Resound Women's Ministry
Central District Leadership
Mary Lou McDowell is the Central District Director of EFCA Resound Women's Ministry. She also serves as our district mobilizer on the national leadership team.
Mary Lou is here to train, encourage, and support women in leadership in Central District churches. She is volunteer staff on the Central District Ministry team, reporting directly to our District Superintendent Cal Swan.
Team members assist Mary Lou by being the local contact for women's ministry leaders in their region. They are actively involved in planning and district leadership development. Their goal is to have a team that reflects the district and its churches—large and small, multi-generational, and multi-ethnic. Current team members are:
- Kathi Schmidt, Northwest Iowa and South Dakota
- Debra Jordan, North Central Iowa
Our Ministry
Our district mission reflects the mission of the EFCA: multiplying healthy women in ministry among all people. We are focused on multiplying disciples and ministries that reproduce in local churches, impacting communities and beyond.
Development of Women in Leadership in the Local Church
We encourage your local women's ministry to reflect the same mission statement as that of your local church and to follow the leadership of that church. We desire to be integrated into and aligned with the ministry of the local church, not to be a stand alone ministry.
Christ-Centered Leadership Development and Training
Our curriculum is based on the centrality of God's Word, prayerful dependence on Him, a foundation of love, intentional relationships, and emphasizing a healthy balanced ministry of:
- Engaging the pre-Christian
- Establishing the believer
- Equipping women for service in their local church
- Encouraging women to engage their communities
- Expanding the Kingdom
Disciplemaking Pathway: Foundational Training
This curriculum is a simple tool based on the model Jesus used to train the twelve disciples, helping women evaluate their personal lives and ministries for balance and fruitful effectiveness.
Dealing with Challenges
Sometimes the situations we face as women's ministry leaders are complex or confusing. Feel free to contact Mary Lou anytime; she would love to talk with you, possibly to provide immediate help, or to connect you with another woman who can assist with your particular situation.
Events that Build Relationships
There include the spring and fall retreats as well as the Women's Ministry luncheon and workshops at the March Central District Conference.
Our retreats are hosted by dedicated teams of women from churches within the district. In coordination with Mary Lou, they select the speaker, location, and date for these popular events.
At the March Central District Conference we provide quality speakers to both encourage and challenge women on contemporary issues. The follow-up workshops let us explore these topics more deeply as well as to develop friendships with other women in our district.
We also bring women's ministry leadership development to the Central District through events known as Leadership Connection Advances. Check the Events Calendar for these events as well as regional training events.
Keeping You Informed
Our monthly newsletter keeps you up to date on district ews and events. Sign up by contacting Mary Lou. You can check for current women's events by clicking on the distict "Events Calendar" in the sidebar. Our national EFCA Resound ministry also has many resources for you, including a newsletter and a presence on Facebook.
Newsletter Archives
“Multiplying Healthy Women in Ministry”
The Central District is a committed partner with EFCA Resound.