Barbara posted this under the forum discussion but I didn’t want it to get lost there as I believe it’s proper place is under inspirational ideas Jan x:
Jan came to a Woman to Woman group at the Methodist Church in Prestwich, and her talk inspired me to take the plunge and do something which I had been thinking about for over a year !! My husband died in June 2007, and, in the months which followed it seemed that the Lord was leading me to people who had experienced the same thing.Bereavement causes practical problems, as well as the obvious emotional ones, and as a single woman once more, I found it difficult to socialize. If you go out with married friends, it accentuates the fact that you are on your own, and that is very painful, as I found out to my sorrow. It is not easy to go to theatres or even the cinema, as a single woman, and even a church event can bring back memories of when you were part of a couple.
Spurred on by Jan, and prayed for…very important!!….I started a group which I called “Alone2Gether” in July of last year. At the first meeting I had 14 ladies in my living room, which is only average size, plus about 10 more who couldn’t make it on that night for various reasons !! Praise the Lord for showing me that there IS a need in my community !!! We have had outings to the Bridgewater Hall, to concerts, and also a trip around Manchester Cathedral (one of the ladies is a guide there!) and a memorable evening just before Christmas to the Manchester Evening News Arena to see a Classical Spectacular, complete with lasers, fireworks and a cannon!!
Above all though, it has brought together a group of otherwise lonely women (we now include women who are divorced or separated) and we enjoy each others’ company very much. What the Lord has in store for all of us, who knows…but it’s exciting waiting to find out !!!Watch this space…..
Barbara