COLUMBUS, GA—The women of four Seventh-day Adventist
Churches came together and held a first-time joint ladies brunch in Columbus, Ga.,
on Jan. 24, 2010. The theme was “Celebrating Life: Reaching Out and Touching
Others.”
Over 80 ladies of all ages attended and many were able to
get re-acquainted with old friends and make new friends. Ann Dockens, Columbus
First Church Women’s Ministries leader, spearheaded the event in conjunction
with Connie Johnson, Women’s Ministries leader of the New Bethel Church in
Columbus. Ann Gregory of the Better Living Seventh-day Adventist Church in
Phenix City, Ala., and Bess Davis of the Talbot County Community Seventh-day
Adventist Church in Georgia joined them in planning the event.
Rosalyn Saunders, pastoral wife at New Bethel Church warmly
welcomed the ladies to New Bethel Church, where the brunch was held. Clara Lou
Johns, pastoral wife of the Columbus First Church, gave a blessing for the
delicious and abundant food. There was a lively song service led by Bess Davis
of the Talbot County Community Church, with Shirley Nickless of the Columbus
First Church at the piano. Cheryl Palmour from Columbus First Church sang a
lovely medley of hymns a cappella. Zondra Griffin from New Bethel read a poem
about getting excited about the Christian life, illustrated by different types
of shoes. The ladies were charged to have our “work” shoes on to do full time
work for Christ. Ruth Dorsett from the Better Living Church gave the devotional
and charged the women to be clothed with the word of God.
Ideas for Women’s Ministries were discussed and shared over
bunch. Tables were decorated beautifully, with a wrapped river rock called a
“prayer rock” and poem at each place setting. The poem told the ladies how to
use the rock to remind them of their communication with God. At the end, Elder
Saunders, pastor at New Bethel, concluded with prayer. Many ladies commented on
how much they enjoyed this joint brunch and how it had been such a remarkable
spiritual experience for them, as well as a lot of fun.
Ann Dockens from the Columbus Church says she was just
amazed and thankful at how the Lord led her in initiating a joint church ladies
event. She said she was very grateful also for the tremendous blessings the
Lord provided to her and the other women leaders and participants. There are
several other joint projects and events already being planned. One project
will be to send donated shoes to earthquake victims in Haiti. Myisha Atkins of
the Columbus First Church is working with New Bethel Church members in this
endeavor. All the ladies in all the area Seventh-day Adventist churches are
looking forward to working together in Christ to bless each other and to serve
others.
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