Women’s Study Weekend in Collonges-sous-Salève, France

80 women from the North France Conference gathered in Collonges to study the Power of Prayer. The importance of prayer in our personal lives to accomplish our mission was demonstrated by several speakers from the Theological Faculty of the Adventist University where the meeting was being held. Among the speakers were Gabriel Monet, dean of the Theological Faculty, Roland Lehmann, lecturer in Systematic Theology, Daniela Gelbrich, vice-dean of the Theological Faculty Rivan dos Santos, history teacher and Jean-Philippe Lehmann, President of the University.
The participants had the opportunity to see how our institutions function and experience the positive attitude of the personnel towards women.
Gabriel Monet introduced this atmosphere on Sabbath morning by quoting Ephesians 3:14-19. "Prayer is the acknowledgment of what we have received," he said.
A visit to the Adventist museum was organized by J-P Lehman and our sisters had the opportunity to find the answers to their questions. Rivan de Santos showed the importance of women in the history of the Bible and our church since the beginning of the organization. Roland Meyer removed the fog from many preconceived ideas about Paul and his position concerning the role of women in the church and society.
The evening was dedicated to the experiences of our sisters, and their testimonies were moving. On Sunday, an early morning walk around the campus began with a short meditation by Gabriel Samperio followed by songs accompanied by a young guitarist. Then Daniela Gelbrich presented a summary of a Bible book bearing the name of its principal character, Ruth. With her extensive knowledge of Hebrew, she was able to give insights into the text and show the dedication of Ruth to her family and how she left her country to start a new life, which finally made her an ancestor of Jesus.
This weekend had so many spiritual riches that I am sure that as we return to our daily activities, our sisters will want to pass on what they learned and adapt it to their specific situations. God wants women to have a part in His mission of reaching the world and we thank Him for the privilege to be His collaborators.
According to a report by Corina Timofte, Women’s Ministries Director, Franco-Belgian Union