Women get set for wonderful weekend
"There is in every true woman's heart a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity, but which kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity." - Washington Irving.
Its identifying letters, WWW, haven't yet made it as famous as the World Wide Web, but the Wonderful Weekend for Women, set to celebrate its 17th year in Columbia on February 29 and March 1, has become more far-reaching and all-encompassing each year. The desire to lift up and encourage women was the spark of heavenly fire that ignited the birth of the weekend-long conference, which features nationally known speakers, seminars and sessions designed to renew and proclaim the participants' faith in one another and in God.
The conference took shape in 1991, when some leaders of Ladies in Fellowship Together (LIFT), the women's ministry of First Baptist, had an idea for an event to complement the ministry already established through LIFT, whose objective was to reach women with the love of Christ and to help them grow in their faith. The programs held during the weekend would help women cope with the everyday problems and stresses of home and work. In the couple of years before this time, LIFT had sponsored a "Feminar", a one-day event for women, and "A Special Evening with LIFT" featuring Debi Alan of Channel 5's "Talk of the Town." The administrative team for LIFT - Ruth Hill McAllister, Patti Vaughn and Julie Davis - also served as the first organizational team for WWW. A host of other volunteers got involved - recruiters, prayer coordinators, decorators, registration and nursery workers, food preparers and servers, publicity helpers, counselors, book table workers, greeters, hostesses, and others. Brochures, fliers, and newsletters were sent out. The volunteers were asked to work harder than they may have ever worked in a ministry before, but their rewards would be heavenly - to see lives being touched and changed. No one was paid to work, and everyone paid to attend the conference, a policy that has continued for 17 years. The first conference was at Columbia State College's student center. Men dressed in tuxedos met the 175 ladies as they arrived and gave each a long-stemmed rose. (The theme that year was "The Rose of Sharon.") Over the years attendance grew. Organizers and volunteers came and went, but all made a commitment to the ministry. All different personalities came together to serve their faith and to meet the needs of women. A real sisterhood was formed and grew as the team members saw each other through illnesses and deaths in the family, struggles with children and marriages, finances and friendships. Wonderful Weekend for Women is built around guest speakers. This year's speakers are:
Kay Dekalb Smith -- "The Carol Burnett of Christian Entertainment" has recorded three videos that have aired on national TV as family comedy specials. She sees her purpose in life to be to make people happy. "(God) is the fountain, and I'm the conduit," she says. "I've got the best job in the world because I go and see what God's up to in people's lives, and encourage them."
Angela Thomas - The single mother of four is a bestselling author, a popular speaker - and a woman in pursuit of God. A graduate of the Dallas Theological Seminary, she reaches over 25,000 women of all ages each year through her seminars. "You learn how to love people when you're broken," she says. Her brokenness has helped her minister to women with passion and understanding. (www.angelathomas.com.)
Mel Tunney -- Back again this year. Born in Texas, Mel has been involved in Christian music for years. She and her husband, Dick, have won ten Dove Awards (with nine additional nominations) and a Grammy (with three other nominations). A resident of Franklin, she travels to women's conferences and worship events, is played on Christian radio stations, and appears as a guest artist in many churches. (She and Dick are the current Worship Leaders/Artists in Residence at First Baptist.) "My desire," she says, "is that God use me to draw others into a place of passionate worship, through music. The lives we live are reflective of His amazing grace and goodness in our lives, and I never want to take that for granted." (www.tunneymusic.com.)
--Wonderful Weekend for Women is Fri. and Sat., Feb. 29-March 1 at First Baptist Church in Columbia. For registration information and directions to the church, call 931-698-4630 or 931-380-2811, or visit www.wonderfulweekendforwomen.com. The schedule (tentative):
Friday: Noon-4 p.m. -- Group registration. 5-6:30 -- Registration, light refreshments, bookstore open. 6:30-9:30 -- Evening program with speakers. Saturday: 8 a.m. -- Continental breakfast. 8:30-11:30 -- Morning program. 11:30-1 -- Lunch break. 1-3:30 -- Afternoon program.
Cost for the weekend is $60, $67 with lunch. (Box lunches will be catered by Jason's Deli of Cool Springs.) Every attendee gets a tote bag of goodies provided by local merchants.