In the summer of 2016 when Elena Haskell and her family moved to Brantford, Ontario, (to facilitate husband Phil’s attendance at McMaster Divinity College) one of the things that attracted them to Queensway Baptist Church was the mention on the church website of a “moms morning out” program each Monday morning. Surely this would help she and her family connect with Christian community in their new city. Sadly when the Haskell’s attended Queensway for the first time Elena learned that the “moms” program had actually ceased operating but that the church was prayerfully wanting it to resume in some form. Could the initial disappointment Elena was feeling actually be a “nudge” from God? After a time of discernment and prayer Elena could not deny that God was indeed encouraging her to re-vision and re-launch a ministry to moms within Brantford to be hosted at and by Queensway Baptist Church. Elena reached out to several other young moms attached to the congregation (and themselves new to the church community) to see if they were perhaps sensing the same call of God toward this sort of ministry. They were.

With full support from church leadership, “M.O.M.S.” (Moms Offering Moms Support) was rolled out for the first time on Monday January 16, 2017. Since that first, nervous week, this ministry has become a vibrant outreach to the almost 2 dozen moms and their preschool aged children that turn out each and every Monday morning. “M.O.M.S.” offers a couple of hours of respite (and coffee!) to moms who are seeking to build community, offer and receive peer support or who just need some “grown up” time offered within the context of Christian love and Godly encouragement. The moms time sometimes includes guest speakers and activities but always includes a healthy portion of conversation and mutual support. While the moms are together (did we mention they have coffee?) their children are cared for in either the nursery or pre-school classes which are staffed largely by volunteers from Queensway (and sometimes pastors!) who have stepped up to serve the moms and children of our city.

In a practical sense “M.O.M.S.” has allowed Queensway Baptist Church to expand its ministry community and to play host to many new friends and families to our church that we may never have met were it not for Elena (and her amazing team) following the invitation and call of God.  January 16, 2018 marks the 1^st Anniversary of the launch of “M.O.M.S.” at QBC and we are so incredibly grateful to God and wish to declare that all of this (and whatever may yet come to be in this ministry) is to His Glory alone.

Deane Proctor is Lead Pastor at Queensway Baptist Church in Brantford, Ontario.