This post describes
the non-profit organization we formed for Julie’s ministry.
The ministry of the unfolding soul is to equip
women (primarily) to draw closer to God so they can experience a richer,
fuller, spiritual life. This ministry helps people discover their gifts,
talents, and abilities, so they can achieve their full potential as children of
the Heavenly Father. In particular, this ministry focuses on the spiritual
development of women:
The Unfolding Soul
offers a variety of tools and programs to help women grow, such as:
One-on-one Spiritual Direction & Discernment
Spiritual direction is an ancient practice of the church
that is being rediscovered and newly practiced among believers. Spiritual
direction sometimes is called “holy listening” and it is a process of slowing
down and learning how to listen more closely to God. In our overly busy world,
this is something we desperately need! Julie has earned a Certificate in
Spiritual Direction and Spiritual Formation; this training has equipped her to
help women learn to listen more closely to the Lord, and better discern how the
Holy Spirit is leading them.
Talks for Retreats, Conferences & Workshops
Julie loves to speak to groups on a variety of topics. She
has done this regularly for years, and new opportunities now are emerging for
her to speak around the Northwest. Last year, she was able to present a
workshop on Contemplative Prayer for men & women at the Boise Bible College
spring conference.
We are blessed to have a home that is rather distinct and
can provide women with a sense of rest. So several times a year, Julie hosts
small workshops and day retreats for women here on our property. She has held
several such events over the past year.
Ministry Coaching – Individuals & Teams
People who serve on a church ministry staff face a unique
challenge: where can they turn for advice and counsel? Where can they find a
safe place to openly discuss challenges, opportunities, and heartaches? A
ministry coach who is not part of the church can help fill that need. This is a
role Julie loves to play: to come alongside women who are serving, and
encourage them in every aspect of life and ministry.
It’s not just individuals who need coaching, but ministry
teams. Here in our area, most churches are quite small. We came from “the land
of megachurches” and now we live in a city where there is not a single
megachurch. The church we attend, where Bruce serves as the Preaching Minister,
is a congregation of roughly 300 and is considered large by local standards.
(Take a look at www.gardenway.net).
And here’s what we’ve seen: many of the small and
medium-sized churches in our area lack the resources to develop an effective
women’s ministry. Even if women are available and willing to serve, they often
have not been trained to lead. Through ministry coaching, Julie is able to help
form a group of women into a viable leadership team. Her goal is to help women
identify their gifts, help them understand the needs within their church,
and then provide meaningful spiritual programs (not simply “events”) that will
draw women within the church closer to God.
She is finding opportunities to meet with a variety of women
in ministry and encourage them in all kinds of ways.
Starting in late 2014,
we spent hours learning the ins and outs of forming a non-profit. We wrote up
organizational plans and guidelines, Articles of Incorporation, and formed a
Board of Directors. Then we applied to the State of Oregon and received recognition
as a non-profit corporation. With that in hand, we then were able to be
recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt, charitable
religious organization…known as a 501(c)(3). We’ve held some informational
events and sent out ministry packets to interested individuals and – by God’s
grace – we have been blessed with a variety of men and women who are choosing
to invest in this ministry.
We continue to marvel
at the unfolding handiwork of God in our lives…and we find great joy in the
unfolding ministry of the unfolding
soul.
- Julie
& Bruce White
