1. The Women’s Ministry Could Sponsor an International Meal

I’ve had the pleasure of speaking at international women’s events, where each table has a hostess who decorates her table with a theme from a particular country. It’s especially fun if she has international heritage and maybe owns or can borrow dishes, linens, and table decorations from that country. Each table would have a small flag in the center of the table to indicate what country the table represents. 

The meal can be a potluck asking women who attend to bring food representing various international countries. Ask them to make a sign to go in front of their dish explaining the name of the food item, ingredients, and what, if any, tradition this dish has in the respective countries. 

Encourage women who have clothes or accessories from different countries to wear them.

Another option is to choose a particular country and have all the food and decorations be from that country. Our church has potlucks after service once a month and one month the theme was Mexican food. We had more contributions than we’ve ever had at potlucks and we had to bring out extra tables to accommodate it all. There was so much food it seemed like everyone enjoyed participating. We’re in Idaho where Mexican food isn’t particularly prominent, but it was super popular with our church family. 

Then have a guest speaker or a woman from your church with international heritage share her experience as a woman living in another country. We have a sweet woman at our church who was raised in Germany during the Nazi regime, and we asked her to tell her story during a women’s luncheon. It was fascinating to hear her real-life stories, and she was delighted to share them with us. If you aren’t able to locate a woman who has lived internationally, perhaps there would be a woman whose heritage is from another country, and she could share stories her relatives have told her. 

Pray for the women in the countries represented at each table. 

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. - Acts 2:42

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/SeventyFour 

2. Men’s Ministry Prepares and Serves Lunch or Dinner to the Women and Daughters

A way to make the recognition of International Women’s Day a family affair is to have the men’s ministry, including sons, prepare and serve a meal to the women and daughters in the church. Since women are traditionally responsible for most church functions involving food, a nice way to honor them is for the men and young boys of the church to cook a meal and serve it to women of all ages.

What a great mentoring moment for the men to show the younger men how to respect and serve the women of the church, who usually are the ones cooking and serving. Giving the women a reprieve and letting them just relax and enjoy being waited on by the men is a way to recognize how much the women are appreciated for all they typically do in the church. Especially in the kitchen. It sets a great example for the younger women and daughters of how men should treat and value women.

It’s usually hard for women to stay in the background and let the men do it their way, but it’s an awesome opportunity to let the men excel and share the gifts and talents God has given them. By the way, let the men do the dishes and clean up while the ladies chat and relax and have a time of prayer for the women in their church, city, state, nation, and women around the world. 

As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience. Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.

In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Titus 2:1-7

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/simonapilolla

3. Email, Text, Call, or Send Cards to the Women in Your Life

With the advent of email and texting, the art of sending cards has diminished. But I think we all enjoy receiving mail, especially when it’s unexpected. It shows that the card sender took the time to find just the appropriate card or maybe even made it. Recognizing International Women’s Day by sending cards, electronic cards, texts, phone calls, or emails to the women in your life can be just the encouragement they needed. It’s a pleasant and welcome surprise. We never know who’s going through a trial or difficult time or might just appreciate knowing someone cares.

I like to keep cards on hand for different occasions such as thank you, birthdays, anniversaries condolences, or just thinking-of-you so I can readily acknowledge an event in a friend or relative’s life. Adding an appropriate Scripture lets the recipient know that God’s Word covers every circumstance in life, and He is always available for prayer, and so are you. We all appreciate being remembered and knowing that someone really cares, no matter our nationality or position in life. 

Sending a card, text, phone call, or email conveys as Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians, “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.” (1:3 NLT)

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Ildar Abulkhanov 

4. Neighborhood Women’s Gathering

How about initiating an outreach cookie exchange with the women in your neighborhood and community. Encourage the women to bring 2 dozen cookies with the recipe from a foreign country to share. Open with a time of prayer focusing on the women of the world who may not have the freedoms to gather openly as you’re doing. Be respectful that all women present might not be Christians, so let this be a time of sharing Christian hospitality in a nonthreatening way.

Explain the purpose for celebrating International Women’s Day and encourage the women to share their experiences of being a woman in the current culture or maybe in a different culture. The difficulties and the blessings. If it seems appropriate, have a time of prayer for those women who are experiencing hardships in their life.

This cookie exchange could be the start of a monthly gathering of the women present and encourage them to invite other women. Maybe instead of a cookie exchange, future meetings could be around a Bible study, book club, meal, tea, or coffee Klatch. The term “coffee klatch” comes from the German word, “kaffeeklatsch,” which translates to coffee (kaffee), and klatsch refers to a group of friends getting together over a cup of coffee, usually at someone’s house. The word “klatsch” has turned into “klatch” or even “clatch” over the years, and both are considered acceptable to use. 

Klatsch can also mean “gossip” in German, and, of course, the Lord tells us that gossip isn’t appropriate for Christians: “Gossip separates the best of friends” (Proverbs 16:28b). I prefer referring to it as getting together to share life’s experiences and God’s faithfulness.

Mentoring relationships could evolve from all these gatherings where a spiritually mature Christian woman might befriend and mentor a woman who wants to learn more about Jesus and/or is going through a challenging time in her life. 

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:15

With God in the midst of all these suggested ways to recognize International Women’s Day, new ministries might develop to bring women together in meaningful relationships. It’s not always easy being a woman in any century or season, and we need each other. 

“What a blessing to have Christian friends to encourage and support us as we serve Christ! Our loads are too heavy to carry alone, and we need someone to rejoice and to weep with us. It begins when we make ourselves available to rejoice and weep with someone needing us. Today the Lord may bring across your path someone needing your simple presence. Be there!” David Jeremiah, Walking with Jesus.

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/SouthWorks 

1. The Women’s Ministry Could Sponsor an International Meal

I’ve had the pleasure of speaking at international women’s events, where each table has a hostess who decorates her table with a theme from a particular country. It’s especially fun if she has international heritage and maybe owns or can borrow dishes, linens, and table decorations from that country. Each table would have a small flag in the center of the table to indicate what country the table represents. 

The meal can be a potluck asking women who attend to bring food representing various international countries. Ask them to make a sign to go in front of their dish explaining the name of the food item, ingredients, and what, if any, tradition this dish has in the respective countries. 

Encourage women who have clothes or accessories from different countries to wear them.

Another option is to choose a particular country and have all the food and decorations be from that country. Our church has potlucks after service once a month and one month the theme was Mexican food. We had more contributions than we’ve ever had at potlucks and we had to bring out extra tables to accommodate it all. There was so much food it seemed like everyone enjoyed participating. We’re in Idaho where Mexican food isn’t particularly prominent, but it was super popular with our church family. 

Then have a guest speaker or a woman from your church with international heritage share her experience as a woman living in another country. We have a sweet woman at our church who was raised in Germany during the Nazi regime, and we asked her to tell her story during a women’s luncheon. It was fascinating to hear her real-life stories, and she was delighted to share them with us. If you aren’t able to locate a woman who has lived internationally, perhaps there would be a woman whose heritage is from another country, and she could share stories her relatives have told her. 

Pray for the women in the countries represented at each table. 

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. - Acts 2:42

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/SeventyFour 

2. Men’s Ministry Prepares and Serves Lunch or Dinner to the Women and Daughters

A way to make the recognition of International Women’s Day a family affair is to have the men’s ministry, including sons, prepare and serve a meal to the women and daughters in the church. Since women are traditionally responsible for most church functions involving food, a nice way to honor them is for the men and young boys of the church to cook a meal and serve it to women of all ages.

What a great mentoring moment for the men to show the younger men how to respect and serve the women of the church, who usually are the ones cooking and serving. Giving the women a reprieve and letting them just relax and enjoy being waited on by the men is a way to recognize how much the women are appreciated for all they typically do in the church. Especially in the kitchen. It sets a great example for the younger women and daughters of how men should treat and value women.

It’s usually hard for women to stay in the background and let the men do it their way, but it’s an awesome opportunity to let the men excel and share the gifts and talents God has given them. By the way, let the men do the dishes and clean up while the ladies chat and relax and have a time of prayer for the women in their church, city, state, nation, and women around the world. 

As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience. Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.

In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Titus 2:1-7

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/simonapilolla

3. Email, Text, Call, or Send Cards to the Women in Your Life

With the advent of email and texting, the art of sending cards has diminished. But I think we all enjoy receiving mail, especially when it’s unexpected. It shows that the card sender took the time to find just the appropriate card or maybe even made it. Recognizing International Women’s Day by sending cards, electronic cards, texts, phone calls, or emails to the women in your life can be just the encouragement they needed. It’s a pleasant and welcome surprise. We never know who’s going through a trial or difficult time or might just appreciate knowing someone cares.

I like to keep cards on hand for different occasions such as thank you, birthdays, anniversaries condolences, or just thinking-of-you so I can readily acknowledge an event in a friend or relative’s life. Adding an appropriate Scripture lets the recipient know that God’s Word covers every circumstance in life, and He is always available for prayer, and so are you. We all appreciate being remembered and knowing that someone really cares, no matter our nationality or position in life. 

Sending a card, text, phone call, or email conveys as Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians, “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.” (1:3 NLT)

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Ildar Abulkhanov 

4. Neighborhood Women’s Gathering

How about initiating an outreach cookie exchange with the women in your neighborhood and community. Encourage the women to bring 2 dozen cookies with the recipe from a foreign country to share. Open with a time of prayer focusing on the women of the world who may not have the freedoms to gather openly as you’re doing. Be respectful that all women present might not be Christians, so let this be a time of sharing Christian hospitality in a nonthreatening way.

Explain the purpose for celebrating International Women’s Day and encourage the women to share their experiences of being a woman in the current culture or maybe in a different culture. The difficulties and the blessings. If it seems appropriate, have a time of prayer for those women who are experiencing hardships in their life.

This cookie exchange could be the start of a monthly gathering of the women present and encourage them to invite other women. Maybe instead of a cookie exchange, future meetings could be around a Bible study, book club, meal, tea, or coffee Klatch. The term “coffee klatch” comes from the German word, “kaffeeklatsch,” which translates to coffee (kaffee), and klatsch refers to a group of friends getting together over a cup of coffee, usually at someone’s house. The word “klatsch” has turned into “klatch” or even “clatch” over the years, and both are considered acceptable to use. 

Klatsch can also mean “gossip” in German, and, of course, the Lord tells us that gossip isn’t appropriate for Christians: “Gossip separates the best of friends” (Proverbs 16:28b). I prefer referring to it as getting together to share life’s experiences and God’s faithfulness.

Mentoring relationships could evolve from all these gatherings where a spiritually mature Christian woman might befriend and mentor a woman who wants to learn more about Jesus and/or is going through a challenging time in her life. 

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:15

With God in the midst of all these suggested ways to recognize International Women’s Day, new ministries might develop to bring women together in meaningful relationships. It’s not always easy being a woman in any century or season, and we need each other. 

“What a blessing to have Christian friends to encourage and support us as we serve Christ! Our loads are too heavy to carry alone, and we need someone to rejoice and to weep with us. It begins when we make ourselves available to rejoice and weep with someone needing us. Today the Lord may bring across your path someone needing your simple presence. Be there!” David Jeremiah, Walking with Jesus.

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/SouthWorks