Spotlight on Engagement – Krista Spadt
“Krista just has a way about her,” says Tanner Benson, member of the Moms of Young Children Group at DPC. “A gentleness and a sensitivity that invites you to open up. She has a curiosity and enthusiasm, and she is able to lighten the mood and make things fun. It’s that combination of gentleness and empathy and genuineness – and just an easy, sweet sense of humor – that makes her the full package as leader.”
Members of the Moms Group have a deep affection and respect for Krista Spadt – founder and facilitator of this faith-based group designed to connect and support mothers through fellowship, education, and shared experiences. Described by participants as authentic, compassionate, and humble, Krista is touted both for the care she takes in planning meetings and for her facilitation skills.
Launched in September of 2019 as a branch of the national organization Mothers of Preschoolers or MOPS (which focuses on on the development of participants as women, mothers, leaders, and Christians), the group quickly attracted more than a dozen active participants for regular, weekday meetings on the church campus. When COVID forced an end to in-person gatherings in the spring of 2020, Krista quickly pivoted to ensure the group could continue to meet participants’ needs. Emerging from under the MOPS umbrella, Krista began to develop original content, while eliminating the constraints and program fees associated with the MOPS program. Gatherings were moved online during evening hours, opening up the group to individuals whose daytime schedules or proximity to the church had previously prevented them from participating. “Having the meetings over Zoom during the last two years has been a true gift. It’s been a practical way for women of young children to share, to cry, and to laugh together over the absurdity of how our lives have been turned upside down during COVID,” says group member Meghan Burkins.
Krista describes the Moms of Young Children Group as centered on faith formation, support, and relationship building, and strives to strike a balance between focused discussions and informal fellowship. Meetings typically begin with a pre-planned activity, but conversations are allowed to unfold naturally. As explained by Krista, “Sometimes the conversations start one way and then move in a completely different direction, and that’s great. We want it to be that way. It is not a stagnant thing and it is not a Bible study. There is a devotional and we usually have some sort of starting point, but it doesn’t necessarily begin and end there.”
While acknowledging that her original interest in leading a mother’s group at DPC stemmed from a desire to meet an area of need, Krista is quick to point out that her involvement in this ministry has enriched her life as much as those whom it serves. “This has become my group as well…I am also making friends. I am also able to tell my stories and vent my frustrations. I am also able to ask my questions and to question my faith and have other people put in their two cents.”
The Moms of Young Children Group meets over Zoom on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month from 8:00-9:00pm. If you would like to learn more, please contact Krista Spadt at dpc@dtownpc.org or visit the Moms Groups Page on the DPC website. All are welcome!
Do you have a group or a church member at DPC you would like to see spotlighted here? Email Christian Menno (christianm@dtownpc.org) or Christine Graham-Rawlings (chrisr@dtownpc.org) with your suggestions.