The Women’s Ministry is committed to encouraging the women of our church and community to love and follow Jesus.  It is our goal to raise up a generation of women who passionately seek after God, who know His Word, who want to serve others, and who desire to finish faithfully.

2021-2022 Ministry Year

• God’s Word:  Includes Bible Studies & Discipleship. 
• Mission: Includes opportunities to serve with our mission partners. 
• Faith & Community: Includes mentoring and many of our special events. 
• Click Here to download a pdf of our brochure. 

If you have questions, feel free to email Kelley Brown at kelleyb@mbcc.us.  Thank you!

Side by Side Care Ministry

Welcome
We are honored that you desire to meet and share with one of our Lay Counselors or Care Contacts.  Please complete the initial assessment form below and indicate whether you wish to meet with a lay counselor or connect with a woman who has walked through the same challenges or issues you’re currently facing (a Care Contact). A member of the Care Team will contact you within 48-72 hours and direct you to the next step. 

What We Are
MBCC’s Side by Side Care Ministry is designed to provide one-on-one short-term care and encouragement to women who are members of Mountain Brook Community Church and are navigating a new or difficult season of life. In a safe and confidential environment, our lay counselors offer prayer, a listening ear, biblical insight and guidance to lead counselees toward resolution, healing or positive change. Our Care Contacts offer support and encouragement for women walking through similar experiences. 

LAY COUNSELING: Our lay counseling ministry particularly aims to serve the woman who may not seek pastoral or professional counseling, whether it be due to her preference of opening up to a woman or because she considers her struggle too embarrassing, private, or even insignificant. We’re committed to walking alongside one another and helping you resolve the challenges you’re facing. Our lay counselors have been trained by the Biblical Counseling Center and can address a range of issues including anger, depression, anxiety, fear, guilt and shame, marital conflict, family or relational tensions, parenting struggles, spiritual concerns, addictions, and more. 

Please note that we do not provide professional or long-term counseling. We meet with individuals for up to five sessions (in a calendar year) and then help them make connections and establish a support system for continued care if necessary or desired. If this time frame or approach does not seem adequate for your needs, we can refer you to a qualified Christian counselor.

CARE CONTACTS: The Side by Side Care Ministry also aims to connect women in our church family who simply desire to talk with someone who has endured similar circumstances or challenges. Care Contacts are women within the church who volunteer to talk with a woman in the midst of a trial or challenge that the Care Contact previously experienced and for which she can provide some insight and encouragement. Examples include infertility, miscarriages, body issues, betrayal, financial strain, discontentment, adjustment to marriage or to motherhood, disease or cancer diagnosis, caring for aging parents, etc. A woman may seek both lay counseling and a Care Contact at the same time.

What We Are Not
Lay counseling should not be substituted for professional therapy or counseling. We do not perform psychiatric evaluations, make diagnoses, or prescribe medication. Our lay counselors are not licensed therapists but rather volunteers who are well-trained to address many situations and life challenges from a biblical perspective. Please note that there are some counseling situations that are beyond our training. When this is the case, professional counseling will be recommended. Please click here to read our full Lay Counseling Policies. 

If you would like to meet with a lay counselor or care contact, please click the box below to complete our initial assessment, and we will be in touch soon.  Thank you. 

Becoming a Care Contact
Our Care Contacts offer support and encouragement for women walking through a trial or challenge they’ve previously experienced. This is done in an informal manner, and it does not commit Care Contacts to long-term mentoring. 

If you are open to discussing your own experiences with someone in order to provide perspective, insight, support, and encouragement, please complete and submit the form below. Examples of topics include infertility, miscarriage, body issues, betrayal, financial strain, discontentment, adjustment to marriage or to motherhood, disease or cancer diagnosis, caring for aging parents, etc.  By submitting this form, you are not committing to meet with anyone or to discuss a particular topic marked below. Our Care Team will always consult a potential Care Contact before matching her with anyone. We realize that availability and even emotional capacity to share can vary from season to season.  

Harvest

Throughout the year, we periodically gather to serve with one of our church’s mission partners.  We have two dates lined up for the fall.  Please register online so we will know how many people to expect.  We will provide more details closer to the date.  Childcare is provided for September 22, but must be reserved by Monday, September 20. 

Wednesday, September 22nd, 9:30-11:00 am: Christian Service Mission

Wednesday, October 27th, 4:30-8:30 pm: The WellHouse

Parenting Panels

Parenting is a high calling, and we often need God’s truth to reframe our conversations, decisions and next steps with our kids. Each month, a panel of MBCC women with experience and/or expertise will lead discussion on a particular parenting topic viewed from a Christian perspective. Topics will include preparing your teen for college, fostering self-esteem, transitioning into the toddler years, helping a child with ADHD thrive in school, setting limits with technology, and more. 

Please click below to register for one of our first three parenting panels. Location TBD based on number of registrants for each gathering. Each panel will begin at 6:15 pm.

September 12th: Navigating the College Search
October 3rd: Effective Discipline while Shepherding the Heart
November 14th: Helping a Child with ADHD/ADD Thrive in School and at Home

Fall Women’s Bible Studies

Fall Bible studies are currently meeting.  Please check back in January when we launch new Bible studies! 

Discipleship

A discipleship group (D-group) consists of 5-8 participants who commit to meeting together weekly for 18-24 months for the purpose of spiritual growth and replication.  Following the daily Bible reading plan in the book, Foundations, they read Scripture, journal their impressions, and then meet to discuss.  Upon completion of the book, each participant prayerfully considers launching her own D-group.  Please click the box to fill out the form if you are interested.  New D-groups will be launching in January. 

Mentoring

What is Mentoring?
Based on Titus 2:3-5, mentoring is a ministry that benefits women of all ages. An older woman invests in the the life of a younger woman through listening, guidance, prayer, encouragement, laughter, and good company.

Mentors meet with their mentee at least once per month and maintain weekly contact via text, phone calls, email, etc. The meeting format is informal and flexible, ranging from coffee dates or meals out to visiting in each other’s homes to simply running errands together.  Mentors will be provided with discussion questions based on the Equipped monthly podcast content to share with their mentees and facilitate conversation and spiritual encouragement.  While a mentor is expected to pursue and reflect Jesus, she is simply one who has gone before us and can offer insight and wisdom from her life experience thus far. Please click the box to fill out the form if you are interested in mentoring.  We will be matching new mentors/mentees in January. 

Equipped

Women’s Beach Retreat

April 21-24, 2022
San Destin, Florida

After a 2-year wait, join us as we rest, relax and refresh together at the BEACH! This is a wonderful opportunity to grow deeper in your faith, spend time with friends, and connect with women of all ages.  More information coming in January.