Women caring to share
Regardless of denominations or church affiliations, the Butler Praise and Coffee group wants you.
The Butler Praise and Coffee group is a monthly women's meeting, whose mission is to “help women find encouragement, fellowship and wholeness in Christ.”
“Women love sharing what God has done in their lives, and it's encouraging to hear from other people what God has done because it gives you hope,” said founder Amy Riordan.
The Butler group is part of the national group, Praise and Coffee founded by Sue Cramer.
Riordan had heard about the group through a friend and loved the idea of starting one in Butler.
She decided to hold a meeting to see if any other women in Butler would be willing to be involved.
“I scheduled a breakfast meeting at Panera just to see if people were interested,” Riordan said. “I invited all the women I knew from a bunch of different churches and a bunch of them came.”
Riordan said all the women were very interested, but she knew she needed help.
“God just put a message on my heart and I was like, 'Amy if you are doing it, I'm with you,'” said co-founder Laura Wick. “I want to be a part of this.”
Riordan had already had Wick in mind to help her. The two met about 1½ years ago after two mutual friends, both said Riordan and Wick should meet one another the same week.“Amy and I didn't know each other and they didn't know each,” Wick said. “I was like, 'That's a random coincidence that I need to do something about it.'”With Riordan and Wick working together, the group had its first meeting in April 2012.“Laura and I go to two different churches and we both have had a heart for connecting women,” Riordan said.Each meeting has a speaker, small group discussion, time for fellowship, some snacks and, of course, coffee.“I thought it was great because normal women don't know how to reach outside their normal group,” said Mamie Ogle, pastor at Community Life Church. “This allows people to get together and build friendships all around Christ's teachings.”Ogle regularly attends Butler Praise and Coffee and makes sure the group's notices go in the church's bulletin board.“Just seeing the women, knowing everyone is from a variety of churches just sitting in groups and talking and sharing, I think the unity in it is really important,” said Ogle.The topics discussed by the speaker are on a broad range on topics, not specifically about parenting or marriage since there are many different women who attend.“We don't want anybody to feel like they don't belong in our group,” Wick said.Topics include testimonies from members, discussion on how lives change and the importance of worship.It's the time for discussion though after the speaker and time for fellowship that really allows the group to thrive and make lasting relationships.“Butler has some of the greatest women I've ever met,” said Wick.
<B>What: </B>Butler Praise and Coffee group for women<B>Cost: </B>Free, but donations are appreciated<B>When: </B>7 tonight<B>Where:</B> Butler YWCA, 120 W. Cunningham St.<B>More information contact:</B> Amy Riordan at 724-602-5834 or amy.walkinginfreedom@gmail.com or visit Butler Praise and Coffee on Facebook.<B>Reservations are requested on the Facebook page so the group can have a general figure for coffee and snacks
