Women’s Sunday

Friendship Fun Luncheon

Why a “Friendship Fun Luncheon?”

Because, according to the CDC…

About 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. report feeling lonely. About 1 in 4 U.S. adults report not having social and emotional support. Lack of social connection is common. Social isolation is when a person does not have relationships or contact with others and has little to no social support. Social isolation can pose a health risk to people, even if they don’t feel lonely. Loneliness is feeling alone or disconnected from others. It is feeling like you do not have meaningful or close relationships or a sense of belonging. It reflects the difference between a person’s actual and desired level of connection. Even a person with a lot of friends can feel lonely. Loneliness and social isolation can have serious physical and mental health consequences, including.

Mental Health: Loneliness can increase the risk of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. It can also lead to feelings of self-doubt and low self-worth.

Physical Health: Loneliness can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. It can also weaken the immune system and increase the risk of infections.

Brain Health: Loneliness can lead to cognitive decline and an increased risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

Behavior: Loneliness can lead to unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking too much alcohol, and not exercising enough. It can also make it harder to do daily activities.

Stress: Loneliness can increase stress levels and disrupt sleep, which can further harm the body.

Loneliness can also lead to a vicious cycle where it makes it harder to connect with others, which can lead to more loneliness. This is sometimes called the “Paradox of loneliness.”

Invitations

Send/give personalized invitations to the women. Using a person’s name in communicating with them makes them feel valued. Of course, there will be women who come into your building who’s names you don’t know, but make sure to have some invitations on hand to give to them. Introduce yourself and ask their name, then give them their invite, making sure they feel special and wanted. Give the women an invitation that they can use to personally invite a friend to come join in the fun.

Decorate the room…and make it F-U-N!

Set up round tables

Encourage the women to sit with someone they don’t know well. Use vibrant colors for the tablecloths, napkins, plates, cups. Put pictures of women having fun and fellowship around the room. Display some pics of fun outings/activities held previously. Be sure they are displayed with the purpose of encouraging others to join the “sisterhood.”

Food/Refreshments

Keep in mind the preferences and dietary needs of the women. It doesn’t have to be a heavy meal. Keep it simple so you can have time to fellowship. Ask the women to bring their favorite dessert to share.

Fun Conversation Starters

• If you had to give yourself a weird nickname, what would it be?
• What’s the most outrageous thing you’ve ever done that you’d never do again?
• Have you ever had an awkward moment that you still laugh about?
• What’s your weirdest habit?
• What would you do if you could be invisible for a day?
• Do you have a patented dance move? Can you show us?
• What’s the worst excuse you’ve given to get out of something?
• If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why?
• Are there any celebrities you obsess over?
• Which mythical creature would you love to have as a pet?
• If you had a song that played every time you walked into a room, what would it be?
• What flavor of ice cream do you consider to be an abomination?
• What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever bought online?
• If you were offered $1 million to skydive, would you do it?
• Did you every have an imaginary friend? Are they here today? 🙂
• If you started a secret society, what would it be called?
• What’s the worst possible song you could have as your alarm?

Old Faithful Game #1:

Scattered Categories

Instructions: When the leader says go, flip over the card which has a letter on it. The women will have 3 minutes to write one thing per category starting with that letter. Once time is up, go around the table and say what you put down. If someone challenges what you wrote, everyone must come to agreement if that word counts. Remember, every word has to start with the letter on your table. The person with the most points at each table wins a prize!

“Scattered Categories”
Girl’s Name __________________

Vegetable ___________________

Color ______________________

Restaurant __________________

Soup _____________________

House Pet ___________________

Movie ______________________

Flower______________________

Old Faithful Game #2:

What’s in Your Purse?

Instructions: This game is played in teams by tables. The leader calls out an item,

and if they have it in their purse (wallet/bag), it counts for a point.

One point: items: pen, driver’s license, hand sanitizer, keys, cellphone, lip gloss or lipstick

Five point: items: hand cream, nail file, earphones, mint, sunglasses, tissue

Ten point:  items: bobby pin, band-aid, hair tie, tampon, tweezers, dental floss

15 point: item: Diaper or Depends

Soul Friends

I hope you had fun and maybe got to know a little more about each other? Has anybody made a new friend today?

I want to take just a few moments to talk to you about friendship, what it is and what it isn’t. C.S. Lewis said, “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What? You too? I thought I was the only one.’” Think about your friends. Do you have something in common with each of them? What are some things you have in common? [Take a minute and encourage the women to answer out loud.]

Think a little more. Are your friends “good friends?” Are you a good friend? Listen to some things we’re told in Proverbs 18 (NLT) “Unfriendly people care only about themselves; they lash out at common sense. Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.” (vs. 1-2) “An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars.” (v. 19) “There are ‘friends’ who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother [or sister]” (v. 24).

I asked if you have things in common with your friends, and then I asked if you’re a good friend. Are you really someone’s friend if you’re not a good friend? Good friends are faithful no matter what. They don’t gossip about each other, and they’re not jealous of each other. Good friends want the best for each other. But here’s the thing, we shouldn’t want to simply be good, ordinary friends, we should want to be soul friends.

In the book, “Spiritual Friendship,“ Mindy Caliguire says, ”Ordinary friendships are generally characterized by intimacy, trust and mutual enjoyment of one another. Spiritual friends share those qualities, of course, but are also characterized by another element: spiritual friends actively help us pay attention to God. Like the way other spiritual practices connect us to God, our soul friends help us sit with Him. They have the capacity to help restore life to the soul.”

–Mindy Caliguire, Spiritual Friendship

The best friendships are the ones that help us to grow closer to God. Those friendships are made when we look at Jesus’ example in Scripture. In John 15 Jesus says, “This is My commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jesus showed us the greatest love by laying down His life for us. Before He died for us, He gave to others in ways we can give to our friends. Jesus… gave of His time and resources to help them; spent quality time with them; prayed for them; laughed with them in times of joy and cried with and for them in times of sorrow; was honest with them. He kept His word; was generous. I’m sure we could think of many more ways that Jesus showed loved to His friends … and even those who weren’t yet His friends.

Think on this:
1. Are you a good friend?

2.What changes would you need to make to be a good friend to others?

3.What changes could be made in the lives of others and the world if you were a good friend like Jesus?

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NLT) says, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

We need each other. We need to make sure we’re being good to each other. We’re better together than apart, especially when we’re living life and working together to better ourselves and each other to be more like Jesus. He’s the best friend we will ever have!

Let’s pray.

Friend,

Everyone knows you as a woman of honor

I am glad to know you simply as a friend.

You’ve always taken time to be my sister

And I’ll be standing by you in the end.

 

But I will never put you on a pedestal.

I thank the Lord for everything you do

I’ll be there to pray for you and for the ones you love

I believe that He will finish all He started in you.

 

I will be an open door that you can count on

Anywhere you are, anywhere you’ve been

I will be an honest heart you can depend on.

I will be a faithful friend.

 

I am one of many whose path has been made clear

By the light you’ve carried faithfully as a warrior and a child

God has used you greatly to encourage and inspire.

 

And you’ve remained a true friend all the while

So I will never put you on a pedestal, cause we both know all the glory is the Lord’s

But I’ll be there to pray that He will keep you by His grace

And I always will remind you to be seeking His face.

 

Love,

Your friend