Naomi’s Heart widows ministry offers holiday comfort and connection

With hopes of filling a need for a group that is overlooked at many times, let alone over the holidays, Angie Miller wanted to do something for a few of the area’s widows. That few wound up being 72.

That was a year ago, when Grace Church’s widows ministry’s inaugural Christmas event went well beyond anyone’s expectations — from planners to attendees — and nobody was anything other than happy it did.

“Oh, most definitely,” Miller said of whether the enhanced crowd size was pleasing. “It was our first year, and it went great.”

The second year, she said, will be better. With episode two taking place Dec. 13 at the Grace Church Berlin campus at 5850 County Road 77, Miller will take everything she learned last year, tinker where needed and apply every lesson she can.

Not much is going to change, though, other than the RSVP date.

“We were expecting 50 people, and we got 72,” Miller said. “There was a lot of learning curves. We’ll change a little bit, but it’s mostly behind-the-scenes stuff.”

The reason for the first event being so unexpected but pleasantly well attended was the RSVP date was just two days before the event. With 40 ladies initially signed up two weeks before the day of the festivities, Miller thought maybe another handful would be on hand.

In the final couple of weeks, nearly three dozen more RSVP’d, and Miller and her staff — she has a team of five — were set into motion.

With each attending widow receiving a gift, valued last year at around $100, there was some shopping to do. Miller and her team pulled it off, and a great time was had by all. She expects that to be the case again this year.

The Christmas event, which has no formal name, is the highlight of the year for Grace Church’s Naomi’s Heart Widows Ministry. What started as a small-group project with some of the widows within the congregation evolved into a breakfast and eventually a monthly get-together.

“We saw how much it meant to them and how much it touched them,” Miller said. “We started looking into it. What does it look like starting a widows ministry? There are three local widows ministries. I met with each of them and saw what worked for them and what we could build off.

We were asking local businesses if they wanted to sponsor, so we could give each lady a gift. We had a couple companies come in and say, ‘We want to sponsor this on a monthly basis.’”

Speaking with a representative of a widows ministry in New Philadelphia, Miller learned it grew from eight participants to 140 in just four years. The Naomi’s Heart ministry is seeing growth along those lines.

“She told me she wanted to create something where ladies could forget they’re a widow for one day,” Miller said. “We do things around that. We want to serve them and pamper them. We serve food to them and try to treat them to a great day.”

The Grace Church widows ministry meets the second Saturday of each month. Meetings include food, activities and guest speakers, which could mean anyone from an area CEO to Jocelyn Hamsher, who will speak at the Christmas event.

Hamsher comes from Toward the Goal Ministries in Sugarcreek.

“She actually founded the ministry,” Miller said. “She is very gifted at speaking. She has such a heart for helping people and ladies. I know she’s going to touch their hearts.”

Miller said anyone can join the widows ministry. Those interested needn’t be a member of the church — or any church. Anyone can come to a meeting including the Christmas event. The sole requirement, along with being widowed, is they RSVP — hopefully a little earlier this time — and list any food allergies.

The event will begin at 4 p.m. and kick off with an appetizer hour. The show will start after that, with dinner, speakers, games and gifts to follow. Miller said the evening will end around 7:30 or 8 p.m.

The gifts are definitely a highlight. Miller said everybody seemed to like them last year.

“The feel of it was so amazing,” she said. “I can’t even describe it to you. Some of them had tears in their eyes. We like to keep the gifts all the same. Last year they got a tote, and companies filled it with their products. This year we’re doing something a little different. Last year a company donated 100 bird feeders. There were purses with gift cards — things like that.”

Unlike the ministry’s other meetings, the Christmas get-together is a formal event. Formal dress isn’t required, but it’s highly encouraged.

An RSVP, however, is required. And Miller said the cutoff this year will be Dec. 1, so get in early. Those interested can call Miller at 330-987-3148 or Grace Church at 330-893-3110. And the more, the merrier.

“We would have 100 ladies, and we would love it,” Miller said. “The whole point is for these ladies to have this community and these connections.”