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About MOPS
(Exerpt from
the www.mops.org website)
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Eight women. The
number was small, but the need was
great. The first MOPS meeting took place
in February 1973 in Wheat Ridge,
Colorado.
For two hours, while their children
received care, these mothers talked,
laughed, ate, passed a basket for
childcare expenses, had a craft
demonstration, and ended with a short
devotional. In this humble beginning,
the seeds of the MOPS concept and format
were planted. Through friendship,
creative outlets, and instruction, the
women began to understand that
"mothering matters." Today, the same
needs for significance are met in much
the same way in MOPS groups across the
United States and around the world.
From the beginning, women in MOPS were
not content to be spectators. Through
MOPS, they found an opportunity to
discover and cultivate their leadership
gifts. As women moved around the
country, they took the concept of MOPS
with them, and new groups formed.
Growth began as word spread in churches,
conventions, and magazine articles that
explained this unique new program.
Inquiries and requests for information
became more frequent, and a handbook was
printed. Office space moved from a desk
in a family room to a rented office.
In 1981, MOPS established a Board of
Directors and incorporated first as MOPS
Outreach, and later as MOPS, Inc. As
interest mushroomed, leadership training
began. One hundred fifty women from five
states gathered in 1982 for the first
all-day MOPS leadership seminar.
In 1988, MOPS expanded beyond US borders
and was renamed MOPS International, Inc.
to reflect the international impact of
the ministry. As MOPS grew, so did the
need for a chartering process,
additional resource materials, and a
paid staff. The Board hired Elisa Morgan
as the first president of the
organization in 1989.
MOPS reached out to moms through the
MOMSense newsletter (now
MOMSense magazine) beginning
in 1993. The newsletter joined the
existing MOMSense radio program
to help MOPS nurture every mother of
preschoolers, whether or not she
attended a MOPS group.
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The original
MOPS group moms got together
again on MOPS International's
25th anniversary. |
In 1995, MOPS formed a partnership with
Zondervan Publishing House, further
expanding its outreach to mothers
through books. Also that year, MOPS
established Teen MOPS groups for teenage
mothers. MOPS became even more available
to moms when it went on-line in 1997,
and in 2000 when it created the
MOPS toMom
Connection to bring additional
resources directly to a mom's home.
MOPS has come a long way over the years,
and continues to adapt to meet the
various needs of moms today. |
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* Oak Ridge MOPS was started in the
Spring of 2005 and it continues to grow! |
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