Scripture: Col. 3:14

“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” 

Decorations 

Cover the tables with white cloths. Place yellow roses in the center as bright pops of color, symbolic of friendship, joy, and gladness. Ask the women to bring in pictures of their closest friends to share.  

Refreshments 

Invite a couple of women to bring in a dish that they serve when friends visit. Ask them to share why they serve them at their gatherings. 

Activities 

Photo Frames  

Invite the women to bring a 4×6 picture of themselves and a friend. Purchase wooden frames from a craft store. Using paints, stickers, and other embellishments decorate the frames for the pictures. Suggest that they decorate in a way that represents what makes their friendships so special. 

Three-cord Friendship Bracelets 

Using embroidery thread, invite the women to choose three colors— two to represent themselves and their friend and one to represent God. Have them create two identical bracelets using the classic braid technique or the spiral staircase technique. They can keep one bracelet for themselves and give the other one to their friend. 

Tutorials can be found at: https://friendship-bracelets.net/tutorials and on other YouTube sites. 

Friendship Recipe 

Invite the women to make “Friendship Bags” for younger girls in the corps using Lucky Charms cereal. Place a cup of cereal in treat bags and create a guide to be included. Each marshmallow represents an element of a lasting friendship. Star – compassion; Clover – kindness; Moon – humility; Rainbow – gentleness; Balloon – patience; Pot of Gold – bear with one another; Horseshoe – forgiveness; Heart – love of God and each other (Col. 4:12-14). As the women share the bags, they should indicate to the girls that they want to be there for them. That when facing problems, they can always come to them for help. 

Time of Sharing 

Friendships are unique to each person. Some are founded on a common interest, others are forged through a circumstance. Invite the women to share some things about their friendships, how they started and what has kept them going over the years. 

Lasting Friendship 

I recently had the opportunity to spend some time with my grandmother and my great aunt. These women have known one another for almost 70 years and have seen each other through joys and celebrations, as well as deep sorrow and heartache. I asked them to share some thoughts on their relationship. 

“It was early 1952 when my ‘sister from another mother’ and I first met. Our close friendship really began when we became sisters-in-law in 1955. Our husbands were in the US Army, so I moved in with her and her girls to help share expenses. Over the years, we have remained close, whether we were living near one another or in different countries. We have always been there for each other—if not in person, over the phone and in prayer.” —Major Juanita Clevett. 

“First, we were friends, then sisters-in-law and then very quickly sisters. We were inseparable. Nita and I have experienced many things together. We’ve seen each other through a lot over the years. Our friendship is special. It is a lasting friendship, a caring friendship. One that we have worked at over the years. We love each other.” —Major Ruth Birks 

They are the best of friends, sisters, confidants and prayer partners. Their bond is not only lasting, but a foundation based on the love they have for the Lord. 

You and I are relational beings. We were created that way by a relational God. We are wired to need one another, to fellowship with one another, to live with one another. When was the last time you watched children at play? Did you notice how easily they become friends, how much they want to know one another, and how fast they connect? Sometimes those friendships only last as long as the playdate, but other times they can spark bonds that weather the test of time.  

Just as my Aunt Ruth said, those bonds require work in the form of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Those bonds call for forgiveness, an example of which we see in the Lord, and the foundation—the binding agent, love. Colossians 3:14 reminds us, “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Take some time to reflect on the bonds of friendship in your life. Whether it’s a phone call or a coffee date, reach out and connect with your friends and thank God for them in your life.