Women at the Well

When I was growing up, I had the great blessing of living near four of my female relatives: two grandmothers, one great-grandmother, and an aunt.

In many ways, they could not have been more different.

Gram, my maternal grandmother, was descended from the earliest Quakers who settled southern Indiana. She lived in a beautiful old brick house in town—a quiet, patient woman who lived simply, and took great care of her beautiful plants…ferns in the winter, and flowers in the summer.

Mammaw Marguerite, my paternal grandmother, was loud, opinionated, and loved to gossip. As I was growing up, her house was just across the road from ours, in a tiny town along Highway 150. We often went to the general store in the evening (the only place in town, aside from the pool room). There, she bought me cokes, pens, and little notebooks to keep me busy while she sat and talked with the neighbors.

Aunt Maxine, my father’s only sibling, was childless, so my three sisters and I were like her daughters—only better, because she loved to spoil us in every way. And she could afford to, working in the same office for 50 years. She lived in what we saw as a fancy house in town, with luxuries like air conditioning and color TV. And she loved to take us on shopping trips to The City…Louisville, Kentucky.

Mammaw Hazlewood, my paternal great-grandmother was a country woman all her life. She lived right behind us in an old farmhouse, with no running water and no centralized heating. In the winter she would sleep on a feather bed near the woodstove in her kitchen. And after Pappaw had a stroke, she cared for him in that house until the day he died.

They were very different, but they shared one important thing—unconditional love for me and my sisters. I spent lots of time with these women. And without their even knowing it, they taught me so much—about kindness and generosity, patience, simplicity, and caring for others. But most of all, about unconditional love. I learned so many spiritual truths, just by watching how these good women lived out their lives.

You may wonder why I’ve chosen to write about these people who blessed my life so richly. Here’s why:

After many years, the Women’s Ministry in our church is being reborn!

Our congregation once had a vibrant ministry created specifically to meet the needs of women—for fellowship, for spiritual development, for service, and for fun. Over the years, we designed and led retreats, both day retreats at the church and overnights at Geneva Center and Lindenwood. We brought in speakers, including a female Christian comedian! We led study groups, developed a mentoring program, held movie nights, and even did a Valentine’s Day party for both men and women in the gym—complete with a DJ and dancing!

Gradually, the Women’s Ministry team began to lose members and energy, until one day, we stopped functioning at all. We needed new leadership, new members, and fresh ideas…but, for whatever reason, there were none.

But, thanks to the Holy Spirit, a new day is dawning in our church! We now have an inter-generational team with great ideas for serving women—and the energy to put them into action. And we have a new name: Women at the Well—the Biblical story from which we draw our inspiration. During last Sunday’s worship service, Pastor Kim announced a “Save the Date” for our first event—a day retreat for women, held in the church on Saturday, April 26, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. More details will be coming soon! Please put it on your calendar and spread the word! Your newly formed Women’s Ministry team can’t wait for this event!

Here is what motivates us, what we know, what we believe:

No followers of Jesus are meant to walk our faith journey alone. We need support, fellowship and shared opportunities for spiritual growth. We learn important lessons from one another, just as I did from those four women in my life. And these lessons can’t only happen in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings.

Very often, they come through shared experience. And the growth doesn’t stop with our age or where we are in our spiritual journey. We need to continue to share our stories, to offer and receive insights. To listen and talk and create. To pray together, laugh together, and sometimes cry together. These things happen more easily when we slow down, and set aside our responsibilities, even for a day.

Whatever your gender, I encourage you to think intentionally about what kinds of experiences might feed your spirit, giving you strength and wisdom for your journey.

Many blessings, friends, and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Lou Ann