GC Women's Ministries Awareness Week Inspires

GC WM Calls Attention to the Department and Projects

March 10–13 was the General Conference Women’s Ministries Awareness Week. This was a time when the WM department presented to attendees from other GC departments. The theme for the week was “A Love-Filled Heart.” The subthemes were “A Giving Heart, A Grateful Heart, and a Forgiving Heart.” Galina Stele, director of the Women’s Ministries Department, shared the purpose of WM. Then she presented the special project for the department called Scholarshipping Our Sisters (SOS). The first day’s program began with a special musical number by flautist Elizabeth Pettit. Premila Pedapudi, administrative assistant for GCWM presented a special message called “Widow’s Mite,” reminding listeners that faithful giving, though it may be little, is recognized and blessed by God.

Tuesday’s program featured representatives of young women from GC WM. The department continues to champion ministry both to women of experience and to those just beginning the journey of womanhood. WM’s newest team member, Celeste Diaz-Vazquez, introduced Keldie Paroschi, from the Biblical Research Institute, the speaker for the morning. Keldie’s message, built around the adult Sabbath School lesson for the week, was focused on Christ. Jacqueline Kuhn followed the message with the hymn, “O Love That Will Not Let Me Go.”

On Wednesday, the awareness week paused as employees gathered for personal fellowship in their departmental branches. In the meantime, WM received donations from within the GC amounting to more than a hundred dollars for the SOS program. This year’s special country of focus is South Sudan. Low literacy rates for women there reflect the extreme poverty of the nation. Supporting education for Adventist women through SOS strengthens the work of the gospel in this region.

Galina Stele brought the awareness week to an end with a creative sermon, a series of letters imagining what Joseph might have written to his father during his time in Egypt. The final letter, a letter to our Father in heaven, anticipated the return of Jesus for His people who have waited for Him. “Give Me Jesus” was the musical response presented by Lori Williams.

At the end of the week, WM collected hundreds of dollars toward the SOS South Sudan project with more to come.