A note from Amy Palmerton
I am a bit overcome as I write this. I am so deeply grateful today for the connections I have made recently with mothers (single and otherwise) who have such passion for lifting one another to higher levels of motherhood and womanhood!
We are excited to begin a new season of ministry with you and wanted to let you know about some changes that have been growing over that last several months.
Justina Erre (the brain and heart behind getting this whole thing going in the first place!) is moving out of leadership of POETS and moving into different roles with her family. As many of you know, she is now teaching part time at Mariners Christian School and her husband has been pastoring in a new position at Mariners Church. With all of those changes, she believes it is best to take a smaller role with POETS. We know that it was her energy and passion that pushed us along for the last two years and we are going to do our best to stay organized and focused without her! Thank you Justina!!!!!
In her place, I am humbly (and happily!) stepping in as the Director of Development for POETS. As a non-profit 501C3 ministry, we have been encouraged, guided, and invited to look at our organization on a larger scale. We are finishing ministry plans, business plans, fundraising plans, program plans and a our POETS website. All of this requires a more intentional leadership presence so we can form a new board, recruit volunteer and paid staff, pursue funding, create a membership opportunity. My strongest hope is that we become stronger partners within the local area churches we attend and from that strength reach out effectively to our communities. Collectively we will create a powerful and life changing movement of people who serve one another. The Scripture that applies here is “Launch out into the deep.” Luke 5:4. Please consider launching out with us!
As exciting as all of this is becoming, there is so much to DO. But it is my desire that in our organization, in all of our DOING, we take many moments to remember our BEING. I share the simple analogy of travelling by plane with small children. Flight attendants encourage us to pull down our own air mask before we pull down the air mask for our children. So before we can offer others what is needed for their wholeness, let’s remember to check our own oxygen levels first!! Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
In closing, please remember the following mothers and children in your prayers for just a few moments:
o A mother of a five-year-old son who is working two jobs at odd hours to make ends meet. She is currently applying for a management position at one job that would allow her to work a more child-centered schedule.
o A mother who left her husband after 17 years of abuse. Please pray for her two teenage children who are living with her right now, for their healing and wholeness. She is currently in the real estate profession and needs to find more productive employment.
o A mother who left a long marriage after undisclosed trauma. Her two daughters are thriving and living on their own. Please pray that in this new season of life, this mother would be fully restored into her identity as a truly loved daughter of God.
o A single mother whose husband has left the country and left her without financial resources. Pray that her business as a commercial seamstress would thrive and she would be able to care for her teenage son.
Thank you for indulging me with this l-o-o-o-n-n-n-g post. It has been a very long time since there has been any communication from POETS. If anything in this letter containing our goals and objectives is unclear, please do not hesitate to respond to me directly.
We look forward to becoming a vibrant movement of People On Earth To Serve.
