By Bobbi-Sue Menard

CONTEMPORARY WOMEN are under tremendous time constraints, as our society has created a widely accepted expectation of ‘doing it all.’

Taking the time to build a solid faith walk and devotional life is in direct competition with the fast North American lifestyle, which leaves little time to participate in the traditional social and devotional aspects of church life.  

‘For the Sake of One’ is a new online ministry for women in the Okanagan and around the world to access Bible teaching and meet other women who are looking to fit spiritual growth into their schedule.  

Founded by two Kelowna residents, forthesakeofone.com is intended to create an online community.

Kim Parker and Donna Lowe each offer an extensive history of volunteer leadership in women’s ministry, combined with outside work credentials.  

Parker is a former elite level athlete and is the president of a marketing company.  

Lowe has an extensive history in executive level management in the financial service industry.

Both are mothers of young children, and bring tremendous energy to both their friendship and their ministry.  

“It doesn’t feel like work to me,” says Lowe. “We have each other for encouragement and support, which makes it easy.”

Parker and Lowe met at a women’s retreat in October 2006 and their friendship grew quickly.

For the Sake of One was the collaborative result of long talks exploring their desire for ministry and their belief in their calling from God.  

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“I could see God preparing my heart and focus for several years,” says Parker.  

The purpose of For the Sake of One is to be a resource for women who are busy.

“We are not a replacement for church,” explains Lowe. “One of our core values is that women have and maintain a church environment. We want to be a connection for women, not their church.”  

The website offers five basic components that encompass a range of interactive options. There is written, online Bible teaching for study, a live chat room, podcasts, a blog and a prayer connection/request page. Parker and Lowe also offer speaking services.  

The Bible study portion of the website is being built, with both Lowe and Parker contributing to the curriculum that will be offered through an online store.  

The blog is up and running, with posts going up almost daily, similar to a devotional. It offers quick stories and insights from daily life that allow women in the midst of a busy day to pause for inspiration, for a laugh or simply to relax for a moment.  

Podcasts are posted at least once a week on a wide range of topics.

Right now the live chat room is primarily used by Parker and Lowe to connect with women directly.  It has been constructed to allow all users to meet people online, and create their own private chat rooms with online friends.  

This summer, Parker and Lowe plan to offer the chat room to women’s ministries at local churches, as an online space for their own women to  stay connected at a time when many women’s groups in churches go on hiatus.  

Parker sums up both women’s hopes for the ministry: “We want to provide a resource, a connection for women.  Our heart is that every woman finds joy in Christ.”

May 2008