Food and drink often create an easy atmosphere where people can relax, chat, share ideas, etc. Drinks and nibbles, coffee mornings, afternoon tea, cake bakes – whatever you think would seem most appropriate to the people you want to invite.
- Provide informal displays that illustrate the current ways Mothers’ Union is reaching out in your local community, and if appropriate, offer some examples of Inspired ideas from other dioceses (see the Inspired ideas sheet on the website). Aim to include things that anyone can do, whatever their circumstances. If you want to include the idea of giving helpful Mothers’ Union resources to families and friends, have copies of those resources available for people to look at.
- Ideally, ensure that there are some members who are involved in the initiatives being promoted that can mingle and chat with guests.
- Why not include a very short presentation, recognising and thanking everyone for what they already do? Encourage people to consider if there are any ways they would like to reach out to offer practical Christian care to their families, friends and the wider community around them. Include some encouraging feedback from people who have been helped by Mothers’ Union. Use either feedback that has been sent to you, or share some of the feedback from the Inspired section on the website – see ‘How Mothers’ Union helps’.
- Invite people to join Mothers’ Union, if you feel it’s an appropriate moment. See the Help us Grow membership campaign resources (www.themothersunion.org)
- Promote any current volunteering opportunities in existing initiatives, (have information ready to offer about how to apply, time commitment, any skills/training needed, whether CRB checks are required, etc).
- Provide contact details of who to get in touch with if people would like to explore possibilities of getting involved.
An Inspired idea:
