What games work for a women's ministry fellowship?

A women’s ministry gathering often brings together women who sit in the same pews every week and have never really talked. Some have been members for forty years; some came for the first time last month. The right games give them a reason to cross the room. Here is a plan for a fellowship hour that welcomes newcomers, honors longtime members and stays rooted in faith.

A 60-minute fellowship plan

1. 0:00, as women arrive: mingle bingo (15 minutes). Hand each guest a card and a pen at the door, so she has a reason to say hello while plates are filled.
2. 0:15, welcome and grace (5 minutes). Introduce any newcomers by name.
3. 0:20, Bible questions in table teams (20 minutes). Each table is a team, with one answer sheet.
4. 0:40, hymn bingo (15 minutes). The caller sings the first line of each hymn; the room joins in.
5. 0:55, close in prayer. Thank the women who set up and served.

If your gathering runs longer, add a second round of Bible questions or play hymn bingo to two lines instead of one.

Mingle bingo for newcomers

Every square finishes “Find someone who…” and guests collect initials from women who fit. Our Church Fellowship Find the Guest Bingo is written for fellowship, women’s ministry, Bible study and church socials. It has 16 different cards in two sizes and 48 squares, with large print 4 by 4 cards for anyone who wants bigger type.

Tips for a ministry setting:

• Ask each winner to introduce one new friend she met while filling her card.
• Pair a longtime member with a newcomer on one card: two pens, one card, one new friendship.
• For women who’d rather stay seated, play table by table, or have the host read squares aloud while women raise a hand.
• Make “not me” a welcome answer. Kind questions, honest answers, and anyone may pass.

Bible questions in table teams

Table teams take the pressure off. Nobody is quizzed alone, and the woman who knows every judge in order sits beside the woman who knows the hymns.

Our women’s ministry bundle includes two Bible games. One has 40 questions in four rounds with A B C paddles, a Scripture reference for every answer, five tie-breakers and a 20-question short game. The other, Bible Which Came First, asks 40 two-choice questions about the Bible in English and church life, from the 300s to today, with a fun fact after every answer.

How to run it:

1. Seat tables of four to six and mix ages at each one.
2. Read each question twice, with its options.
3. Give teams 30 to 45 seconds, or let everyone raise A, B or C paddles at once.
4. Read the answer and its fun fact. This is where the conversation starts.
5. Score by round, and keep the board where everyone can see it.

Hymn bingo to close

Hymn bingo is the gentlest finale there is. Our Hymn Bingo has 100 different cards, 40 hymns an American congregation knows by heart, and 16 hymns to a card, with every title set at 24 pt or larger. The caller sings or plays a hymn and says its name, and everyone who has it marks the square.

Choose the length to fit your time: one line takes about fifteen minutes, two lines about half an hour, and a full card about an hour.

Welcoming every age

Women’s ministry often spans women in their twenties with toddlers and women in their nineties. A few habits keep everyone included:

• Seat older women near the caller and away from the kitchen noise.
• Offer large print cards to everyone, so nobody has to ask.
• Give young moms a game that survives interruptions. Bingo and table teams both do; a child on a lap doesn’t cost anyone the round.
• Use buttons as bingo markers. They’re easy to see and to pick up.
• Keep the pace gentle. Nobody should feel rushed or put on the spot.

Seasonal ideas

In November, a gratitude game fits naturally; our Thanksgiving Gratitude Dice includes a Faith deck written for church groups. In December, a church Christmas gathering can follow the same one-hour plan with Christmas games in place of the everyday ones.

Printing for a church budget

Black ink is all these games need. Print the host pages and score sheets once, and use the TV slides on a screen if your fellowship hall has one, which skips most of the printing. Print bingo cards on card stock and keep them in a folder for next time. Before you print a stack, print one page at Actual size (100%) to check it; our guide on printing at actual size walks through it.

Fellowship hour is about the people in the room. Good games simply make it easier to meet them. Browse all our church games.