'Virtual' Bible study in pyjamas
'Virtual' Bible study in pyjamas
17 July 2019
Participants in a virtual Bible study for young mums are building close relationships in a safe and supportive environment.
The Busy Mums Virtual Bible Study at Carindale Corps in Brisbane – a new initiative where participants all meet in their pyjamas – is meeting the needs of young women who often find themselves disconnected from their church community.
“Our church is full of children growing and learning, but it’s not always easy for the mums to get out to a Bible study or social group,” said Jessica Ndenda, one of the participants.
“So, we decided to do things differently and improvise! Once the mums wrestle their young ones to bed, they dial into a video chat and talk about being women of faith. It has grown to be a group of connection, support and fun each week, so much so that we are looking at starting a second one.”
The mums are going through the book Present over Perfect, by Shauna Niequist, that talks about releasing the busyness of life and recognising who you are in God.
“This is about creating community and building relationships where people are,” said Captain Krista Andrews, Carindale Corps Officer.
“We currently have around eight or nine young mums doing just that, for an hour every Tuesday night.”
The group, which began in April, runs during school terms, from 8.30pm to 9.30pm. There is also an ongoing group-chat site for the mums, where they can post prayer requests, inspiring quotes, podcasts and encouragement to other group members.
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The group is a safe place to explore life and faith.
One member, Kerryn, is enjoying the connections being established.
“Meeting online after the kids are in bed allows me to at least try to construct a full sentence without being interrupted by little ones,” she said.
“This doesn’t happen on a Sunday morning at church. Our little community is becoming closer because we can actually connect with each other and talk about meaningful things.”
Another young mum, Rhiannon, had stopped going to church after her daughter was born.
“This online group has given me back a voice, some adult conversation and an ability to connect with those who were once my community before I was a mum,” she said.
“The self-discovery of who you are, without the mum label, and enjoying the things you did, before the mum thing, is incredibly important.
“My worship matters, too, and reading subject material that is meaningful and relevant to my current life has given me some direction and purpose as well.”
Most of the women in the group are corps members. There has been interest in the group from women in the community, from others connected to the corps through children’s ministries, and even from a mum in New Zealand.
This interest may lead to a second group, allowing the groups to stay relatively small and space where close relationships can be built.
“This is about making a safe space for the mums, where they can ‘test the waters’ and leave if they want to,” said Jessica. “It also allows the mums to be more vulnerable and connect more closely with each other.”
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