If you are interested in pre-registering for our Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) program, you can now do so! The 2010-2011 brochure is available as a download from the sidebar of this blog, along with the AWANA registration form you'll need for children in the Puggles and Cubbies programs.

You can mail in your forms and $25 registration fee to the church office. The address is on the brochure. Marking your envelope "MOPS" or "Attn: Rachel" will help get that information in the right hands.

The complete schedule hasn't been nailed down yet, but most of the details should be the same as last year, for those of you who were involved. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call, comment, or email!

815.459.1095 • womensblog[at]efccl.org

Please keep in mind that filling out the forms and mailing in your $25 fee does not guarantee your spot in the MOPS program. (Money will be refunded if you are placed on a waiting list.) We are limited in size by the number of childcare workers we can find, and we won't know that information until later in the summer.

We had a blast hosting a simulcast last August, and we're planning to have just as much fun at the Beth Moore simulcast event at the Evangelical Free Church of McHenry! Tickets cost $20, and the event lasts from 9 a.m. 'til 3 p.m. on April 24, 2010. If you want more information or would like to register, please visit their website: www.mchenryefc.com.

P.S. Let us know if you're interested in joining or hosting a carpool!

It's finally warming up again outside, and the promise of spring is in the air! It's the perfect time to join with our Hiker Chicks on a two-hour hike through the Pleasant Valley conservation area. Meet up with the ladies in the front parking lot at 12:30 p.m. after church on Sunday, March 21. We'll depart for lunch at Subway and then a two-hour hike. If you're interested in attending, need a ride, or have room for passengers, please contact Martha Schuelke at 847.854.8139.

We hope to see you there!

(image via Thomas Merton)

Ladies, join us for another cold-weather hike on Sunday, February 28 at 12:30 p.m. We will meet in the church parking lot, stop by Subway for lunch, and then head to Moraine Hills State Park for a two-hour hike. Please contact Martha Schuelke (847.854.8139) if you are coming, need a ride, or have room for passengers.

(image via Thomas Merton)

As some of our fall Bible studies draw to a close, we encourage you to look ahead to the start of some new studies! If you've been thinking about joining a study, now is the perfect time to do so. Stop by for the first week or so and see what you think! We'd love to have the chance to surround you with encouragement and love as we grow together in Christ.

Starting January 30:
Just two days from now, our Saturday morning group will start working through Beth Moore's Stepping Up, a study on the Psalms of Ascent. This group meets every other Saturday from 8 a.m. 'til 10 a.m. For more information, call Donna Ricci at 815.479.8015.

Starting February 16:
The topic of "biblical womanhood" -- understanding what the Scriptures say about women and our role in society, in our homes, in our churches, etc. -- has been on our hearts for a long time now. We are excited to delve into Nancy Leigh DeMoss' book, Becoming God's True Woman, in our Tuesday morning group, which meets every week from 9 a.m. 'til 11 a.m. For more information, call Eileen Palsgrove at 815.459.7127.

Starting February 25:
Our Thursday morning weekly class (which meets from 9 a.m. 'til 11 a.m.) will soon begin working through Lies Women Believe, the renowned series from Revive Our Hearts. Nancy Leigh DeMoss will challenge fifty of the lies that commonly take hold of the hearts of Christian women and show "how to counter those lies with the Truth that sets us free." For more information, contact Laurel Wade at 815.356.5954.