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Ministry offers help to single moms
McCook Gazette
McCOOK, Neb. -- Raising kids is hard enough for two parents, let alone one.
But single moms don't have to do it alone, said Kim Tietz, who has started a Single Moms Ministry Bible-study group at the McCook Christian Church.
"We want these women to know that they are loved and are not alone, that they can find strength in God and in each other," Tietz said of the weekly group that meets Wednesday nights at the church."Even if only one woman shows up, we'll be there for her."
Tietz had worked in the children's ministry at the church for some time but felt called to step out and do something different, she said. As a daycare provider, Tietz said she knows first hand how hard it can be for single moms to meet the emotional as well as physical needs of their kids.
So, with the help of Sherry Henning and Sarah Hoyt, they began the Single Moms Ministry in September.
So far, they've had two meetings, with about five to six women attending. The women share their problems, prayer requests, phone numbers and tears. "We forgot the box of tissue the first meeting, so that won't happen again," Tietz said.
The study group will explore different issues of raising children, using Bible-based curriculum that the women select. Curriculum and childcare is provided by the church. Moms will be encouraged to bond with each other, Tietz said, so they can network outside of meetings. "Many single moms don't have a support system they need, who understand their struggles," she said.
In addition to meeting their spiritual needs, the ministry also aims to help them out on a practical level, such as fixing leaky faucets and other "nuts and bolts" kind of problems that many single moms don't know how to repair.
"We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ, not just on Sunday, but every day," said Hoyt.
In the near future, Tietz is planning activities for both the women and their kids, such as a Christmas party and maybe by next fall, a men's ministry, where men from the church can be male role models for children without fathers.
But for now, she just wants single moms to know that God knows their struggles and has their back.
"Women who feel vulnerable, not accepted...they are welcome here," she said.
Single Moms Ministry welcomes women never married, divorced, widowed or simply experiencing an absent husband. Meetings are Wednesday night, 6-7 p.m., room 128, at the McCook Christian Church, 507 East B in McCook. Call for more information, call Tietz at (308)345-7162.