On the weekend of September 22-24, 2023, around one hundred women came to the Campus Adventiste du Salève for a very special meeting. It was the Women’s Ministries (WM) congress of the Adventist churches of French-speaking Switzerland and the Franco-Belgian Union. We had the pleasure and joy of meeting old friends and making new ones. A warm, friendly, and spiritual atmosphere prevailed throughout this wonderful weekend! The sun, at first a bit timid, shone throughout the weekend.
We had a very rich program, with moments of praise (thanks to the vocal and instrumental talents of Diane, Christelle & Co), sharing, presentations, meditations, prayer, and even movement! Thanks to two motivating coaches (Emmanuelle and Fanny) who awakened every part of our bodies to the rhythm of the music!
We were joined by high-profile guests such as the WM assistant director of the global church (Nilde Itin), the Inter-European division WM director (Dagmar Dorn), the WM leaders of various European conferences, and our own conference (Bernadette Fogliani and Karin Hoareau). Two female theologians rounded out the guest list (Marie-Pierre Pechoux and Daniela Gelbrich). We also appreciated the presence of a male figure, the president of the Swiss Union (Olivier Rigault).
The first presentations dealt with fear, which engenders anxiety, which is a negative feeling about things to come, which can determine our present and future state. But by trusting in the Lord the negative feelings dissolve in the face of trust and love. Like crows and lilacs. The acronym CALM (C= Celebrate God, A= Ask, ask God, L= Leave your worries to God, M= Meditate on God's word), can guide us along this path which is certainly full of pitfalls, but God is there to help us walk it by trusting him. He has promised:
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” Isaiah 41:10 NIV.
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline” 2Timothy 1:7
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” 1 John 4:18.
We had the opportunity to take part in practical workshops such as how to create a spiritual journal or how to meditate creatively. We could take a stroll along the prayer path, visit the Adventist Museum, which contains jewels from our past and is full of anecdotes so well told by our guide Gabriel Samperio, or simply stroll along the paths of the Campus with its old buildings full of history, in lush greenery at the foot of the imposing Salève and the magnificent view of the Geneva Valley.
We had the pleasure of learning about Women's Ministries in different parts of the world, and even if the needs are not all the same in cultures that are very different from our own, we were able to see the feminine solidarity that unites us in Christ.
Many thanks to this wonderful team for their precious work. A huge thank you to our Lord for guiding the team and enabling us to grow spiritually. May God help us, support us, and guide us in our role as women, mothers, and daughters, so that we can be a source of joy.
According to a report by Noemi Centeno Wolf