Children weren’t the only ones being ministered to at this year’s “G-Force” Vacation Bible School.

Heather Ellis, the mother of six children ranging in age from nine months to 11, drove nearly 30 miles from Sophia to join 32 women taking advantage of Triad’s new “Mom Time” VBS ministry in Kernersville.

Held in the Worship Center/Gym July 13, 15 and 16 and offered by four of Triad’s women’s ministries, “Mom Time” offered food, crafts, and a devotion tied into the VBS theme. The evening’s format allowed women to attend one, two or all three sessions.

“I came just for Mom Time after learning about it online,” Ellis said. “It was a great opportunity to be encouraged and refreshed and not just drop some of my kids off and go to Target.”

After the first night of Mom Time, Ellis invited her friend Regina Wayne from Greensboro to join her for the Wednesday evening session. Like Ellis, Wayne has special needs children and said she rarely gets any time for herself.

“It’s a refreshing break for us,” Wayne added.

Soothing music played often in the background, and the atmosphere allowed women to unwind and make new friends — the part about Mom Time that attendee Heather Kavanaugh liked best.

“It was so nice getting to know other women, and I would love to see this offered every night,” she said.

‘Mom Time’ origins

A member of the VBS parking crew suggested the new “Mom Time” ministry to Tim Gerber, executive pastor for children and ministries, based on something the team had seen over the years — some obviously stressed moms dropping children off and waiting at local businesses by themselves or with infants and other below-VBS-age children until they could return to pick up their children.

Which prompted the question: Why not minister to VBS moms, too? Made aware of the opportunity, leaders from Triad’s Heart to Heart mentoring, Ladies Events, Mom Connection, and Moms in Prayer International ministries sprang into action.

The opening of the new Worship Center/Gym removed the final obstacle to the concept: space.

Ministry goals met

The primary goals of “Mom Time” were to:

• Extend the reach of VBS to moms, giving them a place to go and be ministered to while their children attended VBS
• Connect Triad’s many women’s ministries through work together on a joint project
• Give community and TBC members the opportunity to learn about, and get involved with, the church’s women’s ministries

Mission accomplished, said Bridgiette Allen (Ladies Events), Amanda Gatewood (Mom Connection), Amy Grochowski (Heart to Heart Mentoring), and Pam Chambers (Moms in Prayer International) of the Mom Time planning committee — assisted by Karen Boydston, Sharon Chandler, Jeremy Chandler, Tim Shoaf, and Shannon Warden.

“I really enjoyed being a part of Mom Time,” Gatewood said. “It was great to provide an outlet for women to relax and fellowship and heard lots of positive feedback. One lady said, ‘This was a lifesaver for me. It kept me from driving back home each night! Another positive is that we were able to get women plugged into the many different women’s ministries at Triad. God is good!”

Said Allen, “We had no idea stepping into this that we would have such a great response. Each night we had new ladies and more came. Many were blessed by the devotions and one-on-one time. It was a blessing to be a part of this.”

The child of a missionary, Grochowski said the Mom Time experience reminded her of the sense of community she felt on the mission field.

“These were communities in which people worked, lived, or went to school in places not friendly to the gospel, and so fellowship was a respite — a safe haven among those who were like-minded,” she said. “The fellowship I saw and experienced at Mom Time was as similar an atmosphere as I have enjoyed since. Comments from all of the women with whom I spoke confirmed they felt it, too. God is honored in that, and many were blessed.”

Most of the 32 women who attended one or more Mom Time sessions wanted to learn more about Triad’s women’s ministries — and be alerted about the next VBS Mom Time — by email.

Many also took the opportunity to share prayer concerns each night through prayer cards that Mom Time leaders led them in prayer over. Warden, who recently became Triad’s first director of women’s ministries, said what happened with one of those requests was among her favorite Mom Time highlights.

“On opening night Monday, one mom said she needed reliable, affordable transportation for a one-car family,” Warden said. “By Thursday night, that mom was driving a new-to-her vehicle that more than met her expectations. I was reminded in seeing her new vehicle that God knows and is more than able to meet our needs.

“I greatly enjoyed watching leaders of several of our individual women’s ministries devote their time, energy, and talents to make Mom Time the successful event that it was,” she added. “Each ministry makes its own unique contribution to the larger church family, but hopefully, the various ministry teams will continue to be able to work together on other combined projects in the future.

“The success of Mom Time provides great momentum and inspiration for future collaborations. I feel certain, with such a successful first outing, that Mom Time will be back for VBS 2016.”