Every person has a name… Every name has a story… Every story matters to God…
These words are found at the top of the poster advertising “What’s Your Story,” a women’s conference hosted by New Horizons Community Church in Sarnia, ON.
I spoke with Tara Steeves, Pastor of Women’s Ministries at New Horizons Community Church in Sarnia, ON, to find out how the conference came about, “I suggested going to Springarama, a women’s conference held in Eastern Ontario and organized by Women’s Ministries International. But because of the distance and conflicts with work we decided not to attend. Some of the women in our church suggested looking for something in Southwestern Ontario.”
They looked around but couldn’t find anything Free Methodist-y in Southwestern Ontario they so decided to organize and host “What’s Your Story.” It makes sense given the church’s philosophy, “If we want something then God has placed it on our hearts for a reason.”
A committee was formed and the organizing began. Tara got to work looking for a guess speaker and contacted Carol Kent who was already going to be nearby at another event. For those of you who don’t know Carol here is a snippet from her website, “Carol is an award winning author and a gifted speaker. She would love to work with your church, ministry or business. Carol is hilariously funny, biblically sound, culturally relevant, and a welcome addition to any platform.” Check out www.carolkent.org for information about Carol or to read some of her writing.
Carol lived in Port Huron, Michigan (just across the river from Sarnia) a few years back so many of the women at NHCC are familiar with her compelling personal story and her book, “When I Lay my Isaac Down.”
The focus of the conference is all about telling your story in a Christ centred manner. Carol is the guest speaker and there will be four workshops to choose from on the Saturday:
- I Have a Story to Tell – Carol Kent
- How to Keep Positive Through Life’s Difficulities – Annette Minor
- The Real You…How Do I Find My True Identity – Tara Steeves
- Connecting Your Children with Their God Story – Karen Berger
Tara’s hope for the conference, “Our hope is to rejuvenate and energize ladies. We want women to get reconnected with who they are in Christ. God has given us a story and we have life experiences. What are you doing for the Kingdom of God with that? That is our goal that we will empower people to share their faith with others in a peaceful, encouraging, powerful way.”
Invitations have been sent to over 90 churches in Ontario and Michigan so register now! Tickets will not be sold at the door so be sure to pre-register by calling 519-332-3918 or email [email protected]. Tickets are $60 if you register before October 1st or $75 after October 1st.
What’s Your Story Women’s Conference, Sarnia, ON, Friday, October 9th – Saturday, October 10th
