More than Breakfast

When Mary Sue Bennett broke her shoulder last spring, she got support from women who belong to her monthly breakfast group.  “When our group started eighteen months ago, I didn’t know most of them,” Mary Sue said.  “Now we are a group that cares for each other.”

A Connection Place

Mary Sue and Ruth Thurston initially sought a way to bring together women in the Glenbard North area who also attend Willow. “Willow is so large, that it can be challenging to find ways to connect,” Ruth said. So, Mary Sue and Ruth invited women to meet for breakfast. Now this group meets monthly and includes women at all stages of life: singles, marrieds, young mothers, and grandmothers.
Barb Andersen, who organizes an Elk Grove Village group has a heart to include anyone and everyone who wants to attend. “We enjoy helping people connect and form long term small groups,” she said.

Not for Women Only

When women meet, everyone can benefit. The Glenbard North group has grown to include men. “Our husbands started asking if there would ever be a men’s group,” Ruth said. “So we invited them to come along, but they sit at a separate table and enjoy their own experience of community.”

Other groups meet regularly in Willow Creek neighborhoods and each has a unique style.  Some meet for Bible study and prayer; some for the sheer joy of getting to know others in their area; and still others gather with no agenda besides sharing stories or holding each other accountable in various areas of their lives.

For a list of women’s breakfast groups, visit willowcreek.org/womens.