Home » Hallows Church Offers Women Donuts & Discipleship

Hallows Church Offers Women Donuts & Discipleship

by Kirby Lindsay Laney, posted 13 November 2017

 

The Hallows Church hosts 'Donuts & Discipleship' for women for fellowship and fun.  Photo provided by Kim Arthur
The Hallows Church hosts ‘Donuts & Discipleship’ for women for fellowship and fun. Photo provided by Kim Arthur

On Saturday, November 18th, from 9:30a – 11:30a, The Hallows Church will hold the first of a series of five fellowship gatherings for women, called ‘Donuts & Discipleship.’  These fun and friendly events welcome all women who wish for a morning of serious scriptural discussion and shared laughter, while building friendships.

Encouraging & Equipping

‘Donuts & Discipleship’ is one of many gathering opportunities The Hallows Church offers, for enlightenment and community building.  “It’s a supplement to the small groups and Sundays,” Kim Arthur explained, “It gives an opportunity to more people to teach and gives time to unpack and discuss scripture in small groups.”

Arthur is Communications Director for the growing church, planted originally in Fremont and now extending to three locations, or Expressions, around Seattle.  Arthur also serves as a volunteer on The Hallows Church Women’s Ministry Leadership Team.

“When asking how we can supplement the other gatherings,” Arthur explained, “we heard about how women really enjoy being able to gather.”  The perspectives and experiences shared by women have proven value, and during ‘Donuts & Discipleship’ their world-view can offer support, and networking, among women of different ages and stages.  “This is a time for encouraging, as well as equipping ourselves,” Arthur said.

Kim Arthur with her husband, Andrew, and their children.  Photo provided by the Arthur Family
Kim Arthur with her husband, Andrew, and their children. Photo provided by the Arthur Family

As with many of its gatherings, ‘Donuts & Discipleship’ blends education with action.  As Arthur observed, “we don’t want to be a church that is just head knowledge, but also hands and feet.”  She quoted her husband, Andrew Arthur, founding pastor of Hallows Church, ‘We don’t want to be big-hearted, little brained people, and we don’t want to be little-hearted, big-brained people.  We want to be both big hearted and big brained.’

What’s In A Name

Over a few years of hosting ‘Donuts & Discipleship’, the gatherings have developed a basic format.  The mornings start with scriptural teaching by two Hallows Church members on specific passages.  Then everyone can (or not) question and discuss the passage together, breaking out into small groups.  On November 18th, participants will continue studies from last spring on Romans 12.  The participants will discuss the scripture and what it means to discern God’s will, Arthur said, “through the lens of what a woman may experience.”

D&D discussions are open to the public, and organizers hope to make all women feel welcome to join the conversation and the camaraderie.  After all, the name of the event is deliberate.  ‘Discipleship’ refers to the discussion, and the sharing of scripture, while ‘Donuts’ refers to the “way of enjoying a break, and one another,” Arthur observed.  Participants can enjoy the pastries, but they aren’t only about feeding attendees.  “In scripture, a lot happens over meals,” Arthur said, “including community building and experiencing grace through conversation.”

Women come together for serious discussion and sharing laughs at 'Donuts & Discipleship'.  Photo provided by The Hallows Church
Women come together for serious discussion and sharing laughs at ‘Donuts & Discipleship’. Photo provided by The Hallows Church

“It’s an opportunity for comfort and safety,” Arthur observed about ‘Donuts & Discipleship’, “to feel more able to process, discuss, pray and share, among women in the world, at this time, in this City.”

‘Can’t Only Be On Sundays’

“Our desire is to really see lives flourish in gospel saturated relationships,” Arthur explained, about the mission of Hallows Church, “that includes gathering on Sundays, but it can’t only be on Sundays.”

On Sundays, The Hallows Church gathers for worship and discussion, while also building relationships during adjacent events like baptisms and shared meals.  “Throughout the week, we meet at homes,” Arthur observed, “we read the bible, serve the city, have fun, eat meals.”  At a variety of smaller group gatherings, members join together for activities that they’ve chosen based on their interests, time availability, location, etc.  The Hallows Church missional groups serve local schools (including a Coat Drive going on now,) area non-profits, and the homeless.  “My small group makes bulk meals for people in the neighborhood,” Arthur explained, and while working they talk about the lessons from the previous Sunday worship.

The missional groups allow for coming together of diverse people throughout the church.  “If we’re going to be a biblical church that reflects God’s creation, that means we need to welcome everyone of all different backgrounds,” Arthur explained.  Members are encouraged to build relationships throughout the community, spending time with different genders, people in different life-stages, etc.

Come for the discussion, stay for the pastries, at 'Donuts & Discipleship' hosted by The Hallows Church.  Photo provided by Pixabay.com
Come for the discussion, stay for the pastries, at ‘Donuts & Discipleship’ hosted by The Hallows Church. Photo provided by Pixabay.com

The growth of the church has given the community more diversity.  The Hallows Church has three ‘Expressions’ where the community gathers for worship, and activities.  The Fremont Expression was the first, and the community that meets here shows diversity, but Arthur acknowledged that the people tend to be young, and collegiate, or else empty-nesters.

Hallows Church expanded from here to West Seattle, with the second Expression more easily accessed by young families and settled residents.  The third Expression, in North Seattle, meets at King’s in Shoreline, and reflects a more suburban, slightly older demographic.

According to Arthur, each Expression reflect the community that gathers within it.  Each one attracts people based mostly on where they live, but people can also choose their Expression by the site they find easiest to access.

On November 18th, this season’s first ‘Donuts & Discipleship’ will meet at the Fremont Expression, at 717 N 36th St.  The Hallows Church, while entirely unaffiliated with the Fremont Baptist Church, uses its building for its gatherings at the Center of the Universe.  Four more ‘D&D’ events are scheduled (January 20th, February 17th, March 17th, and April 21st) alternating between the West Seattle Expression (at 3420 SW Cloverdale) and Fremont.  This offers more of the community access to ‘Donuts & Discipleship’, while also allowing more of the community a chance to play host.

For more information about this program, visit The Hallows Church website.  No RSVP is necessary to attend ‘Donuts & Discipleship’ and all women, of all ages, are very welcome.

 

 


Related Articles


 

©2017 Kirby Laney.  This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws.  Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.

www.fremocentrist.com