Women of Wisdom (WOW)

ORPC’s women's circle is called, “The Women of Wisdom Circle” (AKA: The Wows). WOW meets at 10am on the third Tuesday of each month in the Fellowship House. Different members bring a light snack, and there is a time for gathering and visiting 30 minutes prior to starting the meeting. During meetings, you can expect a time to share joys and concerns with each other and have prayer. Several women take turns presenting the Bible Study and leading the discussion. If Pastor Marti is able to join us, she serves Communion for WOW to partake together. This part of WOW’s ministry was started when the group included several members who needed to stay in their home, and it became such an important part of our gathering that WOW has continued it. Afterward, there is usually a brief business-update. WOW gathers all year to provide flexibility for those who cannot attend every month. Twice annually, WOW conducts strictly business meetings (except for joys and concerns), for which times they use to make final Craft Extravaganza plans and to allocate mission monies.

Missions of WOW

Some of the missions we have been able to do with our individual donations have been:

Greensboro Urban Ministry: Donating household items once a month to be dispersed at The Pathways Shelter project for individuals experiencing homelessness who had found work and temporary housing to live in.

Church World Service: Donated monthly bathroom supplies until the pandemic. Since then, WOW helped Church World Service furnish an apartment.

Area Schools: Donating 12 backpacks full of school supplies to 2 of our local schools each August. Also stepping in to help when a school has a need for a gift card to help a student.

Oak Ridge Elementary: Adopting a family every Christmas and fulfilling their Christmas wish list.

Fellowship House: During the Pandemic, WOW cleaned and renovated the Fellowship House.

Knitwits

From WOW, a group called the Knitwits was created that knit/crochet Prayer Shawls and Lap Blankets for people experiencing hardships. Each shawl or blanket is blessed and has attached a prayer. The Knitwits meet on the first and fourth Tuesdays of every month at 10am in the Fellowship House.

WOW’s Annual Craft Extravaganza

While feeling so blessed to have the means to provide these missions, WOW felt the need to do more in our church and community, but in order to provide more, WOW sought the community’s help. With Debbie McDougal's leadership, WOW started ORPC’s annual Craft Extravaganza in November of 2017. The Craft Extravaganza is held in the Sanctuary and partners with local craft vendors that bring so many crafts. All of the proceeds from the Extravaganza go toward our mission partners. Every member of WOW works hard and shares in the duties needed to host such an event. Due to the generosity of those at the Craft Extravaganza, WOW has been able to support projects such as…

Generous donations to a shelter for Ukrainian refugees in Poland.
Donations of several thousand toward the payment of the mortgage on the Fellowship House.
Giving to fund renovations to the trailers at Northwest Guilford High School in partnership with church member, Brian Carroll.
Help for our community garden and supplies used in it.
Youth projects, travel expenses, and camps because our youth are our future.
Donations to Oak Ridge Presbyterian Preschool for needed supplies, which also helps other church programs.
Help with Eagle Scout projects.

All women are welcome to come visit or join WOW. The more the merrier! WOW also takes a love offering at each meeting to offset the cost of supplies and study books. If you have interest in or questions about ORPC’s Women of Wisdom Circle, contact Diane Grimes here