Heart to Heart Mentoring Ministry seeks to connect women of different generations in 1-on-1 transformational relationships in order to grow in friendship and faith in Jesus Christ. Women will invest in the lives of each other through encouragement, guidance, sharing, listening, laughing and loving.

Q: Why have a Mentoring Ministry?
A: The Lord commands us to tell the next generation (Psalm 78:4). The older women are to encourage and equip younger women to live for God’s glory (Titus 2:3-5). Spiritual friendships are a blessing in a woman’s life (Proverbs 27:9 and 17).

Q: What is a Mentor and what does she do?
A: A mentor is woman who is devoted to her personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and seeks to glorify God with her life. She desires to be a “spiritual mother” and friend to a younger woman. A mentor is willing to listen, teach skills, offer spiritually sound advice, and provide a life perspective unique to her own experiences. She desires to invest in the next generation, knowing the experience will be mutually beneficial.

Q: What is a Merea and what does she do?
A: “Merea” (mah-RAY-ah) is a Hebrew term that means “young friend.” A merea is a woman who welcomes the insight and knowledge of a more mature woman. She desires to grow in her faith and develop skills for her personal, spiritual journey. She is looking for a woman who has gone through the life phases and circumstances she is now in, and who can model what it means to walk with the Lord and live out her faith.

Q: What commitment does Heart to Heart require?
A: Your commitment is to meet face-to-face with your mentor/merea a minimum of once per month for 6 months. You can cultivate this relationship by enjoying informal activities such as meeting for lunch, going for a walk, attending an event, or sharing a hobby. If you desire a deeper relationship, you can do a 1-on-1 bible study or practice spiritual disciplines together. The degree of involvement and how you spend your time is up to you and your mentor/merea to decide.

Q: What are some specific ideas of how we could spend our time?
A: Here are a few ideas of how you could spend your time together:
   • Share a favorite recipe and make it together.
   • Take a walk around your neighborhood, lake, or park.
   • Choose a Christian book on a topic you’d like to develop strengths in, and study it together.
   • Help your Mentor set up her Facebook profile.
   • Teach your mentor/merea a talent or hobby you have such as knitting, gardening, yoga, photography
      or scrapbooking.
   • Lend a listening ear over a cup of coffee and dessert.
   • Go antique shopping or visit a craft fair.
   • Share a family, wedding or vacation photo album.
   • Pray together about your joys, concerns and struggles.
   • Try a new ethnic food at a local restaurant together.
   • Go for a drive in the country or through a state park.
   • Choose a book of the Bible to study together.
   • Enjoy a pedicure or manicure together.
   • Teach each other board or card games you know.
   • Visit a local art or history museum.
   • Meet with another mentoring pair and enjoy 3 generations of fellowship.
The Mentoring Team will equip you in your mentoring relationship by providing a list of ideas on how to spend your time as well as provide bible/book study and mentoring resources. Or feel free to come up with your own ideas together!

Download Brochure

Next session runs July - December 2010. Sign up deadline is June 20.

Would you like to share your heart and be a Mentor or Merea?

STEP 1: Sign Up
Consider your desires and needs, then fill out the sign up form to tell us about yourself, your availability, and what you are looking for in a mentoring relationship.

Note: You can be in more than one mentoring relationship at once if you desire. You could be mentored by an older woman as well as mentor someone younger. Please fill out a form for each relationship.

Download Sign Up Form

Sign up deadline for the next session is June 20. Completed forms may be returned to the WM mailbox at church or emailed to fccwomenministries@gmail.com

STEP 2: Meet Your Match
Once all forms have been received for the next session, they will be prayerfully considered by the Mentoring Team, and matched by the information provided. Mentors and mereas will be invited to attend “Meet Your Match” for a time of introduction, fellowship and the opportunity to begin to get to know one another.

Meet Your Match will be the morning of June 26. Plan to attend so you can meet your mentor/merea!

STEP 3: Enjoy Sharing “Heart to Heart”
Discuss and determine your goals for this relationship. Meet at least once per month (or more if you like!) using the relationship building resources provided - or come up with your own ideas! At the end of 6 months, complete an evaluation form and discuss whether or not you’d like to continue this relationship for another 6-month term. You may decide you’d like to move on, and take the opportunity to form a new relationship with another woman. There is blessing to be found in both options: continuing a long-term friendship with one woman, or forming friendships with many different women in the church.

For additional information on this ministry, please contact Debbie Kalina, Pam Norlen, Jill Kennedy or Ashley Koenig for additional information.