By Jennie Gollehon

Just over a year ago, I discovered a wonderful organization known as Living Water Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS). My family and I had moved 800 miles away from the only place we had ever lived.

I was a stay-at-home mother of three young children with a busy spouse working outside the home. We needed a new social and support network. MOPS gave us the opportunity to meet other families in our area and opened a door into the Whitmore Lake community.

We were in need of a new social and support network.

MOPS is a national organization with a Christian foundation that helps bring young mothers together within their own communities. Our local MOPS group is sponsored by Living Water, a site of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Ann Arbor.

Living Water holds Sunday worship at Whitmore Lake High School. Living Water MOPS meetings are held from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. in the Whitmore Lake Middle School building on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month during the school year.

MOPS provides opportunities for honest conversation among women. Relevant teachings ranging from parenting techniques to basic first aid, while sprinkling in faith and creative outlets for both mothers during group meetings and children through the childcare program known as MOPPETS.

One of the things that makes MOPS so successful is the quality, free childcare that grants mothers a few hours to socialize, prioritize, and recharge without disruption. The goal is to leave each meeting feeling inspired and encouraged. The 2014-2015 MOPS theme is “Be You, Bravely.”

We are always looking for additional childcare providers in our MOPPETS room. If you feel a calling and would like to volunteer a couple of hours once a month towards this organization, please contact 248.231.0128. It is a great opportunity to spend time with preschoolers, who are the future of our community, while allowing mothers to gain devotional time, leadership skills, and mentoring opportunities.

MOPS believes that one of the best ways to influence community is to impact families. A way to impact families is to provide a community for its members.

MOPS believes that one of the best ways to influence community is to impact families.

Without MOPS, our transition into this community would have been extremely challenging and lonely. But thanks to MOPS, we have developed lasting friendships and feel more anchored within our church and Whitmore Lake.

If you are interested in finding out more about MOPS at Living Water please contact Jennie. If you are interested in MOPS at St. Luke Ann Arbor which meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays from 9-11:30 contact Chelsea. These groups meet from September-May.