all might come to know me as a leader and a friend.
Oh, I could achieve success on earth, but success cannot define my worth
And all these actions, all these words, will not matter in the end-

Songs will fade to silence,
Stories, they will cease.
The dust will settle, covering all my selfless deeds.
So as I strive to serve you,
Won’t you make it clear to me,
If I do not love, I am nothing.

If I cannot live my life loving my brother,
Then how can I love the one who lived his life for me?

Sent to earth from heaven,
Humble servant, holy king,
Come to share a story, get no glory, and save my searching soul,
You knew that I’d deny you, crucify you, but nothing could stop you from
Living for me, dying for me, so that I would know-

Songs will fade to silence,
Stories will cease,
The dust will settle covering these selfless deeds.
But your life here has made it clear enough for me to see
That if I do not love, I am nothing

These lyrics get me every time.  Without love, I am nothing.  Without love, you are nothing.  We can go through the motions, and do all the "right" things, but without love what difference will it make?  Speaking kindly, offering charity, living honestly, stepping up to leadership, encouraging others... these are all admirable traits but without love they are just noise.

The first three verses of 1 Cor 13 challenge me as a leader.  Do I love my MOPS mums? Do I love my leadership team? Do I seek to see them as Jesus does, and love them as He has loved me?  Or am I going through the motions, doing all the "right" things and just generally making a whole lot of noise?

This Valentine's Day, I encourage you as a MOPS leader to reflect on God's love for you, and consider the ways you share His love with your team and your group.  Don't just make noise.  You are dearly, deeply, tenderly loved. Live like it. 

1 Cor 13:1-3 (NLT)

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, 

I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 

If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans 

and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, 

but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 

If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, 

I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, 

I would have gained 

nothing.

__________________________________________________________________

Catherine Oehlman is Chief Editor of Connections Online, and Coordinator of her MOPS group in Stafford.  She also lead worship at the Australasian Conference in 2010.  Cath blogs at SquiggleMum and you can follow her on facebook or twitter.  Her own munchkins are aged 2 and 4.

Suit Up!

At the start of the year, as we make our plans for teams, talks and all of the details that go into making a MOPS year – ZING - don’t forget to suit up! Ephesians 6 tells in great detail of the armour that God has provided for us to use in His service. Don’t ever forget that we are in a battle, that when we serve God in MOPS that we are soldiers on the front line.

So, I encourage you to put on the full armour

of God so that you can take your stand against the Devil’s schemes. Put on the belt of truth and put the breastplate of righteousness in its place- live lives that are real, authentic

and transparent before your mums so that they will see the light of Christ within you. Have your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. For this ministry our pretty shoes - the very cute ones with the heels, the straps and the bling- just won’t cut it! We need boots… good sturdy boots that are always ready to run in and take ground from the enemy! They are shoes that bring peace. Where there is conflict let’s be the ones to bring God’s peace. As Romans 12 tells us; ‘’If it is possible, as much as it depends upon you, live at peace with everyone.’’

Never forget to take up the shield of faith that will extinguish all of the flames of the enemy. When we battle despair and discouragement, when we face a lack of carers or team members, when the mums don’t come, when we encounter criticism from those we thought were friends; lift high your shield of faith and quench the arrows of the enemy's attack. ‘Then take up the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions.’ Above all, be women who press into God through study of The Word and prayer. In the busyness of life, with all of the demands of husbands and small children, with all the pressures of being on a MOPS team, don’t neglect to spend time waiting on God and lingering in His presence.

It is here that you will find the fuel and the strength to face all that this year holds.

Cherie Macchiusi

An Art and a Science

My five year old son gazed at me in anger, holding one of the paintings he had brought home from kindergarten. As he spoke he underlined each word by emphatically shaking the painting up and down. His voice and his body oozed fury... "Mummy. THIS IS NOT RUBBISH!"

Oops. I had made a critical error in judgement, disposing of one of the multitude of paintings we were collecting in our home. It definitely was an art to get myself out of that sticky situation - the art of apologising, and then getting out of the corner I had painted myself into. It required science too - a revision of my hypothesis that he wouldn't miss his painting or notice it in the rubbish bin. From then on I carefully stored paintings on a high shelf for a month or two and then, if their disappearance hadn't been noticed, discretely disposed of them in the bottom of the rubbish bin or, even better, in the wheelie bin outside!

Welcome to 2011 and our MOPS theme "Mumology: The Art and Science of Mothering". Mothering is definitely and art... and a science. It requires all our creative genius, and yet also requires scientific precision as and thoroughness.

Let's play the word association game. Which words do you associate with ART? Sculpting? Mess? Masterpiece? Abstract? Creative? Perspective? Interpretation? These words are made for motherhood! We are constantly cleaning up messes. We painstakingly work on sculpting and forming our masterpieces (our children). Some days it just all seems so abstract and makes no sense. It requires all our creativity - especially on rainy days. Sometimes we lose perspective. We definitely earn our motherhood stripes in interpreting those first cries, words and gestures.

Which words do you associate with with SCIENCE? Explosions? Questions? Breakthroughs? Experiments ? White Coats? Again we see that these words are made for motherhood! We have many assorted explosions, but dread the kind that escapes the nappy! How many times a day do we hear that question "Why?" How often do we question our mothering? We feel on top of the world when we have a breakthrough in toilet training or some behavioural issue. Some days our decisions just seem like experiments and we have no idea of the outcome. And other days we are convinced the men in white coats are going to come and take us away!

What a great theme, and what fun we will have this year as we explore the Art and Science of Mothering in our MOPS groups.

At the heart of Mumology is the desire of every mother to be the best mum for her children. Our theme book this year is "Momology: A mom's guide to shaping great kids" by Shelly Radic. It's written in an easy-to-read format, broken up with case studies, mum stats, mum quotes, and practicums for you to think about. It is loaded with fabulous ideas and encouragement to be a great mum.

MOPS International have spent two years researching mothering, talking with mothers, doing surveys, and from that study have identified four elements for successful outcomes with our kids:

CORE... knowing who we are. It's about growing ourselves. Research shows that when we, as mums, have a strong, resilient core we are more likely to have strong resilient children.

FINESSE... knowing what we are capable of. It's about honing practical mothering skills—intentionally carrying out our daily responsibilities in ways that encourage growth and resilience in our kids.

CIRCLE... knowing who we can count on. It's about building relationships with neighbours, care-givers, extended family and, most importantly, with our husbands or for single mums, with a parenting partner.

GRANDSCAPE... knowing who God is. It's about engaging with God and his unique purpose for our lives. I find it very interesting that both secular and Christian research identifies faith in God as an essential element for successful mothering.

Our theme verse this year is found in Psalm 139:10 "Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." What beautiful encouragement! Even there your hand will guide me... when I'm doing well and when I'm struggling. Even there... when I'm happy and when I'm sad. Even there... in the big picture and in the tiniest details. Even there... when I don't know what to do and when it seems too hard. Even there... when all is well with the world. Even there God's loving hand - the hand that loving created and formed us - will guide us and hold us fast. What a great opportunity we have to share with our mums that our loving God can guide them in the day-to-day, nitty-gritty of mothering, as well as in the big picture of their life.

For loads of practical ideas don't forget to check out the MOPS Australia forum (please share YOUR great ideas there too!) and MOPS International.

May God bless you and your teams this year as you explore "Mumology: The Art and Science of Mothering."