In 1973, in the quiet town of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, eight mothers of young children decided to get together to share a meal, hold space for conversation and relationship, put together a simple craft, and complete a small devotional together- all while their children received care.
Out of this small and intimate gathering, MOPS- Mothers of Preschoolers- was born.
According to the International organization’s website,
“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.”
Ultimately, this ministry exists to make sure no mom of young children is doing motherhood alone, or without the connections or friendships they need to thrive. MOPS exists to connect moms- to connect them with God and each other.
All over the lower forty-eight and abroad, MOPS groups are meeting all over the globe- sharing a meal, a time for fellowship, making a craft, and gathering around the Word. Typically, MOPS groups meet twice a month for meetings which provide childcare. In fact, MOPS has military affiliated chapters! You can find a group near you here.
Because MOPS is a “mother-focused, family resiliency program,” operating on and around military installations, they have created opportunities for moms to plug into their local communities, build new friendships, and provide chapels and churches with an outreach opportunity- reaching a people group that would not have otherwise participated in church or chapel programs.
While many chapters were forced to close down during the COVID-19 pandemic, these chapters, and many new groups, are beginning to open.
In addition, the MOPS International has a military spouse at the helm of scaling and growing the ministry’s impact in the active-duty military space. Stacey Morgan, a seasoned Army spouse and the author of “The Astronaut’s Wife,” is an Executive Leadership Coach and Military Lead for MOPS International. Her book, published by Tyndale, is her memoir about the amazing story of sending her spouse to space, the lessons she learned on the ground, and how God showed up in beautiful ways.
The proceeds from the sales of her book have gone toward supporting military affiliated missions, non-profits, and outreach initiatives. Fundamentally, Stacey believes in equipping and investing in our military spouse community. She hopes to continue to pour into the military spouse space through supporting organizations that serve and sharing our story to a wider audience.
Excitingly, Stacey is committed to sharing the military spouse story throughout the organization at MOPS International and about advocating for our inclusion in all things ministry. As a result, MOPS International is giving away FREE (Yep. You read that right!) tickets to their upcoming MOMcon event in San Diego, California!
Here are the deets:
- Where: San Diego, California
- When: September 8th-10th
- What: MOMcon is “where you find your people, stay up way too late, laugh till your mascara runs, and discover you had it in you all along. We’re all about the rewind and rejuvenation this year and your life back home will thank us.”
- How: Visit the event site https://www.mops.org/momcon-2022/ and enter the code MC22COMPMIL
- Your ticket will be FREE at checkout.
If you are in the San Diego area, MOMcon would love to invite you to join in the fun. If you aren’t California local, but don’t want to miss out on all the fun, they are streaming the event! Visit the event site, select the streaming option, and enter the code MC22MILPASS for $5 off the virtual ticket.
MOPS International is always excited about growing new groups, serving moms globally, and connecting moms together. For more information about MOPS, visit www.MOPS.org. To follow Stacey Morgan, and grab “The Astronaut’s Wife,” visit her website at www.staceymorgan2000.com.
