When I first wrote this post, it was 2010, and it’s not only two months until the 2012 conference – this time in Stamford CT. If there’s any way you can make it, you owe it to yourself to do so.
Meanwhile, what stimulated me two years ago, is still relevant.
It’s been two months now, since I went to the fabulous women’s conference in Philadelphia, sponsored by Greater Allen Cathedral African Methodist Episcopal Church, under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Elaine Flake, of Queens, New York.
Before I registered for the conference, I had read a blogger’s entry who wrote the Monday after the conference in 2009. She described feeling the letdown of coming down from the mountaintop, and I determined, in advance, that if I did decided to go, I would not want to have a Monday morning hangover. Another friend I had invited declined, saying she always comes back pumped, after these types of retreats, only to return to disappointing long-term outcomes. Those responses made me determined to find a way to absorb the conference in such a way that I would experience the overflow for at least several weeks or months afterwards, or it would not be worth the expense and effort of going, just for a 3-day high.
Well, it’s 60 days since I left, and I realize that how long I retain the afterglow is in my hands, and I’m still feeling it. I have definitely had several challenges to distract me, but, I’m resisting them. The theme of this year was “Walking in Divine Manifestation” and I’ve been walking in it – trying to integrate the experience of nonstop worship and reflecting on who God is, into the reality of my life as a black woman in a 21st century America.
There’s something about an 18-hour day that begins at 7 with a full worship service, and is followed by workshops and worship in every 2-hour period, except for meal breaks, that allows you to lose yourself in giving thanks to God for lots of things you’ve tended to overlook in the recent days and months. What you’ve experienced, what you’ve escaped, what you avoided, what your loved ones have been spared, etc. If you release yourself to this continual praise, you soon find yourself in worship. Praise and worship are related, but they’re not the same actions.
I was reminded that while praise rehearses what God has done in the past, worship speaks about who God is, in essence. So, praise assists in leading me into worship, but it’s the worship that’s really the goal. It’s in the worship that we experience God, not just ask him for things.
When you think about how God has worked in your life, then you find yourself saying, God, You really are awesome, You really are merciful, You really are powerful, You really are loving, You really are without equal, and so on. And, then you may find yourself in strong emotional outburst – tears, dancing, shouting, outreach to others.
So, to sustain the afterglow, I’ve been getting up an hour earlier each morning, to give myself to extended praise and hopefully worship. I’ve done this for periods of time before, but I had slacked off. Now, I’m back. I have to remind myself that it’s not about having an agenda or an explicit list of needs, that I spend this time. It is a sitting-at-the-feet-of-Jesus-like-Mary-of-Bethany type of time. It’s recognizing that just being in His presence, in praise and, hopefully, worship that that’s what God wants from me. There I will gain clarity, I will experience power, I will get all the things I really want, but that does not need to be my focus or my primary aim. And, when I get up from this time, then I move out to act on my prayers and on the scriptures that I’m meditating on or studying. To do the ministry God has given me.
Afterwards, as I walk through my daily schedule, I look at what the world is putting before me, through a different lens.
So, what happened at the conference?
About 1000 black women gathered in downtown Philadelphia for three days for a series of back-to-back worship services and workshops, starting from dawn to late at night. An exquisitely well-organized program, from the online registration process through day-time meals, reflect a learning organization, that has continuously improved over time. They thought of every aspect required to move 1000 people around efficiently and joyously, in adequate space and pleasant surroundings. Shout-out to the staff of the Philadelphia Marriott, who were impeccably courteous and helpful. The teams of volunteers from Greater Allen were everywhere – making sure that every attendee’s questions and needs were addressed. Not a grumpy face did I see, and all always helpful and skilled (obviously well-trained) in customer service. Who says that black people can’t provide friendly and helpful customer service? The Devil is a liar!
Shout-out to Pastor Elaine Flake, for pursuing her purpose in sponsoring these workshops for over 25 years, and continuing despite the recession of 2008-2010, and despite the challenges for attendees and would-be attendees to pull together even the modest fee for the conference. For less than $10 per week, a woman can plan to attend in 2011, starting now – and I recommend that anyone who knows they need a major boost at least on an annual basis, should start saving for the 2011 conference, which is already scheduled for April 28th-30th. $10. a week will cover registration, hotel, food, and more, if you split the hotel bill with at least one roommates.
The environment was uplifting in itself ─ an alternate reality from all the bad press and defamation of character that accompanies being black in America.
The women who presented were well-educated and highly accomplished, but accessible, down-to-earth in their language and deportment, but, rich in experience in walking with God, and calling us to excellence in our conduct and thinking. Their credibility comes through their testimonies and their books and tapes that were continuously available in the lobby areas. No hard selling, but, much material to enrich. A vendor’s area had very avant-garde fashions and accessories from black designers of hats, clothing of various types, music, books, accessories, jewelry, cosmetics.
Among the speakers were Dr. Claudette Copeland from San Antonio, TX, Dr. Renita Weems, from Nashville TN, Dr. Cynthia James, from Oakland, CA, Dr. Millicent Hunter, from Philadelphia, PA, Dr. Jessica Ingram, Dr. Cynthia Hale, and many others. Most of these are pastors, evangelists and teachers, but there was also Carla Harris, twice a Harvard grad, and a Wall Street executive. You could see the enjoyment on their faces as they enjoyed the ministry of the other speakers, I’m sure a rare opportunity for them to be uplifted by such top-caliber peers. Another lie debunked – that women, especially black women, can’t get along. The praise they expressed toward each other was not just lip-service, but citing each other’s words and integrating them among their own.
And, among those attending were women at every level of society, a track for those age 18 – 35; I saw women with handicapped children – all feasting on every word, getting nourishment after months of dryness, perhaps, in work and even church situations, where people do not acknowledge the intellectual prowess of women like these.
Check these women’s websites, or google them or youtube them. Try to catch snippets of their speaking ministries. You will get a taste of what we experienced. Send for CDs from their websites, if you can find them.
Here is a link to Greater Allen’s women’s ministry, to get DVDs and to see photos of the 2010 conference: http://www.secure-allencathedral.org/awm/index.htm
I am a daily consumer of news and commentary, listening to NPR, watching PBS and cable news shows, and reading the New York Times, blogs and articles from around the country and beyond. I can say that in all of a year of reading and keeping up with what the media serves to me, I have heard no mention of any of the women who spoke at this conference. Theirs are not household names, but, their work and ministries rival and supersede 95% of what I see in all of the sources I consume on a daily basis. They are not featured on the major blogs or quoted on cable shows, although some of them have appeared on CNN or other mass media outlets on occasion.
Our mass media seems not to be interested in positive role models for black women, for people of faith. We have to seek them out at conferences likes this. By contrast, if you have some kinky, over-the-top weird or narcissistic lifestyle, you can get a front row seat on Larry King Live or even Michelle Martin’s normally positive Tell Me More. And, if you can serve up hatred for your own ethnic group, you can get top billing on Fox TV or the like. But, if you’ve managed a 30-year career or ministry, with progressive spiritual and professional growth, or if you’re developing programs to help people and writing and producing materials that help change people’s lives – then, you’re too boring for the mainstream. If you haven’t been featured in the mainstream media, even though you can talk circles around all the talking heads and hosts they feature, and you can inspire and hold your own before thousands, but, you are not a household name, no scandal, no breaking taboos, then you’re not of interest to those who need others to tell them who to listen to.
But, we who are pursuing divine purpose have to know where to find inspiration and help, and go after it. We can’t passively wait for the endorsement of Oprah or other gatekeepers in mass media. We are not on the same wave length. They are looking for shock value, to make money by attracting eyeballs and coaxing people into make purchases. We are looking for life-changing wisdom and community-changing empowerment. Different goals. Different means.
So, what’s different for me as a result of going?
I left encouraged and confident that God has much more for my life than the very much He has already granted me. Opportunities to enjoy the life He has given me, to grow and to serve. One speaker mentioned Caleb, in the Old Testament book of Joshua, who at age 85 asked for the toughest neighborhood to be given to him to settle in. ‘I feel as strong as I did at age 40’, he said. Not bragging empty words, but truly energized by the power of God, capable of taking on all the challenges to achieve the promises of God to him. This blog is a direct outgrowth of the challenges I experienced there.
I was encouraged to be in close relationship with people who aspire to godliness, with people of purpose.
By the non-stop praise and worship, I was reminded that I am far from having reached my capacity for worship. That there are depths and heights in God that I have no idea of. That there are no limits to what God can do through me, if I make myself available. It’s a great feeling to not feel confined or limited by other people’s expectations, to have the lid taken off, at least for a few days. I don’t know if other people feel those constraints in their daily life, but I hadn’t realized how much I do.
In the popular, know-it-all media, people of faith are scorned for being so certain of their beliefs. I understand that there’s often a lack of humility and tolerance among religious people, that’s a turnoff to others. However, that’s one extreme, and the absolute refusal to be certain about anything is also an extreme, and one that doesn’t build my faith or leave me empowered. I can’t speak for anyone else, but, I found these women to be realistic in their confidence about God; they are open-minded about what they don’t know, but confident that God does know.
I covet the prayers of all who know how to get a word through to the Rainmaker. If you find my sharing motivational or helpful in any way, please let me know.
Rainmaking, Unlimited 