A weekend conference aimed at empowering women begins this evening at the Heritage Worship Centre.

The two guest speakers are Co-Pastor Paula White, of Without Walls International Church, and Co-Pastor Susie Owens, from the Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church (GMCHC).

The Women's Conference 2005 is being presented by the New Testament Church of God and aside from the luncheon at the Wyndham Resort, all talks are free and will be held at the Heritage Worship Centre.

The theme of the event is “A Sunrise of Vision for Women for such a time as this... Eccl 3:1” and it is being hosted by Pastor and First Lady Rev. William A. Lee, Jr. and Mrs. Sheila Lee, Mrs. Ruby Smith, president of the Island Women's Ministries, and Rev. Dr. Goodwin Smith, administrative Bishop of the New Testament Church of God.

Rev. Lee Jr. said the aim of the conference was to try to empower ALL women.

“It is regardless of their age range because God is not done with us until we are done here.”

He said the conference would touch on aspects of women's home, spiritual and emotional life.

“It is somewhat of a holistic approach, which encompasses not just the spiritual, emotion, professional areas of their lives.

“I would say that one of the things about the speakers is that they are both women of excellence in various areas.

“They have been able to impact in their communities, and in their lives they have been effective in so many different areas, so at Heritage we are looking at a holistic approach, so that hopefully we can speak to women across the board in terms of the issues they are confronting.”

But the women, although similar in many respects, do have differences.

“The main difference between the two of them would be their exposure level,” said Rev. Lee. “One being more on television than the other, but they do seem to have a similar message, Paula's television ministry has been very active. But they both have experience in ministering to all types of people. Probably the most impressive thing with them has been their ability to reach individuals that have been oppressed and down and out in the inner cities.”

Rev. Lee and his wife have known both of the guest speakers for many years and he invited the general public to come along and hear their message.

Co-Pastor White has been referred to as a pastor, preacher, author, humanitarian, teacher, TV personality, wife and mother.

She is world-renowned in the Christian community for her unmatched ability to relate to, and minister to anyone at any place. Her message crosses denominational, cultural, and socio-economic barriers with a candid, no-nonsense, and fresh approach to God's word.

“I bring it down to concrete reality issues facing everyone in the 21st Century,” she said.

During her early years Mrs. White's life was riddled with abuse and trauma. “It preceded my journey through poverty and prosperity, tragedy and triumph,” she said.

“This ignited my compassion for restoring the hope of the broken.

“My life was forever changed when I first heard the gospel of Jesus Christ at the age of 18. Since then, I have devoted my entire life to spreading God's message of hope and love to anyone who will listen.” Sometimes referred to as the “midwife to dreams”, she said: “I try to inspire people in all walks of life to step boldly into the divine destiny that God has planned for them.”

With her husband Randy she co-pastors and is co-founder of the a Without Walls International Church (WWIC).

She said it was a thriving, multi-racial expression of some 18,000 members in Tampa, Florida. The church has been recognised as the seventh largest in the nation today, according to Dr. John Vaughn, of Church Growth Today, while ministering to more than 25,000 people weekly.

“WWIC has established nearly 270 ministries, many of which extend to inner-city families, the homeless, the needy and the elderly.”

Along with all of her other accomplishments she has been instrumental in establishing a medical centre, an adoption agency, a Christian academy, a vocational and technical centre and a ministerial internship certification institute.

She also hosts a national television programme, Paula White Today, that can be seen daily on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, Black Entertainment Television (BET), The Church Channel, The Miracle Network, Court TV, The Word Network, and Daystar Television Network.

Mrs. White has also been a featured guest on numerous television broadcasts, including ABC's “20/20”, Benny Hinn's “This is Your Day”, The 700 Club, and Bishop TD Jakes' “The Potter's Touch”.

Bishop Jakes has been quoted saying, “Whoever gets a chance to experience her fresh approach to ministry coupled with her deep love for broken people will never be the same again”.

Prior to establishing Without Walls International Church, she worked with the National Church of God under the leadership of Dr. T. L. Lowery where she taught Bible in a Christian academy and college and extensively supported various ministries and outreaches world-wide.

She trained in Ministerial Studies and Christian Education and has an Honorary Doctorate Degree.

Mrs. White is also an author of the best-seller “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not”. And he has also written several other titles, which include: “See Me, Hear Me, Know Me”; “Dare to Dream”; “Morning By Morning”; “Living the Abundant Life”; and her newest release is “Deal With It”.

She has travelled the world evangelising and some of the places she has visited include Israel, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Singapore, Uganda, South Africa, United Kingdom, Germany, Holland, Canada, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, Nigeria, Indonesia, Egypt, the Bahamas, and many other nations.

Evangelist Susie C. Owens is a native Texan and a product of the Boston public school system. She graduated from the Bethel Bible Institute, where she earned an Associate of Arts degree in New Testament Studies, in 1970.

Understanding her call to teach, she pursued the field of education and graduated from Brooks College, in 1972, with a BA in Early Childhood Education. In May of 1999, she received an MA in Religious Studies from Howard University School of Divinity.

She has been in the ministry for over 30 years during which time she has travelled extensively throughout the United States and abroad.

“My unique presentation of the gospel has enabled me to minister to many denominations and organisations,” she said, “And as a result I am a much sought after lecturer, teacher, leader, and counsellor.

“Moreover, my gift has made room for me to minister on national platforms to tens of thousands of people.

“It has been my privilege to serve at various women's retreats and conferences, marriage seminars, youth rallies and crusades. God has granted me favour in the secular arena where I have had the honour of serving as secretary for the Mayor's Office of Religious Affairs in the District of Columbia.”

Co-pastor Owens has received numerous awards and citations, most noteworthy among them, the distinct honour of Mother of the Year for the District of Columbia, which was bestowed upon her by the American Mothers Association for her outstanding work in the field of parenting.

She is married to Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr., who is the minister of the Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church (GMCHC), in Washington, D.C., and vice bishop of the Mount Calvary Holy Church of America, Inc.

“I serve alongside my husband in ministry as the Co-Pastor, which is a progressive, inner-city church with an adult membership of more than 7,000,” she said.

She also serves as vice president and instructor at the Calvary Bible Institute, an accredited Bible School, which comes under the GMCHC.

She is co-ordinator of the GMCHC's Annual Women's Conference and the author of two books “Unless Two Agree” and “Memorable Moments”.

She serves as a member of the Evangelistic and Trustee Boards of GMCHC and when she has spare time she said: “I enjoy the theatre and reading.

“I am also the proud mother of two, Alfred Thomas and Kristel Moneek and grandmother of three, Darian Isaiah, Nicholas Thomas and William Isaac.”

This evening at 7 p.m. there is the Evening Revival Service at the New Testament Church of God in the Heritage Worship Centre.

Tomorrow at noon to 3 p.m. the Empowerment Session, which includes lunch, is being held at the Wyndham Resort. (SOLDOUT)

Sunday at 10 a.m. Co-Pastor Owens will speak at the New Testament Church of God in the Heritage Worship Centre and at 3 p.m. Co-Pastor White will carry the afternoon.

For more information (292-5214.