COVID-19 changed the way Mount Sinai Church in Orlando, Fla., celebrated motherhood and women during the 2020 Mother’s Day Weekend — a time of fellowship and celebrating women in their various roles. Usually they have had presentations and gifts of love for the matriarchs of the church, and for women in general. There was now a new challenge on how to replicate the love for the mothers, and still follow the federal, city, and Southeastern Conference’s rules of social distancing.
The women’s ministries team, under the leadership of Sharon McKay, made the decision to have a “Virtual Tea Party.” The goal of the tea party was to create an outlet to celebrate the beauty of motherhood, and create open dialogue to discuss its vulnerabilities.
On Mother’s Day, they embarked on the Virtual Tea Party. Sixty women attended virtually from many local churches, and as far away as Antigua. The span of generations who participated was amazing!
The tea party had four presenters and several activities for women to enjoy. The event opened by honoring and applauding those women who are serving on the frontline during the pandemic, such as teachers and healthcare workers. A devotional thought, “The Blessing of Being a Mother,” was given by the pastor’s wife, Crystal Moffett, who then randomly selected a name and presented that woman with a copy of Michelle Obama’s “Becoming” journal.
Eulanie Lashley gave an excellent presentation on dealing with perfectionism and the pressures of being a woman. As the presentation closed, many of the women shared how leaning on God helped them realize that they are enough.
Jacquline Mack, principal of Mount Sinai Junior Academy, gave helpful tips for managing homeschooling activities and assignments, and properly preparing students in adjusting to the new normal of distance learning. The first item she discussed was the need to create a space for learning. Next, she discussed how you should provide a structured schedule and make time for breaks and exercise. And thirdly, she reminded to be patient with students as they adjust to the new process of learning, and gave the signs to look for when a student may be overwhelmed. Tips were also given to help the students to de-stress while completing assignments.
A cooking segment was conducted by Sherry Grace. Grace taught how to bake a simple thumbprint cookie, and shared how a simple cookie recipe, such as the thumbprint cookie, may be used to bond with children.
There was a Virtual Scavenger Hunt. Various household items were projected on the screen. Participants were given some time to find those items somewhere in their homes. The one who found the most items, Carlotta McKenzie, was the winner.
Another activity was the Virtual Hat Show. Various creative hats were shared, along with the stories behind them between mother and daughter. They especially loved the hat created by Mercile Lewis, with a frying pan and beautiful flowers.
Four women received gift cards from Publix, Amazon, and Olive Garden. The Virtual Tea Party lasted for two- and-a-half joyous hours. It was a great way for the Mount Sinai women and their friends to connect in sisterhood and love.
Southeastern | October 2020
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