CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – In 2006, a local couple were taking part in a benevolence class at their church and from that class the idea for a new community group was born.
For this edition of Giving Grace, we’ll learn about Women of Virtue Widow Ministry founded by Mike and Betty Coghill.
The couple attend Discover Life Church on Memorial Drive, formerly known as Clarksville Church of God. Betty Coghill said the benevolence class taught them to reach out to those people who feel shut in and alone, so they came up with the idea to help widows at their church.
“At our church we had about five widows and we decided to have an event each month and get them involved in church activities,” Betty Coghill said. “Over the years they’ve invited their friends and brought them to our monthly meetings and now we have anywhere from 40 to 50 widows a month.”
The group expanded to other members outside their church and Betty Coghill said anyone from any church is welcome. Currently, they have ladies attending from 18 different churches in Clarksville-Montgomery County.
Many times widows feel like they have been left behind after the death of their husband, but Women of Virtue give them an opportunity to share their life and highlights with other people, she said.
There are various events each month both at and outside the church. There are also two fundraisers held each year that help the organizers provide events for the widows widows don’t have to pay anything for the events since many of them are on limited incomes.
“We get the widows together because nobody can really minister to a widow except another widow,” Mike Coghill said. “We get them together once a month and they minister to each other’s needs by just talking to each other.”
The Women of Virtue program also offers the availability of sponsors for each of the widows and many of them have sponsors, but some don’t.
“What the sponsor will do is contact the widow on a regular basis, send out cards to them, mainly just to let them know someone is out there that cares about them,” Betty Coghill said.
She added that if anyone knows of a widow who may be interested in their ministry, they are encouraged to share information about the group.
To find out more about Women of Virtue or to make a donation, visit discoverlifehere.com. You can also call Betty Coghill at 931-980-7542.