“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1 NIV)

Refreshments

Arrange to share a potluck lunch together. There is something special about uniting together over a meal.

Ice Breaker

As the women arrive, put a nametag on their backs that is one half of a famous couple (i.e., Romeo and Juliet, George and Martha Washington, Adam and Eve, Joseph and Mary). Encourage them to figure out who they are and find their mate. Everyone must ask yes or no questions only, and no one can tell anyone else who they are.

Activities

Find the Words

As the pairs are formed, invite them to sit together at a table and begin working together on a word puzzle. On the top of a sheet is the phrase: “United we stand.” The challenge is to find words of three letters or more. Score one point for a three–letter word, two for a four–letter. Award prizes for the top teams.

Newsworthy

Split the group in two (if you have more than 50 participants, divide the group into three). You will need a few newspapers from the day of the program. Ahead of time go through the paper and make a list of 8 to 12 article titles, advertising, photos or people. For instance, you might choose an ad for tomatoes at $1.00 a pound, an obituary of a city leader, or an article about a local football team. Note the page number where each item is located. Every participant is given a page from the newspaper. A runner from each group is chosen. Set up a chair or small table in the front of the room. As the item from the newspaper is called out, each woman searches her sheet to see if she has that item. The woman who has the item raises her hand, and the runner will grab the page and take it up front. One point is awarded for the team that finds the item first. The team that wins may go through the lunch line first.

Unity

The Bible says, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity” (Psalm 133:1)! Today we have been having some fun working together to solve puzzles and engage in a newspaper scavenger hunt. These activities would not be nearly as much fun if we did them by ourselves. And how boring would lunch be if everybody had brought potato salad? When we work together, we can achieve so much more.

Have you heard the old story about stone soup? It takes place in a poor village. In the middle of the town, a traveler sets up a pot filled with water and a stone. A curious villager approaches the stranger and asks what he is cooking. The traveler tells him that it is stone soup. He slurps a spoonful down and tells the villager that it is quite good, but it’s missing something. The man hurries home and brings back a couple of carrots for the soup. Another villager comes by and the traveler again tastes the soup and tells the woman that it is quite good, but there is something missing. The woman also hurries home, grabs some potatoes and brings them back for the soup. This goes on all day long, and finally, at sunset, the traveler pronounces the soup ready to eat. He removes the stone. The whole village brings bowls and bread, and they all eat a better meal in unity than they would have by keeping to themselves.

There is a story in the second chapter of Mark that speaks of what can be accomplished when people work together. Picture a sunny, hot day. Four men are carrying a stretcher with a paralyzed man. The friends want to take their friend to see Jesus, because stories have spread far and wide about the miracles that have happened wherever this Teacher has traveled. Unfortunately, there are so many people crowded inside and all around the house where Jesus is speaking that they can’t find a way to get their friend inside the door.

Some people might have given up at this point. Not these four friends. They were united in their resolve to get their paralyzed friend to Jesus. They put their heads together and came up with a plan. They climbed up to the sitting area on the roof of the house, dug through it and lowered their friend into the house, right in front of Jesus. Talk about creative problem solving.

Jesus looked up at the four friends and, seeing their faith, healed their friend. What a wonderful example of what can happen when we work together in unity. The four men had faith that Jesus could help their friend, and they didn’t give up even when the circumstances were stacked against them. Jesus blessed their faith and effort.

Doesn’t it make you wonder what seemingly impossible things we can achieve when we work together? Feed a whole village with a stone and a pot of water? Bring a friend to Jesus, despite seemingly impossible circumstances? Yes, these things and so many more are possible when

“God’s people live together in unity!”