SOUTHERN WOMEN'S CONVENTION

 

SATURDAY 10th JUNE 2023 - FULLY BOOKED

Do you ever feel fearful in witness? Does your heart ever feel cold to God's word? If so, come and learn from the book of Esther. It tells a thrilling story of danger, excitement, and bravery - but it's not just a story! As we delve into its pages, we find wonderful truths about the work of God in our lives today. We'll be encouraged to embrace the opportunities that God gives us to live for him, and we'll have our hearts warmed again with the wonder of his work, seen most fully at the cross of Jesus.
 
Time: 9.30am – 4.15pm (doors open at 8.45am)

Place: All Saints Church, Crowborough, East Sussex

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Who is speaking?


 

Charlotte Cornes lives in New Barnet, N London, where she has been the Women's Worker at Lyonsdown Church for the last thirteen years. Her work involves outreach in the community, as well as discipling women in the church family and training them as partners in gospel ministry. Given the multi-national London context, much of this work is with women who have English as a second language. She loves going for long walks, listening to live music, and any kind of dancing.
 

Who is the day for?

The day is for women of all ages (13+), at any stage of their Christian life and will be a day of bible teaching, seminars, and praise. There will be an opportunity to attend two seminars during the day and an optional Q&A session with our speakers at the end.
 

What is the cost?

£10 for adults
£5 for teens / young adults

to include refreshments and pastries.

Bookstall from 10ofThose.

What should I bring?

Please bring a bible, a picnic lunch, and a rug if it is fine to picnic outside! Please also bring a reusable travel cup if you have one. There will be opportunities to buy books from the 10ofthose book shop on the day, along with drinks and snacks from a local Coffee Van who will be parked up by the main entrance.

There will be no crèche but babes in arms are welcome.

Seminars 

In this beauty-obsessed world (Hilary Nicholls)

"The book of Esther is all about a young woman called Esther who is described as having a 'lovely figure and a woman of beauty'. But how should Christians think biblically about the whole issue of beauty? This seminar will be an interactive session thinking through how God wants us to see ourselves...and the impact of this on our identity, our self-image and how we view each other. It will encourage us to celebrate how God's made us and to reflect Christ's beauty in a culture obsessed with beauty and image."

Hilary has been a Christian for many years. She is wife to Andrew (a pastor who now works at Oak Hill Theological College) and mum to two boys, Silas and Toby. She works as Minister for Women and Outreach at Grace Church Highlands as well as running her Personal Styling Company, Dress without Stress. Hilary loves helping people enjoy who God has made them to be in all areas of life, but especially in learning to dress for how God has made them!
 

In navigating the moral maze of a secular world (Dawn Hobson)

 

"A patient of Oliver Sacks, the famous neurologist, was not aware that he walked with a tilt until he was given a pair of glasses with a built-in spirit level. In the same way, God's Word is the light that corrects and guides the many ways we form our identity, and challenges how we can live to please our Heavenly Father. In this seminar we will apply the lens of scripture in Genesis 1 and 2, God's creation order, to the sensitive areas of abortion, euthanasia and gender identity. We will discuss the ways we might hold to these truths in our personal lives; and how we can speak of these issues to unbelieving friends and family."

Dawn became a Christian in her 20s during Nursing training in London, from a non-Christian family where there had been many broken relationships. She is married to Jeremy, who is a Minister in central London, with two children in their 20's - and still adjusting to the shock of saying that! She loves helping in Women's Bible study and with Sunday School - but is extremely poor at craft. She has a Nursing PhD in ethical decision-making at the end of life and works for a patient champion charity, helping people in Redbridge (NE London) to access NHS health and social care services.

In my solo parenting (Helen Hayward)

Helen was widowed without warning in 2007 when her sons were seven & nine. She will share, and encourage discussion of, some of the truths we rely on as we navigate solo parenting for whatever reason.

In the juggle of life (Kimberly Davis)

"Exhausted, low energy, too tired to enjoy things, juggling all the plates, too much to do, stretched too thin, never enough hours in the day... Ever felt that way? We will discuss and discover how turning off what the world says is important and turning our hearts towards Jesus will help us truly find rest and peace."

Kimberly has been married to Matt for 26 years, she's a mum to three adult children, and has a dog named Yoda. She's originally from California but has lived in London for 10 years. During the day Kimberly works part time with The Globe Church and is a talent agent. For fun, she likes to cook and have people over, read and play games. Kimberly's passion is using the arts to share the gospel and she loves reading the Bible with women no matter where they are on their faith journey.

In knowing how to handle Old Testament Narrative (Leonie Mason)

"Don't we all love a good story? With drama, tension, a hero or heroine and a few villains for good measure? It's perhaps not a surprise therefore that God has chosen to use real stories to reveal himself to us, and to teach us about our Saviour and ourselves through them. This seminar will equip us with principles and practical help so that we can read, enjoy and teach Old Testament narrative faithfully and with greater confidence."

Leonie teaches and trains women at St Helen’s Bishopsgate in London, in the Sunday morning congregation and on their Associate scheme. Thriving on variety, she has previously studied music, sold handbags and been a fundraiser for a disability charity. She loves spending time with her friends, family and godchildren and, whenever possible, combines this with drinking tea and walking in far-flung parts of the UK. When she can’t escape London, you might find her in the local park where she enjoys planting trees and litter-picking with neighbours, and (not often enough) running.

When coping with fractured relationships and what forgiveness looks like (Rachel Dowdy)

"What should we do when relationships fracture? When and how should we forgive and what does that mean and doesn’t mean? How can we apply biblical principles to our own situations and pray for each other?"

Rachel Dowdy is part of the Grace Church Dulwich, wife of Simon (a pastor) mum of three children (two grown up), daughter of an elderly mum (Alzheimer’s), daughter in law of an elderly mum in law, sister of two, aunt of two, volunteer chaplain at Kings Hospital, neighbour and friend to many. All of these relationships provide ample opportunity both to demonstrate and give forgiveness!

In reflection and response (Suzanne Dillingham)

"Busy lives and the ever-increasing demands of church activities can sometimes crowd the Lord out even as we seek to serve Him. But there never seems to be a good opportunity to really step aside and take time to respond to the Lord’s invitation to deeper intimacy with Him. This is a partly structured, partly unstructured session for us to take time to reflect on all that Jesus has been showing us through the book of Esther, and to consider our response to ‘such a time as this’."

A Christian for four decades, Suzanne loves encouraging others in their journey of faith and has recently discovered a deep love of prayer. She once was a youth leader for our conference keynote speaker (so feeling her age!) and now is an administrator in the Diocese of Chichester, Education department.

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