Bible Studies and Small Groups

 Bible study and small group opportunities designed for women of all ages and stages are taking a break for the summer!

Mission & Service Opportunities

    Threads of Grace is a sewing ministry which converts

     gently used men's shirts into precious little dresses. Over

     200 dresses have been sent to children in Haiti,

     Dominican Republic, and El Salvador.

Loads of Love is a ministry offering home-made

laundry detergent to area agencies and ministries. In

2015 approximately 600 individual bags of detergent

were delivered to the Ronald McDonald House, Kentucky

Refugee Ministries, and God's Design.

Elizabeth Baxter College Gift Fund

THE GIFT AND THE BLESSING   As women, we face countless challenges throughout our lives, but none so vital as the legacy we leave the women who come after us. Down through the ages, women have passed invaluable wisdom, gifts, and blessings to the next generation.    In the days of Jacob, the women gathered in what was commonly referred to as the “red tent” during times of feminine life changes and trauma. As Anita Diamant describes in her novel “The Red Tent”, the women looked forward to those days when they were considered ritually unclean, not as a time of outcast, but as an opportunity to be nurtured and cared for by other women who had walked their same path. It was a warm and safe haven with support and encouragement flowing freely between grandmothers, mothers, sisters, aunts and friends.  In the not so distant past, similar scenarios played out around quilting frames and on back porches as women gathered to join forces in common domestic chores, all the while sharing stories and passing on sage advice. Today, regardless of age, we enjoy book clubs, study groups, and “ladies’ nights out” as we continue to desire and seek the company, wisdom, and blessings of other women.  In 2002, the St. Matthew Baptist Church Women’s Ministries Team began a two-fold effort to continue the tradition of passing a blessing to the next generation of women. The first phase was the establishment of the Elizabeth Baxter College Gift Fund. The fund is named in memory of Mrs. Baxter who was a longtime member of St. Matthews Baptist Church. She was a devout Christian and believer in lifelong education, having been an elementary teacher and guidance counselor for many years.  The purpose of the Elizabeth Baxter College Gift Fund is to provide a one-time monetary gift to each young woman who is an active member of St. Matthews Baptist Church during her first year of college or continuing education program after high school graduation. The gift serves as a token of the ongoing support and heartfelt blessings of the women of St. Matthews Baptist Church. The Gift Fund is supported through donations and fund-raising efforts by the SMBC Women’s Ministries. The Women’s Ministries Team further recognized the importance of bestowing a “heart blessing” on the young women, in addition to the material gift they would receive from the Elizabeth Baxter College Gift Fund.   In 2003, the first Afternoon Tea was held to celebrate and honor the high school graduates, and a new tradition was established. At the event, each young woman is encouraged to bring the significant women in her life (mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, and friends) for a time of fellowship, the opportunity to share future plans, and to hear words of encouragement from friends and loved ones. The Tea culminates with a blessing and commitment to the graduates. The women of St. Matthews Baptist Church commit to pray for them, support them, and encourage them not only throughout their college years, but in the years beyond. We will stand with them when they return as college graduates, when they walk the center aisle as brides, when they dedicate their babies at the SMBC altar, when they struggle through the challenges of adulthood, and when they mourn the loss of loved ones. We will be their sisters through all the joys and trials of their lives. We commit to leaving a legacy they will one day pass on to the young women in their realm of influence.

 Generation to generation, woman to woman, blessing to blessing.

More opportunities to get involved!!!

Throughout the year, there are many other opportunities for fellowship including the Summer Potluck Supper, movie nights, concerts, Pop-Up events, and Ladies’ Nights Out. Check back often to stay in the know. If you would like to be on the Women's Ministries email list, please contact Cinda King at  wministry@smbclouisville.org