4th Annual Collaborative Women’s Conference Fundraiser/Celebration

Women, men and youth of all faiths and backgrounds will come together for the 4rd Annual Collaborative Women’s Conference (CWC), set for Friday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for vendors to set up. The theme: Iron Sharpens Iron! This year, their goal is to provide a great evening of gospel through various genre and make it FREE ADMISSION, while simultaneously providing much needed donations to their annual Paducah recipients: Merryman House Domestic Crisis Center, Ladies Living Free and the Purchase Area Sexual Assault Center.

More than 150 women have joined this faith-based/community-based organization since the gorgeously beautiful Dr. Bernice Belt, associate minister at Washington Street Missionary Baptist Church, put out the call in 2008 in hopes of forming the group. Women of all races, abilities and ethnic groups and representing all denominations/no-denomination, many organizations and services, various ages from 6 to mid- 80’s! And today, the CWC is a helpful extension of local churches, and a supporter of all churches, pastors and their wives, women’s ministries, women ministers and wives of associate ministers and organizations designed to assist women and their families.

“Women are hungry for the camaraderie through ministry outside their normal environment,” Bernice says. “As Christian women, we know there’s more. We enjoy being around each other. We are excited about what the ministry is designed to accomplish.”

New this year are 6 Awards for Women – “Heart of a Woman” Award, 6 Awards for Organizations – “The Heart of Collaboration” Award and 2 Education Gifts.

The “Heart of a Woman” Awards go to: Merryman Kemp, Lorraine Mathis, Susie Coiner, Rev. Sarah Stratton, Martha Bell and Gail McEwen. The “Heart of Collaboration” Awardees are the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce, The Paducah Sun, West Kentucky Community and Technical College, Bristol Broadcasting, “Heavenly Seniors” 9th Street Tabernacle Ministries and the Paducah/McCracken County Senior Citizens Center.  The education gifts go to Oscar Cross Boys and Girls Club and Bobby Jones Memorial Scholarship.

Participating guests include:

• Featured out-of-town guest psalmist: Michelle L. Prather
• Steel Dove (local band)
• Plan Z (local band)
• Featured out-of-town children’s choir: Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church of Carbondale, Illinois
• Featured Christian rapper:  Raimundo “BrotherPray” Sumner
  
  

Vocalists:
• Co-Pastor Bryan Phelps (Heartland Worship Center)
• Tony Bohannon (First Baptist on Broadway)
• Claudia Meeks (Margaret Hanks)
• Gail McEwen (For His Glory radio show)
• Tineka Zarlinga— & Pianist (Mt. Moriah Baptist Church)
• Wesley Manning—Vocal/Guitarist
  
  
• Mt. Horeb—Metropolis Music Ministry & Friends Choir
• Nicolas Cofield (pianist)
• The NIAs of Paducah (dance)
• Chris Harwood (guitarist)
• Samuel Hawkins, II (spoken word)
• 9th Street Tabernacle Ministries Youth & Friends—“Drummers For GOD”
• Calvin Cole, Jr. (instrumentalist)
• SUSTA’  B-FLAT with “Church Announcements” (instrumentalist)