MOPS & MOMSNEXT

Our MOPS (Moms of Preschoolers) group is for moms with kids age 0-5, and our MOMSnext group is for moms with kids age 6-High School.

At Cove MOPS, we build circles of women who love each other like family and come together in the midst of the chaos and everyday tasks of motherhood to discuss relevant topics of motherhood, relationships, and identity. We are not afraid to talk about the things that really matter. Our MOPS tribe is a place of encouragement, belonging, and a group of moms who love each other fiercely and will remind you who you are when you are too worn down to remember.

No matter if you are a working mom, a stay-at-home-mom, a mom pregnant with her first baby or a mom tearfully packing up the last of the baby items... if you're tired of feeling alone, if you've wondered if there is more joy in motherhood, if you're not sure if you're doing it right, or if you're pretty sure you're doing everything wrong, you belong here.

Registration will be opening soon for the 2023 Spring Semester!

If you have any questions about MOPS & MOMSnext, please contact

MOPS & MOMSNEXT FAQ

What is a meeting like?

A typical meeting includes a guest speaker or digital content on a broad range of topics related to motherhood. These include things like parenting tips, self-care topics, relationship and communication tools - pretty much anything that could help or encourage a mom! We typically include some type of "fun" in each meeting, like an icebreaker or craft, and there is always time to visit with other moms and discuss the content more fully. Occasionally we mix in some special meetings with fun, celebratory, and/or seasonal activities.

What is childcare like?

We offer childcare for infants and children 0 - 9 years of age. During our MOPS meetings, you can feel confident your kids are being cared for by trained childcare workers. While curriculum/homeschool supervision is not offered for infants and children during this time, there are plenty of toys, games, crafts, and other activities to keep your kids busy so your kids can have fun while you get a break! If you have a child 10 years of age or older that you would like to bring with you, please contact us directly to discuss arrangements for them. If you have any special needs or concerns for your children, please contact us.

Why two sessions during the year?

The year is split into two sessions to provide an easier point of entry for new moms, to better accommodate schedule changes during the year, and to spread the overall cost throughout the year. While there will be some moms who choose to join for only one session, we anticipate many of our moms will participate for the whole year.

Why do I have to register with both MOPS International AND Cove Church?

Great Question!!! As a charter group under MOPS International, all of our moms must register through MOPS International to have access to the digital content that MOPS International provides. Your MOPS International fees also provide you with additional benefits from MOPS International and help support MOPS groups globally. Your registration and fees through Cove Church provide us with additional information about you (and your children, if applicable). Your Cove Church fees cover our local group expenses, including charter fees, hospitality and craft supplies, and other fun things we do at meetings and for our moms. We work really hard to make our registration fees as low as possible! If finances are a barrier to registration, please contact us.

2022/23 MOPS & MOMSNEXT THEME - WE GO TOGETHER

THIS YEAR IS FOR THE ONES WHO ARE READY TO COME ALIVE AGAIN

So many of us feel a little numb. We’ve each lost something or felt disappointed over the past few years and now we are needing a new way to move forward. We need a fresh start.

Søren Kierkegaard, a 19th-century theologian and poet, wrote “People settle for a level of despair they can tolerate and call it happiness.” This is the year we no longer settle for tolerable despair, and instead, we’ll dream bigger, risk greater and love better. And the way we’re going to do that is through the company we keep. We’re here to remind you that having your people by your side is not a perk of living a giant, beautiful, juicy life – it’s a prerequisite.

It’s time to toss out our notions that we must do any of this alone, that it’s “too late” to create an abundantly rich group of girlfriends, or that the pace of life leaves no room for meaningful connection. Instead, we’ll take in something new, something God is always using to reach out to us: deep relationships.

Having a genuine, supportive, honest group of female friends in your circle is one of the biggest life upgrades. “Ran out of gas? Of course I’ll help push your car, but we will definitely laugh about it for the next 40 years.” Friends to put down as your kids’ emergency contact at school. People who help themselves to whatever is in your pantry without asking. Someone who has witnessed your most embarrassing moment and who would never serve your kid peas because she knows it makes him gag.

If you desperately want this kind of friendship but it feels hard to come by, you’re not alone. Community is such a cliché concept, but the truth is, we are all pretty desperate for it. We know it will make our lives better, and yet finding friends as adults can feel intimidating. Despite our best efforts, we all seem to be in the midst of a loneliness epidemic.

This is why we are declaring it the year of friendship, courage, and purpose. Friendships where we aggressively believe in each other, pray for each other and believe the other deserves the world. That is what we do at MOPS. If you’re ready for a community like this, then you belong here. Your best days are ahead of you. We are going to be here cheering you on. And what you can’t do alone, we can and will do together.

Loneliness says…
No one really loves me.
No one knows the real me.
My life has no purpose.
I am cut off from God.
No one carries the load with me.
I don’t feel included.

Get ready, because this year we will be each other’s hype women, ride or dies, and emergency contacts when life demands a call for help. You and me and all of us, we go together.

Going Together means we will:

Be Unoffendable

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18, NIV)

Over the past few years, too many relationships have ended due to division and different viewpoints. This is the year to fix what’s broken. Refuse to spend any extra time on petty arguments or trivial disagreements. We won’t let differences divide us; we don’t have time for this kind of no-win wandering. The people around Jesus were always trying to bait him into black/white, right/wrong, and he always found the third way. He wasn’t offended, wasn’t defensive. Instead, he was the one turning water into wine, eating with his enemies, providing stimulating conversation and healing people. Because of that, everyone wanted Jesus at their parties.

This year, we will be people who do things, not people who talk about how others are doing things. We’ll offer help more readily than we offer criticism. When we feel judged or criticized, we’ll assume the best. If we mess up, we’ll ask for forgiveness. We’ll learn from each other and surround ourselves with people who are different from us. Instead of dwelling on our insecurities that cause us to huddle together, we’ll dismantle the cliques that make us feel safe and look for ways to make others feel included. Everyone is in. Everyone is welcome. We’ll be teachable. Uniters instead of dividers.

Show Up

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV)

Showing up is what turns people you know into your people. People who you’ve seen at their best and worst and who you can invite in even when you, your house or your world is a wreck. Yes, this kind of relationship will require risk, but this is the year to be courageous with friendship. To resist insecurity and embrace awkwardness because connection requires vulnerability. We’ll show up for each other in the ways we need, and if we don’t know how, we’ll ask. We’ll get creative in connecting with people and be the kind of women who shout our friend’s name in a room full of opportunities. No jealousy or competition here. Instead, we’ll be midwives for each other, coming around to help birth each other’s dreams and bring one another’s unique offerings into the world. Building the life you want takes a village. May it begin with being courageous, bold, and going all in on friendship.

Expect Good Things

So [Jesus] said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.” (Luke 5:24-26, NIV)

You aren’t behind. Sometimes we look around and feel like we haven’t done enough — haven’t worked hard enough to cultivate friendships, haven’t accomplished what we thought we would in life. Motherhood, marriage, and life have proved harder than we thought they would be, and shame tells us it’s because we’ve done it wrong, we don’t measure up, it’s too late. The disappointments of life make us forget how to live expectantly. Don’t buy into the oppressive voice that always tries to convince you you’re not enough or don’t have enough time, money, or accomplishments. Imagine that you are 95 years old looking back at your today-years-old self. You’d tell her, “Your life is just beginning! You are sitting on a pile of gems, you just can’t see it yet because you are blinded by your shame. Resist the rush. Just because it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean it’s not going to. Beautiful things are ahead of you. Your current season is the proving ground for divine participation.” May this season be filled with confident faith. Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (Hebrews 11:10, NIV). May we be people who pray crazy big prayers. May we be alert to the voice of God, developing a deep trust in what our purpose is. No longer will we wake up in the morning, merely looking forward to nap time. Instead, we will wake up expecting to see remarkable things because God is at work.

This year, we are going to come together as friends and show the world the remarkable things that God can do. As we do, may you find sisters who will help you do what feels impossible. May you find boldness in your purpose and comfort in being known. May you find ease in dealing with people who would normally annoy or offend you. May you find yourself at home in any room you enter. And may you say yes to the new things God wants to do in your life.