2010 1st Quarter Women’s Service Team Report

New Team Member

Barbara Porter has been added to our women’s service team this year.  She was baptized in 1983 in the Boston Church of Christ while attending Harvard Law School and was a member of the Toronto and Mexico City mission teams.  Barbara and her husband of 22 years, John Porter, fulfilled a dream by being able to lead the church in Sao Paulo, Brazil.  They have, also, served in churches throughout the state of Florida and have helped train and send out leaders to churches in the southern cone of South America.  John and Barbara currently serve as congregational Evangelist and Women’s Ministry Leader in the South Florida Church of Christ.  They have two spirited children, Joseph, a sophomore in college and Jacqueline, a high school junior.

2010 International Leadership Conference

We are excited that Barbara will be helping us plan the women’s portion of the International Leadership Conference this year.  We’ve asked her to share some of the plans that are being made. ur God has been working powerfully and faithfully, and every year the International Leadership Conference (ILC) is one of the most special times we have to gather together to celebrate what He has done!  This year, from September 23-26, disciples of Jesus from all around the world will come together in Miami, Florida for the 2010 ILC entitled, “The Mission”.  The goal of the conference is to provide opportunities to learn, share, grow, pray, and be inspired to take the gospel farther “into all the world” and deeper into our hearts.

We are especially excited to share plans about the women’s program at the ILC!  For so many of us, the highlight of any conference we attend is the part devoted to us as women. As in years past, there will be an entire portion of the conference completely taught by women, directed towards our needs and our essential, evolving roles in God’s kingdom.

How can we grow in our faith and vision to reach a lost world?  What is God telling us about teaching and empowering other women?  Where can we discover the courage and inspiration to dream bigger dreams and have greater impact?  These are questions that sisters in Christ of all ages, nations, and life-situations share.  Together, we will search our hearts and study God’s Word to find the strength and wisdom we need. 

But what is a conference without fellowship? As we see throughout the Scriptures, the friendships we build (Philippians 1:3-8), the bonds we deepen (Ephesians 4:3), and the unity we forge (Ephesians 4:15-16) are the ligaments that support God’s international family.  Our relationships are very precious treasures that keep us encouraged and call us higher. The ILC will be an incredible opportunity to “make new friends and keep the old”! 

We invite all disciples to join us at the International Leadership Conference.  It’s not just for church leaders!  Please keep the ILC in your prayers and start making plans to attend.

The planning Commmittee for the 2010 women’s program at the ILC:  Barbara Porter, Anne-Brigitte Taliaferro, Nadine Templer, Karen Louis, Laura Garcia, Tammy Fleming

“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”  Mark 16:15

Women Today online

Jeanie Shaw and Nadine Templer and their entire editorial staff continue to do a wonderful job of publishing excellent news and videos on our Women Today website of the Disciples Today portal.  Please spread the word to women in and outside the church and send us your stories and videos:  Women Today

Women’s Service Team Members

Anne-Brigitte Taliaferro  San Antonio, USA
Barbara Porter                 Miami, USA
Elizabeth Sin                  Hong Kong, China
Gloria Baird                   Los Angeles, USA
Jeanie Shaw                   Boston, USA
Joyce Arthur                   Boston, USA
Karen Louis                    Singapore, Singapore
Laura Garcia                   Los Angeles, USA
Lena Wooten                  Kiev, Ukraine
Nadine Templer               New Delhi, India
Robin Williams (chair)     Los Angeles, USA
Rolayo Ogbannayo           Lagos, Nigeria
Tammy Fleming            Birmingham, England
Terrie Fontenot              Virginia Beach, USA