Group Activities
Ideas for Keeping it Fun
Women today are very busy and bogged down with a lot to do. So getting together with girl friends should be fun! Below are a few suggestions to help you achieve a fun and memorable experience for your group members.
The summer, for most, is a time when women/moms take some down time. So we understand that Gather and Grow Groups may, for some of you, take some down time. But before that much needed vacation, and reading through that stack of books on your night stand -- it's important to take time to have a fun good-bye with your group until the fall.
Here are some suggestions for a fun good-bye with your group:
The Priceless Pearl
If you can arrange for it -- this activity is great when you hand each of the women in your group an oyster shell with a fake pear inside. You can get both at craft stores. After the ladies leave the group, it become a visible reminder of an invisible truth. I still have mine from 3 years ago.
Pearls are the product of pain. For some unknown reason, the shell of the oyster gets pierced and an outside substance - a grain of sand, slips inside. On the entry of that foreign irritant, all the resources within the tiny, sensitive oyster rush to the spot and begin to release healing fluids that otherwise would have remained dormant.
By and by the irritant is covered and the would is healed by the pearl. No other gem has so fascinating a history. It is the symbol of stress. A healed wound, a precious tiny jewel conceived through irritation, born of adversity, nursed by adjustments.
Had there been no wounding, no irritating interruption, there could have been no pearl.
Some oysters are never wounded, and those who seek for gems toss the aside, fit only for stew.
Seasons of Life
Charles Swindoll
Questions to ask you group after reading The Priceless Pearl
1. What does what I just read mean to you?
2. What have you gone through that was really hard, but Jesus healed your wound?
3. What is irritating/stressing you out -- could it be a catylist for healing?
More Meaning in a Tea Party
At your next Gather and Grow meeting, have a tea party. This is a fun and meaningful activity to do especially in the winter months. Have the ladies in your group make the tea as you read along and share from the below information.
What you will need…
• Pretty Tea Cups – ask group members to bring their favorite tea cup
• Tea
• Pastries/cake
• Tea Pot
• Hot Water
• Heart Orange Rind – cut out with a heart shaped cookie cutter
• Sugar/honey
Tea Cup
Each cup has been lovingly designed and full of grace. Each cup is distinctively unique and different. A cup is a symbol of who we are physically. Delicately designed on the outside, colorful, gracefully feminine. A fragile vessel that portrays each of us and our womanhood.
Tea Pot/and Water
The hot water in the tea pot symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Just as these cups sit in readiness, not having the ability to fill themselves. We are created to commune with God and He alone has the ability to satisfy the emptiness within each of us. To fill us.
Tea Bag
The small fragrant tea bag, hung by a thread, held firmly in each of our hands represents our submission to faithfully immerse into our lives the wisdom God through His written in the bible describing His vision for us as women.
Orange Rind Heart (floats on the top of the tea)
This is a rememberance of the great and sweet personal love God has for each of us individually.
(You can use sugar/honey here instead)
We have witnessed this infusion in our tea cups. The water has been changed by what we have introduced onto it. Just as our inner life and soul will be changed as we introduce the principals God has established in the Bible for His precious creation called woman.
Group Questions
When we place the little fragrant tea bag into the warm water is it called infusion. Can anyone explain what is taking place?
What happens the longer we leave the bag in the water?
What do you like about the tea cup that you brought today?
What happens if we pull the tea bag out too soon?
Have you recently felt God pouring into your life?
Have you ever felt like an empty cup?
Things to Think about…
Infusion means – To introduce one thing into another so as to affect it throughout a pouring in of something that gives new life or significance.
(could have the group members write this down on a note card to take home)
Steeped in His Word
Infused in His Love
Sweetened in His Spirit and
Stirred from above
“As women we are like tea…we don’t know how strong we are until we are placed into hot water.”
Ice Breakers
An icebreaker helps the women in your group get to know one another and helping others feel comfortable sharing in a group. Your group may want to spend a few minutes each session asking one “get to know you” type question. Here are some suggestions. It is important before you choose any of the following to be sensitive to your group.
Ask Questions that will help to get to know each other. Remember to only use question that pertain to your group, i.e. if you are a group of single women, asking the question about how you met your husband is irrelevant.
Childhood Questions:
• Where were you born?
• How many brothers and sisters did you have?
• How old were you when you learned to ride a bike?
• What was your mother’s/father’s occupation?
• What was your favorite subject in school?
• What is your favorite childhood memory?
Family:
• I was initially attracted to my husband because….
• I chose the name, _______, for my first born because……
• The trait I Most admire in my mother, father, sister, brother is…..
• Our favorite family pastime is…..
• My last child was born in (name of town) at (name of hospital).
• My most obvious physical trait is my ___. I inherited it from my ___.
Spiritual:
• My first memory of hearing about God is......
• The person who introduced me to Jesus Christ is…..
• The first church I ever attended was….
• The Bible verse that most speaks to me is…
• My favorite Bible story is….
• My first Bible was…
Personal:
• Before I arrived here today, I had to….
• My favorite toy when I was a child was a…
• Ten years ago, I spent most of my time doing…
• My name is (Van). V stands for VICTORIOUS. Each lady tells what the first letter in her name might stand for.
• If I could do or be anything at all, I would…
• As a child my favorite daydream was…
• My favorite thing to do these days is….
For more Icebreaker Ideas: A Small Group, Good Things Come in Small Groups (IVP; Downer’s Grove, IL 1985)
Special Events
Special events help to create a sense of unity and community in any group. We suggest having at least two special events during the year that deviate from the normal schedule. Below are some suggestions.
Here are two ideas for fun things to do with your group. We also recommend the book Homespun Memories for the Heart By: Karen Ehman, Kelly Hovermale & Trish Smith
A Basket of Friendship – We call it Blessing it Forward
In the mid-1800’s American women shared autograph albums and sewed friendship quilts as a way of honoring their neighbors and friends by the work of their hands and the signing of their names brought forth a memorable gift of love.
Today, your family can continue this friendly custom by giving away a ‘friendship basket.’ Line a basket with the napkin and fill it with homemade goodies: cookies, cocoa mix, a loaf of homemade bread, fresh fruit, or even a Christian book or CD. Tie a bow to the handle where you have attached a laminated card that reads like this:
Filling Our Jars – A Lesson in Time…
This is an activity to show how spending time with Jesus each day can make a difference. This is a great activity to do if you are talking about spending time with Christ. You can also fill up jars with bread or muffin mix as a gift for the women to take home with them.
You’ll need:
The rice represents the fun, urgent or pressing things that we would like to do (our plans)
If you pour the rice (our way) in the jar first, the walnuts (God’s plan) will never fit, If you put the walnuts in the jar first, the rice will pour over and around the nuts and everything fits perfectly.
God intends us to be productive by seeking His will as a daily priority in our life
“And God will provide all of our needs according to his riches in glory” Phil 4:19.
Have we tried to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well?” Mathew 6:33
“Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” Psalm 34:10
This glass jar is a visual reminder of an invisible truth
Jar represents us
Walnuts represent God’s daily plan
Rice represents our daily plan
If you want to make God laugh – tell Him your plans.
We each have a choice. To fill our jars first with rice or with walnuts.
What You Need
Wrap up small (jewelry-sized with a bottom and top) boxes with silver wrapping paper. You can also buy silver boxes at craft stores.
Inside the box place this verse.
“A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold is a setting of silver.”
Proverbs 25:11
Research has shown that when we do something for 31 days in a row it becomes a habit. Here is a habit worth starting: Begin to practice giving and receiving verbal gifts of encouragement known as “little silver boxes.”
A silver box can be a visible sign of an invisible truth. Place the box where it will catch your eye and remind you to put words into action!
Each day, read a “Little Silver Box” like the ones below.
“Kind Words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”
Mother Theresa
31 Days of Encouraging Words
by Florence Littauer
Women today are very busy and bogged down with a lot to do. So getting together with girl friends should be fun! Below are a few suggestions to help you achieve a fun and memorable experience for your group members.
- Have an ice-breaker the first meeting
- Play Christian music as women arrive
- Tie in Holidays and the Seasons for your get-togethers
- Offer Food
- Research activities, or create a small craft/gift for the group members to take home that tie into lesson/study. Giving a tactical activity or giving a small gift to take home, gives the group members a more memorable experience for the lesson/study. It can be a visual reminder of an invisible truth.
- Have the meetings at a different group member’s house – this takes the pressure off the leader and also gives other women a chance to share their home with the group.
- Get together some time outside the group
- Choose a volunteer project and work on it together
The summer, for most, is a time when women/moms take some down time. So we understand that Gather and Grow Groups may, for some of you, take some down time. But before that much needed vacation, and reading through that stack of books on your night stand -- it's important to take time to have a fun good-bye with your group until the fall.
Here are some suggestions for a fun good-bye with your group:
- Have a brunch and ask everyone to bring their favorite dish. If you meet at night, have them bring their favorite dessert.
- At your last meeting, ask for testimonies of how Gather and Grow has bless them.
- Take a group photo and email it to Carrie or Wendy. We would love to put it up on the blog next year with your testimonies.
The Priceless Pearl
If you can arrange for it -- this activity is great when you hand each of the women in your group an oyster shell with a fake pear inside. You can get both at craft stores. After the ladies leave the group, it become a visible reminder of an invisible truth. I still have mine from 3 years ago.
Pearls are the product of pain. For some unknown reason, the shell of the oyster gets pierced and an outside substance - a grain of sand, slips inside. On the entry of that foreign irritant, all the resources within the tiny, sensitive oyster rush to the spot and begin to release healing fluids that otherwise would have remained dormant.
By and by the irritant is covered and the would is healed by the pearl. No other gem has so fascinating a history. It is the symbol of stress. A healed wound, a precious tiny jewel conceived through irritation, born of adversity, nursed by adjustments.
Had there been no wounding, no irritating interruption, there could have been no pearl.
Some oysters are never wounded, and those who seek for gems toss the aside, fit only for stew.
Seasons of Life
Charles Swindoll
Questions to ask you group after reading The Priceless Pearl
1. What does what I just read mean to you?
2. What have you gone through that was really hard, but Jesus healed your wound?
3. What is irritating/stressing you out -- could it be a catylist for healing?
More Meaning in a Tea Party
At your next Gather and Grow meeting, have a tea party. This is a fun and meaningful activity to do especially in the winter months. Have the ladies in your group make the tea as you read along and share from the below information.
What you will need…
• Pretty Tea Cups – ask group members to bring their favorite tea cup
• Tea
• Pastries/cake
• Tea Pot
• Hot Water
• Heart Orange Rind – cut out with a heart shaped cookie cutter
• Sugar/honey
Tea Cup
Each cup has been lovingly designed and full of grace. Each cup is distinctively unique and different. A cup is a symbol of who we are physically. Delicately designed on the outside, colorful, gracefully feminine. A fragile vessel that portrays each of us and our womanhood.
Tea Pot/and Water
The hot water in the tea pot symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Just as these cups sit in readiness, not having the ability to fill themselves. We are created to commune with God and He alone has the ability to satisfy the emptiness within each of us. To fill us.
Tea Bag
The small fragrant tea bag, hung by a thread, held firmly in each of our hands represents our submission to faithfully immerse into our lives the wisdom God through His written in the bible describing His vision for us as women.
Orange Rind Heart (floats on the top of the tea)
This is a rememberance of the great and sweet personal love God has for each of us individually.
(You can use sugar/honey here instead)
We have witnessed this infusion in our tea cups. The water has been changed by what we have introduced onto it. Just as our inner life and soul will be changed as we introduce the principals God has established in the Bible for His precious creation called woman.
Group Questions
When we place the little fragrant tea bag into the warm water is it called infusion. Can anyone explain what is taking place?
What happens the longer we leave the bag in the water?
What do you like about the tea cup that you brought today?
What happens if we pull the tea bag out too soon?
Have you recently felt God pouring into your life?
Have you ever felt like an empty cup?
Things to Think about…
Infusion means – To introduce one thing into another so as to affect it throughout a pouring in of something that gives new life or significance.
(could have the group members write this down on a note card to take home)
Steeped in His Word
Infused in His Love
Sweetened in His Spirit and
Stirred from above
“As women we are like tea…we don’t know how strong we are until we are placed into hot water.”
Ice Breakers
An icebreaker helps the women in your group get to know one another and helping others feel comfortable sharing in a group. Your group may want to spend a few minutes each session asking one “get to know you” type question. Here are some suggestions. It is important before you choose any of the following to be sensitive to your group.
- Ask women to take a penny out of their purse, ask them to look at the date, and then go around the room and have them tell about something important that happened to them that year.
- Give Women index cards as they walk in and ask them to write down something funny that has happened to them. Once it is written down, have them fold the card and place it in a basket. Then pass the basket around and have everyone take out a card that is not theirs, and go around the room and try and figure out who the card belongs too. After the guessing time, sit in a circle and keep guessing. Once someone guesses correctly have the person that wrote on the card tell their story.
- Name everything in your purse. The lady who has the most stuff listed, dumps her purse and tells all!
- Simply go around the circle. Each one shares. Tell us your name, where you were born, and what your favorite…is (color, food, Bible verse)
- Ask a trivia question. The one who answers asks the next trivia question.
- As all ladies arrive put them together in groups of two or three. Either group them together as they come through the door, or assign numbers etc. Have them work together doing one of the following:
- Locate 26 items in the room, each starting with a different letter of the alphabet.
- Give a storage bag filled with legos and see what creation flows from the individual groups. Tell them to name their creation.
- Find out three things about one another that you each have in common.
- Give the ladies markers, paper, and other craft items and ask them to come up with a logo, and name for their new gather and grow group. Then have each group present their idea and choose the one that fits the overall group and use it for the year.
- Get each person to tell two true things and one not true thing about themselves. Then let the other’s guess which one is not true.
- Have one lady share her testimony each week. Never call on someone to do that on the spur of the moment. Ask them ahead of time or have them sign up in advance.
- The leader collects one fact about each member and types up a list of facts. These are facts the person has shared freely and does not mind the others knowing. Pass the sheet out and try to guess which fact goes with which person.
- Have each person draw a timeline of their life and mark the high and low points. Start at age 1 and go to the present. (This is a wonderful exercise for those who are nervous about sharing their testimony. By explaining their time line, they will be sharing their testimony. It will also make some realize that they have never asked Jesus to be their Savior.)
- Give pen and paper and ask as individuals or teams to write one of the following:
- 23rd Psalm, 10 Plagues, the books of the Bible, 10 Commandments, 12 tribes or 12 disciples.
- Place a bowl of M&Ms on a table and ask each person to take 4-5. Then have them share the following for each color selected.
o Brown- share about the house you grew up in.
o Yellow- share about your favorite summer vacation
o Blue- share about your first airplane ride
o Green- share about your first date
o Red- share about your first ticket for breaking the law
o Orange- wild card, share any of the above
Ask Questions that will help to get to know each other. Remember to only use question that pertain to your group, i.e. if you are a group of single women, asking the question about how you met your husband is irrelevant.
Childhood Questions:
• Where were you born?
• How many brothers and sisters did you have?
• How old were you when you learned to ride a bike?
• What was your mother’s/father’s occupation?
• What was your favorite subject in school?
• What is your favorite childhood memory?
Family:
• I was initially attracted to my husband because….
• I chose the name, _______, for my first born because……
• The trait I Most admire in my mother, father, sister, brother is…..
• Our favorite family pastime is…..
• My last child was born in (name of town) at (name of hospital).
• My most obvious physical trait is my ___. I inherited it from my ___.
Spiritual:
• My first memory of hearing about God is......
• The person who introduced me to Jesus Christ is…..
• The first church I ever attended was….
• The Bible verse that most speaks to me is…
• My favorite Bible story is….
• My first Bible was…
Personal:
• Before I arrived here today, I had to….
• My favorite toy when I was a child was a…
• Ten years ago, I spent most of my time doing…
• My name is (Van). V stands for VICTORIOUS. Each lady tells what the first letter in her name might stand for.
• If I could do or be anything at all, I would…
• As a child my favorite daydream was…
• My favorite thing to do these days is….
For more Icebreaker Ideas: A Small Group, Good Things Come in Small Groups (IVP; Downer’s Grove, IL 1985)
Special Events
Special events help to create a sense of unity and community in any group. We suggest having at least two special events during the year that deviate from the normal schedule. Below are some suggestions.
- Host a tea party with everyone bringing their favorite tea and teacup.
- Host a Christmas Gathering and invite un-churched acquaintances.
- Invite a special speaker to come instead of having a discussion group.
- Gather with other Proverbs 31 Gather & Grow Groups in your area.
- Host a luncheon with a special theme.
- Have a covered dish dinner with a theme (salads, Mexican, Italian)
- Have a picnic in the park.
- Go on a leadership retreat for the weekend.
- Attend a women’s conference together.
- Attend Proverbs 31 Ministries She Speaks Conference together.
- Do a community project together.
- Do a service project at Christmas.
- Volunteer at a non-profit such as: a Crisis Pregnancy or for Proverbs 31 Ministries.
Here are two ideas for fun things to do with your group. We also recommend the book Homespun Memories for the Heart By: Karen Ehman, Kelly Hovermale & Trish Smith
A Basket of Friendship – We call it Blessing it Forward
In the mid-1800’s American women shared autograph albums and sewed friendship quilts as a way of honoring their neighbors and friends by the work of their hands and the signing of their names brought forth a memorable gift of love.
Today, your family can continue this friendly custom by giving away a ‘friendship basket.’ Line a basket with the napkin and fill it with homemade goodies: cookies, cocoa mix, a loaf of homemade bread, fresh fruit, or even a Christian book or CD. Tie a bow to the handle where you have attached a laminated card that reads like this:
Neighboring Basket – Bless it Forward
This basket’s filled with goodies
and my best wishes too,
for my life is sweeter because of
neighbors like you.
Enjoy the things I’ve tucked inside,
then fill it up anew,
and pass it on to someone else who’s
been a good neighbor to you.
May this basket honor neighbors whether
they be near or far,
and show those who receive it just how
Special they are!
This basket’s filled with goodies
and my best wishes too,
for my life is sweeter because of
neighbors like you.
Enjoy the things I’ve tucked inside,
then fill it up anew,
and pass it on to someone else who’s
been a good neighbor to you.
May this basket honor neighbors whether
they be near or far,
and show those who receive it just how
Special they are!
Filling Our Jars – A Lesson in Time…
This is an activity to show how spending time with Jesus each day can make a difference. This is a great activity to do if you are talking about spending time with Christ. You can also fill up jars with bread or muffin mix as a gift for the women to take home with them.
You’ll need:
- A glass quart jar
- Place 25 Unshelled walnuts in the jar
- Pour 1- ½ cups rice over the walnuts
The rice represents the fun, urgent or pressing things that we would like to do (our plans)
If you pour the rice (our way) in the jar first, the walnuts (God’s plan) will never fit, If you put the walnuts in the jar first, the rice will pour over and around the nuts and everything fits perfectly.
God intends us to be productive by seeking His will as a daily priority in our life
“And God will provide all of our needs according to his riches in glory” Phil 4:19.
Have we tried to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well?” Mathew 6:33
“Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” Psalm 34:10
This glass jar is a visual reminder of an invisible truth
Jar represents us
Walnuts represent God’s daily plan
Rice represents our daily plan
If you want to make God laugh – tell Him your plans.
We each have a choice. To fill our jars first with rice or with walnuts.
Little Silver Boxes – The Gift of Encouraging Words
This is a great Christmas time activity!
This is a great Christmas time activity!
What You Need
Wrap up small (jewelry-sized with a bottom and top) boxes with silver wrapping paper. You can also buy silver boxes at craft stores.
Inside the box place this verse.
“A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold is a setting of silver.”
Proverbs 25:11
Research has shown that when we do something for 31 days in a row it becomes a habit. Here is a habit worth starting: Begin to practice giving and receiving verbal gifts of encouragement known as “little silver boxes.”
A silver box can be a visible sign of an invisible truth. Place the box where it will catch your eye and remind you to put words into action!
Each day, read a “Little Silver Box” like the ones below.
“Kind Words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”
Mother Theresa
31 Days of Encouraging Words
- The world is a better place because you are in it
- You are wonderful
- You are a work of art
- Good for you
- What a winner
- You’ll inspire others
- What a great idea
- You’ve exceeded my expectation
- Wow what a difference you made
- Thanks for your time
- Keep up the terrific work
- You brighten my day
- Thanks for making me smile (laugh)
- Nice going
- You really make life fun
- You just keep getting better
- You are great with people
- Your efforts are really appreciated
- I love your smile
- Great input
- You outdid yourself
- You are such an encouragement
- You are special
- God loves you
- You always do your best
- You are smart
- You are talented
- Way to go
- You brighten my day
- Good going -- you made a godly decision
- You are very creative
by Florence Littauer
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