STATE COLLEGE MOPS

MOPS stands for Mothers of Preschoolers. Here at MOPS, we gather and support moms. We believe in the simple but revolutionary idea that remarkable things happen when moms come together, face to face. That’s why we rally women to come together in their own neighborhoods and help each other through this thing called motherhood, one gathering at a time.

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Contact us at statecollegemops@gmail.com

THEME FOR 2022-2023

Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” LUKE 5:18-20, NIV This year is for the ones who notice discontentment — either in themselves or others. The ones who sense a churning loneliness, a longing that you can’t quite name but know is there. This low-grade dissatisfaction just below the surface is a signal that there is potential for something different, something better. Søren Kierkegaard, a 19th century theologian and poet, wrote “People settle for a level of despair they can tolerate and call it happiness.” This is the year we no longer settle for tolerable despair, and instead dream bigger, risk greater and love better. And the way we’re going to do that is through the company we keep. We’re here to remind you that having your people by your side is not a perk of living a giant, beautiful, juicy life — it’s a prerequisite. It’s time to toss out our notions that we must do any of this alone, that it’s “too late” to create an abundantly rich group of girlfriends or that the pace of life leaves no room for meaningful connection. Instead, we’ll take in something new, something God is always using to reach out to us: deep relationships. Having a genuine, supportive, honest group of female friends in your circle is one of the biggest life upgrades. “Ran out of gas? Of course I’ll help push your car, but we will definitely laugh about it for the next 40 years.” Friends to put down as your kids’ emergency contact at school. People who help themselves to whatever is in your pantry without asking. Someone who has witnessed your most embarrassing moment and who would never serve your kid peas because she knows it makes him gag. If you desperately want this kind of friendship but it feels hard to come by, you’re not alone. Community is such a cliché concept, but the truth is, we are all pretty desperate for it. We know it will make our lives better, and yet finding friends as adults can feel intimidating. Despite our best efforts, we all seem to be in the midst of a loneliness epidemic. Emotional loneliness that says no one really loves me. Relational loneliness that says no one knows the real me. Vocational loneliness that says my life has no purpose. Spiritual loneliness that makes us feel alone, cut off from God. Physical loneliness that says no one carries the load with me. Situational loneliness that says I don’t feel included.1 This is why we are declaring it the year of friendship, courage and purpose. Friendships where we aggressively believe in each other, pray for each other and believe the other deserves the world. That is what we do at MOPS. If you’re ready for a community like this, then you belong here. Your best days are ahead of you. We are going to be here cheering you on. And what you can’t do alone, we can and will do together. Get ready, because this year we will be each other’s hype women, ride or dies and emergency contacts when life demands a call for help. You and me and all of us, we go together.

Ideas from Elisa Morgan Instagram and “You Are Not Alone: Six Affirmations from a Loving God” (Grand Rapids, MI:Our Daily Bread Publishing, 2021).

The Vision and Mission of MOPS International

Mission/Vision

“MOPS International encourages and equips moms of young children to realize their potential as mothers, women and leaders, in relationship with Jesus, and in partnership with the local church.”

What are MOPS International’s Organizational Values?

Excellence: The achievement of organizational excellence by conducting all the affairs of the ministry in accordance with biblical principles, sound management, personal and organizational integrity, financial stewardship, and empowerment of the staff to accomplish organizational outcomes.
Heritage: The historical MOPS group structure serves as a model for ministry.
Faith Position Statement: A commitment to the MOPS International Faith Position Statement.
Partnerships/Alliances: Partnership/Alliances where individual strengths are shared for a common purpose.
Local Church: A relationship with the local church, embracing a spectrum of diverse denominations, which are in agreement with our Faith Position Statement.
Governance: The building of the board to model good governance, ensure the election of qualified and committed directors, constantly refine the Standing Policies Manual, and inform board members of major developments.

What are MOPS International’s core Ministry Values?

Under God, MOPS International embraces the following values statements, which we hold to be essential to our ministry, and which are the foundation upon which our ministry is based:

Dignity: The dignity of each individual life and mother of preschoolers, no matter where she has been, what she has done or how she is choosing to live her life today, embracing both believers and nonbelievers and all ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
Women: The equipping of women to become all that God has designed them to be.
Mothering: The value of mothering for its contribution to individuals, children, society at large, future generations and eternity.
Relationships: Relationships including the male/female marital relationship, the parent/child relationship, and the ultimate fulfillment of all relationship needs through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Marriage, Family and the Single Life: God has instituted marriage — the covenant relationship between one man and one woman — intended to be a life-long union of husband and wife. The single life, either by call or circumstance, is honored by God. Unmarried people are an important part of the Christian community.
Human Sexuality: Sexuality is inherent in God’s creation of human being in his image as male and female. Husbands and wives are called to exclusive sexual fidelity to one another and single persons are called to abstinence. God intends and enables all people to live within these boundaries with the help of the Holy Spirit and in the fellowship of the Church.
Relationship Evangelism: Relationship evangelism as expressed through Christ-like relationships in an environment for growth and spiritual development as faith shared through actions and words.
Leadership Development: The equipping of women, volunteer leaders, volunteer staff, staff and board to gain skill and confidence in their leadership ability, to understand their influence in their family, community and world, and to guide others through relationship evangelism.
Leadership Qualifications: Personal relationship with Jesus Christ and growing towards maturity in relationship with Jesus Christ, evidenced in godly character, behavior and attitudes, as expressed in Scripture.

What is MOPS International’s Statement of Christian Character, Faith and Mission?

Statement of Christian Character: This Corporation is a community of like-minded Christian believers consisting of those who serve the mission of the organization as its representatives, including all of the directors, officers, employees and volunteer staff of the organization, each of whom is an integral part of the community. The organization maintains this faith-based community as an exercise of its Christian beliefs and as an expression of these beliefs to the larger community. In addition, the Corporation subscribes to the Christian belief that all of its activities should express the Corporation’s beliefs and be rendered as a service to God. In short, both the mission of the organization and the association of its directors, officers, employees and volunteer staff are an exercise and an expression of the organization’s Christian beliefs. Under God, MOPS International embraces our Statement of Faith (click here to read), which we hold to be essential to our ministry, and which are the foundation upon which our ministry is based.