I have a confession: I am a pastor’s wife, but I used to dread women’s ministry events. For instance, I remember sitting with a group of women at a church BBQ and wishing desperately that I could go play cornhole with the men and children. I respected those women and grew to enjoy their company; I just wished we could have been doing something instead of just chatting.

For a long time, I felt bad about this, as though my introverted tendencies were a sin to repent of rather than a personality trait to manage. Now, though, I know that many women feel the same way. (And some of those women are now my best friends!) We genuinely want to get to know other Christian women but find it easier to do so through shared activities rather than occasional events or forced coffee dates.

So, without further ado, here are twelve women’s ministry activities that might help include introverts, foster more natural interactions, and promote genuine friendships:

1. Exercise group: Lace up your shoes to hit the local trails or meet at the gym. I’ve found that my best friends tend to be my running buddies or gym partners. Why not strengthen each other in faith while we strengthen our bodies?
2. Chore share: Have a closet you need to organize but keep avoiding? Windows thick with the grime of the ages? Let’s swap chores. I’ll organize your closet if you’ll clean my windows. We can contribute our unique homemaking skills and learn from one another in the process.
3. Painting parties: Many of my friends are moving into their first homes, and I know how overwhelming it can be to paint and decorate alone. Grab a box of donuts, throw on old camp t-shirts, and tackle those ugly walls together! It’ll get done quicker, and we can chat while we work. Or, if we don’t want to talk, it won’t feel awkward because we’ll be busy painting.
4. Meal prep night: Have everyone bring a few ingredients, gather at the home of whoever has the biggest kitchen, and prep enough freezer meals to survive the winter. Nobody wants to do this alone, but it makes life so much easier. Besides, church ladies always have the best recipes.
5. Garden swaps: My garden is thriving mostly because a friend from church gifted me wildflower seeds and helped me plant my other flowers. Especially where I live (eastern Iowa), everyone seems to have plants they’d like to give away or swap for others. We can also help each other get our gardens under control.
6. Old books reading group: There are a lot of great women’s ministry resources out there, but we don’t have to be limited to these. It’s so important that we also study the rich history and theology of our faith. Those old books can be intimidating, so let’s read them a chapter at a time together!
7. Tutoring co-op: My church is packed with smart women, and I’m sure yours is too. Why don’t we contribute our knowledge and help out students? Hosting study groups or events can also help bridge generational gaps by giving adults and students a chance to help one another.
8. Costco caravan: All you need is one woman with a Costco card and another with a large car. Let’s buy in bulk together and then treat ourselves to frozen yogurt on the way out! Plus, if you get lost among the aisles, there will be other women to come rescue you…or to talk you into buying that beautiful discounted rug.
9. Handicraft helpers:  So many older women I know are gifted at handicrafts like knitting, crocheting, and sewing, and women of my generation seem increasingly interested in such hobbies as a means of fighting back against over-digitalization. Let’s step away from the media that distracts us and team up to make something useful and beautiful! Besides, can you think of anything cozier than drinking hot beverages and knitting together in the dark of winter?
10. Work from home day: A lot of my work is done from home, and it gets lonely—even for an introvert! Pack up your laptops, bring a snack to share, and let's all camp out and work together once a week. We can set hours for work and break for lunch together! This ministry would be especially helpful in reaching professional women, who may feel overlooked by women’s ministries and excluded from certain women’s events.

Having helped several acquaintances paint their weird old walls, invited new church attendees to join me at the gym, and enjoyed more than a few collaborative Costco runs, I can honestly say that having a shared activity is a fast-track to friendship. Whether or not these ideas become official ministries, I hope that they help you build strong female friendships in your church!