Sometimes, the most impactful ward activities are also the simplest.
That’s what my mother, Christina Falin, discovered when she started hosting monthly “learning luncheons” at her home in Idaho. She invites the entire Relief Society but keeps the format simple: a potluck lunch, followed by a short lesson from a woman in the ward who shares a skill or hobby she loves.
Over the months, they’ve learned everything from sourdough bread-making and identifying medicinal herbs to crocheting and applying home organization tips.
My mom says the luncheons really work because of how low-stress they are. “Sometimes I feel like people think they have to plan a crazy fancy activity … or people won’t go,” she says. “But that’s not what it’s about, at the core. It’s about connecting with people.”
Relief Society Activities as a Gathering Place
Kim McBride, who has attended every learning luncheon so far, says the socialization aspect is what she loves most. “It brings together people of all ages and backgrounds,” Kim says, “and it includes people [who] aren’t members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
She personally knows how important this gathering element can be. Years ago, as a brand-new mom in Utah without family nearby, she felt a strong need for connection. She began hosting casual meals with Relief Society sisters, rotating homes, and asking everyone to bring something to share. She says she found that “getting together and sharing good food and sharing good conversation is a positive and uplifting thing.” She loves having that same opportunity in her Idaho ward, with the added chance to learn something new.
A Space for Sharing Skills and Strengths
And for the sisters who teach something, these learning luncheons give them a chance to share their strengths.
When planning a luncheon, my mom thinks of a woman she knows who could teach something interesting. She then asks if they’d be willing to share their skill for a few minutes and spreads the word by handing out invitations at church and putting the information in the Relief Society newsletter.
When she asked Caroline Witt to teach the group how to make sourdough bread, Caroline was excited. “I was so enthusiastic to teach,” she says. “It didn’t take too much preparation [because] I love making sourdough.”
The luncheons were also a chance for her to meet new people. “There were some people [there] that I didn’t usually see at church because of their callings,” she says. “So that was really great to see them.”
Now living in Michigan, Caroline says she would love to create something similar in her new ward, because she sees it as a natural way to build lasting relationships.
Sometimes, all we need is simply a place to gather.
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