The Neighbors group recently began its 37th year of offering a time of Christian fellowship for women during gatherings held at Conestoga Mennonite Church, 2779 Main St., Morgantown.

The year opened with a "Welcome Back Brunch" on Sept. 19, and the next scheduled meeting will be on Oct. 3 featuring speaker Liz Betz, who will present "Daring To Be Unique in Our Image-Driven World."

Instead of meeting weekly as it has in years past, the Neighbors group will meet on the first, third and fifth Tuesdays of the month from September through May. The change was made to accommodate Conestoga Cubs, the church's ministry for mothers of young children, which meets on the second Tuesday of the month.

"The second Tuesday is focused on women who have young children at home. They do an activity with their children and have fun together," said Tina Essick, the program chair for Neighbors. "Some of the mothers who go to Cubs also go to Neighbors."

Each Neighbors meeting begins with refreshments and a prayer time, followed by a guest speaker. Child care is provided for infants through kindergarten-age children. While their moms are at the meeting, children enjoy stories, crafts and age-appropriate activities. Snacks are provided.

All programs and child care are offered free of charge, but donations are welcome. When a craft is the focus of the meeting, registration is required and a nominal fee is charged to cover the cost of supplies.

In addition to Betz, new Neighbors speakers this year include John Beitler, who will present "Enhancing the Joy of Birding in Your Backyard and Beyond" on Oct. 31.

"The felted soap craft led by Sue Sutter on Nov. 7 is also new," Essick noted. "She has led us in previous crafts, and it has always been fun."

A program about COBYS Family Services will be presented on Dec. 5 by speaker Anne Stokes. "COBYS is an organization that helps children find a home," said Essick. "We are going to learn more about what they do." She added that a freewill offering will be received for COBYS following the talk.

Also new is "Soup's On!" on Jan. 16, 2024, where attendees will sample soups and share recipes.

The group also takes part in community service projects. On March 5, 2024, the ladies will knot comforters for the Mennonite Central Committee. The blankets are distributed worldwide to people in need. On April 2, 2024, members will take part in a service day with Anchored Ministries, an Elverson-based charity.

"Painting With a Twist" will be offered on April 16, 2024, by Michelle Glick. "Michelle attends our group and does a lot of artistic work for Glick's Greenhouse in the Oley area," Essick noted. "She is an artist and will teach us. No matter what your gift level is, it will still be fun."

For more information about Neighbors, call the church office at 610-286-9124 or visit http://www.conestogamennonitechurch.org/ministries and look for "Neighbors." The webpage offers a link to join the Neighbors Facebook group. In addition to Essick, members of the activities committee are Norma Denlinger, Kristy Unruh and Madison Petersheim.