WS Chronicle

Greater Tabernacle Worship Center has held a women’s conference for over 20 years. This year the conference will run from Sept. 16-19 at the church, located at 1410 Attucks St.

The conference was started over 20 years ago by late senior pastor Apostle Brenda J. McLeod as a tool to empower women in business, community and service to the church. She wanted to bring in different voices to speak to people of all ages in attendance.

“We seek to empower, uplift, motivate and encourage women in the church community and beyond,” said Gwendolyn Robinson, chairperson for the women’s department and one of the organizers of the conference.  

Robinson partnered with Tamika Patterson, the co-chairperson of the women’s department, to put the conference together this year. Both women have served in the capacity of chair and co-chair of the department, so their familiarity with one another makes planning for the event much easier, said Robinson.

For the event, there will be numerous speakers touching on a wide range of subjects for the conference. Pastor Rita Wilson and Dr. Inga Johnson are two of the speakers who will be at the conference.

“What we decided to do this year was to make sure the women are well rounded when it comes to business, community and the church,” Robinson said about the speakers.  

To further honor their late pastor, Robinson and Patterson added something new to the conference this year: The first annual B.J. McLeod scholarship tea will be held on Saturday, Sept. 18.  

“All of the proceeds will go to help graduates and depending on what we can do … we just want to do something,” said Robinson. “Maybe it’s just to help them purchase a book or a few meals, but whatever we do, we want it to be divvied up amongst the graduates.”

Robinson stated the tone of the conference comes from Esther 4:14. “Our theme is completing the assignment, which follows with that scripture,” she said. “We really want to speak to women and let them really think about, or really get into what their true assignment is, or what they are born to do, and make sure they are completing that assignment.”

Robinson says working with Patterson is like a well-oiled machine because they work so well together, along with the committee members, secretary, and administrators from the church.  

Robinson has always been a strong proponent of highlighting women in a positive light, so organizing the women’s conference is right up her alley. She also has a nonprofit that focuses on assisting women as well.

“I have always done something when it pertains to women,” she said. “I was able to be over the women’s department for our local chapter of the NAACP.  I am an advocate to end domestic violence and speak to women often about social issues. I have also been working in the church with women’s ministry for all these years and then, more than that, I am a mom of three daughters.

“To see them grow and mature into what they were born to do, that makes me know that our world is going to be a more beautiful and more well-rounded America.”

Even though this is a women’s conference, Robinson wanted to emphasize that there will be content for men there as well. She says that building a stronger woman will only strengthen the bond of the family.

“We want to see everyone, men, women, boys and girls,” Robinson continued. “We want everyone to come out and it’s going to be something there for each and every person that attends to not only feed you spiritually, but to also empower you socially and economically. 

“When you try to empower women, we believe that empowers the whole family unit, workforce and the community.”