The Messenger
We are all Presbyterian women.
RETREAT, RETREAT, RETREAT!
Dear friends,
As we know, “retreat” can be a verb or a noun. Right now, my brain is going to both. I’ve joked with friends and family that if they can’t find me, they should look in my closet. There’s space for a sleeping bag, some snacks, and my coffee maker. By hiding in my closet, I am both retreating from this chaotic world and giving myself a retreat. “Stop the world, I want to get off,” is a quote many of us have heard and/or used. Currently, that’s what I am feeling. Be that as it may, I’m not going on a retreat (at least not right now) nor am I retreating. I am regrouping.
I ran across this helpful quote from Mother Teresa. It reads, “I used to believe that God would feed the hungry, or do this or that, but now I pray that God will guide me to do whatever I’m supposed to do, what I can do. I used to pray for answers, but now I pray for strength. I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I know that prayer changes us, and we change things.”
These are challenging times. Let’s hang in there together, listen for guidance, and do what we can to make ourselves, and the world around us, better.
The Lord be with you.
Patty Slentz-Howard, Presbyterian Women Board Chair
Doing the Good
Souperbowl Sunday – It is time to collect hearty soups and crackers for Souperbowl Sunday (Feb. 8).
Serve at Ronald McDonald House – 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7, Ronald McDonald House. This is a service project for all ages! We’ll be preparing and serving lunch for inpatient families (for 40-50 people). Space is limited so register soon. We’ll be at two locations: The Longfellow House, 2502 Cherry, KC, MO and the Ronald McDonald Family Room—Children’s Mercy, 2401 Gillham Road, KC, MO (inside Children’s Mercy Hospital on the 2nd floor). Groups will be assigned and detailed info will be emailed to you before March 7. Bring your children, a friend, your spouse, or a neighbor; this is a multi-generational opportunity for men and women to serve others. All are welcome!
Operation Breakthrough needs volunteers to help with year-around tutoring program one hour/week. Volunteers work one-on-one to assist the children with literacy and mathematics. Email Charlotte Davison with questions and to volunteer.
Mission Sewing – Sewists of all abilities and those who want to learn: join Mission Sewing groups as you able or sew from home! Meet at the Mission Campus, Room 15: Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and Thursdays, 10 a.m.-noon
You belong.
Coffee & Conversation
The next Coffee & Conversation with Ginger Rothhaas will be at 10 a.m. this Wednesday, Feb. 4, in Friendship Hall, Mission Campus. This season, this “first Wednesdays” group is exploring love through the lens of world religions. If you have missed a session, do not worry. Village Church’s Communications team records each discussion and uploads them to the Village YouTube Channel. Childcare is available by emailing .
Weekly Bible Studies are as follows:
- Alive Now Bible Study – Wednesdays, 9-10:30 a.m., Room 230, Mission Campus
- Thursday Women’s Bible Study – Thursdays, 1:30-3 p.m., Room 136, Antioch Campus
- Especially for Women Bible Study – Fridays, 9-11 a.m., Room 126, Mission Campus
Engage with your Church & Community
- Meneilly Visiting Scholar Lectures – Feb. 27 & 28. Our guest speaker will be Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, III, an engaging, compelling, and passionate advocate of the Gospel, an impactful author, and the Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago—a church that identifies itself as “Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian.” He was recognized by Baylor University as one of the 12 most effective preachers in the English language. Register HERE.
- Calling All Artists! Show off your artwork at our 20th Annual Art & Hors d’oeuvres event from 5-7 p.m on Friday, March 6. Artists of all ages are welcome to participate! Interested? Email Carol Solenberger.
- Village for Gun Sense – The Kansas Legislature is back in session and Village for Gun Sense encourages you educate yourself and let legislators know that you care about children and gun safety. Learn more about upcoming bills and how you can voice your support in this blog post. Thank you.
Save the Date
- Celebration of Faithful Women – Tuesday, April 14, Mission Campus. We will honor Judy Frame, Julie O’Connor, and Louise Woodward. More information coming soon.
what we are reading:
”Dear Denise“
Former Circle 4 members Shelby Krumm, Niki Krenzel, and Kim Lorenzen are meeting weekly for a book study of “Dear Denise” by Lisa McNair this February, which is Black History Month. McNair’s book is organized as letters from Lisa to her sister, Denise, who was one of the four young girls killed in the Sept. 15, 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama by a white supremacist terrorist group. It is a powerful testimony to struggle and forgiveness during another tumultuous time in our country.
The book was recommended by church member Nancy Gatewood during Village’s Human Rights pilgrimage to Alabama in October 2024.
Book Clubs
Page Turners – 4th Tuesdays. Next one? Tuesday, Feb. 24, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (Mission Campus, Room 127) Bring your own lunch!
Antioch Book Club – meets next at 7 p.m. March 17 in the Conference Room (Antioch Campus) to discuss “The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store” by James MacBride. The Antioch Book Club has been meeting quarterly for the past few years but in 2026, we’ve decided to challenge ourselves to meet every other month! We hope you’ll join us as your schedule allows. Put these dates on your calendars: March 17, May 19, July 21, Sept. 15, and Nov. 17.
Amazing Graces Book Club – We meet year-round, usually on the first Wednesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. Feel free to join us whenever you are able. Bring an appetizer, dessert, or a beverage to share (not required). We meet in homes so please contact Sara Wallace to be added to the email list. Here are the upcoming books!
- Feb. 4 – “How to Read a Book” by Monica Wood
- March 4 – “The Measure“ by Nikki Erlick
- April 1 – “The Instrumentalist“ by Harriet Constable
- May 6 – “The Correspondent“ by Virginia Evans
- June 3 – “My Friends” by Fredrik Backman
- July 1 – “The Book Club for Troublesome Women” by Marie Bostwick
2025-2026 Board members:
- Melissa Anderson, Spiritual Growth Co-Coordinator
- Barb Brown, Secretary
- Dee Couch, Circle Activities Coordinator
- Anne Darby, Spiritual Growth Co-Coordinator
- Sarah Emerson, Village on Antioch Representative
- Kay Findlay, Amazing Graces Representative
- Linda Lieffring, Christian Action Coordinator
- Lisa Mann, Treasurer
- Sharon Marsh, Treasurer-Elect
- Heather McCoy, Membership Coordinator
- Patty Slentz-Howard, Board Chair