A Year in Review 2017

As we close 2017 and begin 2018 - we just want to express our gratitude to all the sisters of this stake for their diligent service and willing hearts.  We have an amazing group of women in this stake and we are grateful to serve alongside all of you in strengthening our homes, our Church units and our communities.  Happy New Year to all of you!

- The Stake Relief Society Presidency & Secretary
Cindy Erekson, Lisa Larson, Kim Olivier, Lorie Pierce


Here are some highlights from this year:

In March, we welcomed Sister Kim Olivier as the new second counselor in the Stake Relief Society presidency. 

We celebrated the 175th anniversary of the Relief Society in March. We had close to 200 women, young women and Primary girls gather together for an ice cream social and anniversary celebration - following which we gathered in the Chapel to be uplifted and instructed in the General Women's Session broadcast.

 In April, we held a Women's Conference with classes, a service project and a luncheon.  Our theme was Rise Up!  We about 130 sisters attend this event.  There was a great deal of variety in the classes and we were grateful for efforts made by so many to have it be a successful activity.

At the end of September, we gathered with over 230 sisters, including young women and Primary girls, for a dinner of soups, salads and bread.  The soups were prepared by generous and talented sisters around the Stake.  It was a wonderful evening of sharing our joy of sisterhood and of the Gospel.  We concluded the evening by watching the broadcast of the General Women's Session.  

Each year we meet together with the sisters serving in ward and branch Relief Society presidencies for training and sharing of ideas.  This year we met in late October.  We are so grateful for the wonderful sisters that serve within the units of our stake as Relief Society leaders.  Their love and concern for the sisters in their care is evident as we meet with them.

General Women's Session Recap

Last Saturday evening, we were blessed to join with over 230 sisters, young women and Primary girls at our General Women's Session social and broadcast event.  The cultural hall was filled with happy sounds of mingling and enjoying a delicious meal together.  We concluded our meal with a beautiful musical number provided by mothers and daughters from the Eldersburg Ward.  It was a perfect way to set the tone as we departed for the Chapel.

We are very grateful for the sisters who prepared soups, salads, and cookies for us.  These events are huge and the extra help from our sisters this time was very appreciated.  There was so much variety and no one went hungry!  As always we want to express our thanks to the brethren for their support in set up, serving and clean up.

We hope that all who attended felt the welcome of this great sisterhood and the love of the Lord.  The conference speakers were inspired and we were enriched my their messages of hope, encouragement, guidance and love.  If you didn't have the opportunity to view or listen to this session, you can use this link to access it on lds.org.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference?lang=eng&cid=HP_SA_23-9-2017_dGC_fBCAST_xLIDyL1-B_

We love you sisters!  How grateful we are for the association with have with such amazing women, young women and Primary girls.

- Lorie Pierce

Save The Date - General Women's Session

We are looking forward to our next gathering as Columbia Maryland Stake Sisters.  We hope many of you will be able to join us for a meal followed by the General Women's Session Broadcast.

We are looking for sisters to help us with the meal.  Please use this SignUp Genius link if you would be able to help.  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f044ea8a722aaf49-general

If you have not used SignUp Genius before, you will need to create an account as part of the process.

Women's Conference Recap

We had a wonderful Relief Society Women's Conference together on Saturday, April 29.  We had about 130 sisters join us for a morning of classes followed by a luncheon.

We are grateful to all who worked to make our conference possible.  A big thank you to the teachers and sisters with displays for their preparations and time on our behalf.

A special thank you to our Luncheon Committee for their time and work to feed all of us!

Janet Yarn, Alice O’Neal, Danelle DeGraw, Kelly Tate, Katie Hamilton, Krystel Padilla and to Gabriela Russin & Felicita Sanchez for the homemade salsa.

We also want our Priesthood brethren to know how much we appreciate their support with the set up & clean up and facilitating in so many ways.

For those who attended Beverly Christensen's class "Not Your Mother's Food Storage" - here is a link to a file with the handouts:  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B5j9ty_dBIVOeFdjN2ttWVJhZnM?usp=sharing

Thank you sisters for coming out and participating!  We love to mingle with you!!

- Columbia Stake Relief Society Presidency & Secretary
Cindy Erekson, Lisa Larson, Kim Olivier, Lorie Pierce

Ice Cream Social & General Women's Session Recap

Last Saturday, we enjoyed an ice cream social followed by wonderful and uplifting messages in the General Women's Session.  What a blessing it is to be Latter-day Saint women!

We were close to 200 in number - Relief Society sisters, Young Women and Primary girls.  Thank you to all who joined us at the Stake Center and an extra thank you to the brethren who always come to assist and support us.  Here are just a few pictures from the ice cream social.

New Stake Relief Society Counselor

For those who are not aware, this past Sunday Sister Jill Goodrich was released from the Stake Relief Society Presidency.  It was a blessing to serve with Jill and she will be greatly missed. We wish her well in her new calling, and know that those whom she serves will benefit from her care and love.

We also wish to welcome Sister Kim Olivier as the new 2nd counselor.  We are excited to work with her and know that she will be an asset to the Relief Society program.  Below is a brief bio from Sister Olivier to help us get to know her better.

Stake Relief Society Presidency - March 2017
Lisa Larson - Cindy Erekson - Kim Olivier

Kim Olivier - Stake Relief Society Counselor

I was born in Baltimore, Maryland and lived in Spain, Utah, Iowa, Iran, and Texas before moving back to Maryland during high school.  I was raised in the church by my parents, who are both converts.  I am very grateful for the missionaries who taught them the gospel.  The gospel has blessed my life in so many ways and I cannot imagine life without it.

I met my husband, Mike, at BYU, got married and then graduated with a degree in Family Science.  We’ve been married for 23 years this summer.  We have 5 children (3 boys and 2 girls) that range in age from 20 down to 4 years old.  Our oldest is currently serving his mission in Brazil.  Our family has lived in Utah, Illinois, Arizona, and moved to Maryland in 2009.  I love to read (mostly nonfiction), run, do crafty things, and spend time with my family. 

Relief Society has given me the opportunity to find friends that are kind, generous, fun, loving, loyal, and faithful. These friends have brought great happiness and support to my life.  It’s very nice to know that during times of need I will always have someone who can help.  I’ve also been blessed to learn numerous skills and feel the Spirit during many Relief Society lessons. I am so grateful to be a member of this program!