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Category: WordSowers Blog

Is God Calling You to Serve WS?

The WS Support Team Needs You
Opportunities to Serve Others

Nope, we’re not talking about tennis. We just needed to get your attention.

To be honest, Wordsowers needs willing people to step out of their comfort zones to serve others. The WS support team is looking for two or three people who are interested in being a part of the team. After talking to the Lord about it, if you feel this is something He’s calling to you to do, contact Debbie at debbie.crom@yahoo.com or Lollie at lolliehofer@yahoo.

Here are some service opportunities for you to consider: set the agenda and lead monthly meetings, oversee the Critique Group, promote Wordsowers in the Omaha community, provide write-in opportunities at coffee houses, and help the team plan special activities apart from the regular meetings.

After prayer, if Jesus is nudging you to serve Him through Wordsowers, please contact us.

T

Thank You, Kat Parent, For Your Excellent Service to Wordsowers

Thank you, Kat

Due to a crazy, busy schedule (life does that to us sometimes), Kat Parent has stepped away from the Wordsowers’ Leadership Team. To say that she will be missed as a leader is greatly understated. When it came to planning events, Kat was our idea person who brought fun and creative ideas to the table. She did a remarkable job scheduling the monthly speakers and overseeing the meetings. As a “front person,” she led the meetings with humor and style. Thank you, Kat, for your dedication and service to Wordsowers. Debbie and I are grateful for you and how your friendship has blessed our lives.

With Love and Gratitude,

Debbie, Lollie, and all your Wordsowers’ friends

Great Time Together

There were lots of laughs, sweet fellowship, and God-ordained connections (if you know, you know) at the annual Wordsowers Christmas Party. We also learned about the mystery of Christmas (and yes, it has everything to do with Easter).

Starting front and center and going clockwise: Linda, Anisa, Sassy, Kat, Karen, Ben, Debbie, Lollie, Roger, and Miranda.
We were thrilled at the God-ordained connections. Don’t you love it when God does that?

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving.
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good.


What are you thankful for this year?

There are no regular monthly meetings in November and December. WS Critique group will meet in November but not in December. Be sure and check out the Christmas Mystery Party details for December 7th. (Posted separately from this post.) Regular monthly meetings will resume in January on the fourth Thursday.

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“The Christmas Mystery”
Annual Wordsowers’ Christmas Party

Saturday, December 7th from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
(Zoom will not be provided.)

Location:
*Omaha Christian Center
4215 N. 92nd Street
Omaha, NE 68138

You and one guest are invited to join us in discovering “The Christmas Mystery” at our annual Wordsowers’ Christmas party. We’ll enjoy a potluck brunch, short devotional, a mystery game and a “Mystery Gift Exchange.” There will be door prizes.

For the potluck brunch, egg and potato dishes will be provided. You’re asked to bring a side dish to compliment the meal such as fruit, finger foods, and pastries. (Gluten-free options will be available.)

If you’d like to participate in the “Mystery Gift Exhange,” please don’t get too serious with your gift (the funnier the better). We challenge you to find that “perfect” gift from a local thrift store. Please keep the gifts under $10.00.

We need to hear from you. Be sure to email your RSVP to Debbie Crom by Monday, December 2nd, at debbie_crom@yahoo.com or text her at 402-238-2188. Let her know if you’re bringing a guest and what dish you’ll provide for the brunch. (Or you can RSVP to the newsletter’s email.)

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Parking: Park in the lot on the south side of the church and enter through the main doors. Follow the signs to the fellowship hall.

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*Wordsowers is not affiliated with Omaha Christian Center. They graciously allows us to use their facilities.

Wordsowers Attended the Papillion Library’s Author Expo

A heartfelt thank you to Debbie, Sassy, and Lollie for working the Wordsowers’ table at the Author Expo. Even though it was a wet morning and kept the larger crowds away, numerous contacts were made with other Christian authors and publishers who were selling their wares at the Expo. Overall, it was a great day where valuable connections were made. We did actually sell one of Kat Parent’s books.

Here are some pictures from the Expo. As you can see, Wordsowers was well represented. Kathy Nickerson and Lee Warren were there as well. One picture caught Kathy with her mouth open because she was busy selling books. And Sassy was, well, being sassy. We did have a good time.

Great Turnout for the Wordsowers’ Anniversary Celebration

Thank you to the twenty-six folks who joined us in celebrating Wordsowers twenty-fifth anniversary. Thank you to Kat Crawford, Lee Warren, and Kelly Haack for sharing their Wordsowers’ journeys with us. A big shout out to Kat Parent for emceeing the meeting, Theresa Graeve for recording it, and to Roger Crom for taking pictures. Debbie Crom and Lollie Hofer cooked the pulled pork and did food set-up.

Here are a few of the pictures taken during the party. We’ll publish more pics at a later time.

More pictures can be found on the Wordsowers Facebook Page along with a recording of the meeting.

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Wordsowers’ Anniversary Celebration:
25 Years of Friendships

Join us as we celebrate twenty-five years of friendships. Our very own Kat Crawford is the special guest for the evening. In fact, she will speak about the value of friendships. Lee Warren will share the history of Wordsowers. Door prizes will be given away throughout the evening.

Dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m. We’re asking you to bring a side dish (fruit, veggie, salad, potato, etc.). The main course, dessert, and beverages will be provided.

Please RSVP the dinner by Monday, June 24th. You can text or call Debbie Crom at 402-238-2188. (Or you can respond in the comment section.)

Please note, the anniversary party isn’t about who is or who isn’t writing. It’s about hanging out with some great people whether you used to attend Wordsowers or just recently joined the group. Help us spread the party news to others who might enjoy an evening of reminiscing with friends.

If you can’t attend but would like to videotape a greeting to others, text your video to Kat Parent at 402-230-0119. Kat is working on a slide show presentation and is looking for pictures from past Wordsowers events as well.

Zoom will not be available for this meeting but will resume at the July meeting.

*Wordsowers is not affiliated with Omaha Christian Center. They graciously allow us to use their facilities for the meetings.

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Critique Group Will Resume April 11th at 7:00 p.m.

The critique group began in Kat Crawford’s living room many years ago. Do you recognize anyone?

Here’s some good news to celebrate. The critique group will start up again in April. It will be a hybrid meeting combining in-person and zoom. The first meeting will be on Thursday, April 11th at 7:00 p.m. For those meeting in-person, we’ll be at the same location as our regular monthly meetings at Omaha Christian Center. O.C.C. is located at 4215 N. 92nd Avenue, Omaha, NE 68134.

Important information: Omaha Wordsowers Critique is a closed group because we want to protect the copyright on your manuscripts. Email Lollie at lolliehofer@yahoo.com with your email address or send it in a message on the Wordsowers Facebook page. She’ll send you an invite to join the group. Please understand, this is the only way you can be admitted to Omaha Wordsowers Critique.

At April’s meeting, we’ll go over the critique and submission guidelines established by Kat Crawford several years ago. The critique and submission guidelines are pinned on the page so you can read them prior to the first meeting. Please don’t feel overwhelmed. We’ll walk you through the information and work with you until you’re comfortable with the guidelines.

Please don’t submit your manuscripts to be critiqued until after the April meeting. You’ll then have until the first Thursday in May (May 3rd) to submit.

If you have any questions, contact Shari at sharisworld43@gmail.com or Lollie at lolliehofer@yahoo.com

For those joining us via Zoom, your zoom invite will be on the Omaha Wordsowers Critique page as well. Be sure to sign-up before 4:00 p.m. on meeting day to give the administrators time to let you into the group.

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Speakers and organizers at the first Wordsowers Conference in 2013. Front row: Angela Meyer, Kat Crawford, and Teresa Tierney. Back row: Tara Rye, Lee Warren, and the late Pamela Sonnenmoser.

Lee Warren did the math. At the end of 2024, somewhere around November/December, Wordsowers will be twenty-five years old. Throughout the year we’ll post pictures and reminisce about the good old days. We’ll invite some of your favorite people to be guest bloggers on this website and speakers at some of the monthly meetings. We’ll end the year with an Anniversary/Christmas party in December.

Congratulations Wordsowers Christian Writers Group. Happy Twenty-fifth Anniversary.

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Questions for You Regarding the Critique Group

Wordsowers may reactivate the critique group. We have three questions for you. First question: Is this something you would be interested in doing? Second question: What days/times (evening hours) would work best for you? Third question: Would you prefer in-person meetings or Zoom meetings? You can leave your answers in the comments below or send a message via Facebook at this link Facebook . Thank you.

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