20 BOCNEWS.com APRIL 2018 Annual Ministers'Wives and Ministers'Widows Conference They take on several roles as wives, mothers, big sisters, aunts and a friend for many of their congregants in the church. They are those ministers' wives and widows who are behind the scenes doing their job humbly and with a car- ing heart. Many of them came together this past month for the 34th Ministers' Wives and Ministers' Widows Annual Leadership Conference at the Park Hill Golf Course in Denver. The theme: Women of Courage, Strength, Honor and Dignity – Proverbs 31:25 The Denver Council is part of the larg- er International Association of Ministers' Wives and Ministers' Widows, Incorporated, according to local pres- ident, Dr. Claudette Sweet. It is a non-profit Christian organization founded in 1941. The purpose of the organization is to unite ministers' wives and widows of various denominations into one Christian fellowship, build relationships and foster a communication network. "We meet four times a month and have our annual meet- ing on the second Saturday in October every year," explained Flora Young, President of Colorado Council of Interdenominational Ministers' Wives and Ministers' Widows Association. "It is about getting the ministers' wives and widows encouraged. That to me I feel is our main job. Ministers' wives and widows are some of the busiest people in the church. They wear many hats. And we just need to pat them on the back and say, 'keep on doing a good job. God loves you.'" As the state president pointed out, ministers' wives and widows go through many things that no one else in the church goes through. She has personally gone through her tribulations attending to her hus- band, Rev. John Young, who is battling cancer. He is an associate minister at Macedonia Baptist Church. Several of the ministers' wives and widows gave some encouraging words during the breakfast part of the confer- ence. Later, special guest Rev. Ida Gice Smith spoke during the luncheon. Mother Gloria Alexander served as local president of the Denver Council from 1980 to 1982. She is currently one of the oldest members of the elite organization of ministers' wives and widows and still going strong. "It's really like teaching for the pas- tors' wives and a sisterhood. No one understands a pastor's wife like we do. And we get to encourage the younger wives," she added. Mother Alexander lost her own hus- band last September, the Dr. Rev. Harrell Alexander, pastor of Bethesda Temple C.O.G.I.C. She also was one of the Women of Courage Honorees at the conference, along with Margie Anderson, Mother Selena Coburn, Rev. Mattie Guffie, Dr. Agnes Martin, Mother Juanita Meadows, Dr. E. LaQuilla Phillips, Dr. Claudette Sweet, Bertha Washington and Flora Young. It was definitely a day the Lord had made with all the ministers' wives and widows coming together. They are truly women of courage. "I just want to thank all the women in ministry for coming out and celebrating God as one body," expressed confer- ence chairperson, Aleina Phillips. Prophetic Insights in 2018 Saints, we have shifted into the New Hebrew year 5778. The number for “grace” is 5, and 7 is the number of “completeness.” The number for a “new beginning” is 8. So, there is “grace to complete old tasks in order to proceed into the “new things” that the Lord has for us! It is a season of shifting. It is a season that provides opportunities to ‘tear down’ all those things that hold you back! It is a time when titles cannot determine one’s iden- tity. The body of Christ will be experiencing a ‘tidal wave’ confronting us to thoroughly cleanse us from any false identity being derived from our “positions, functions, titles, past experiences, or giftings.” We will be challenged to re-learn how to walk in a cul- ture of honor, and realize that it is more about ‘heart’ relational connections that will cause us to truly walk in integrity! This is a time when the Apostolic and the Prophetic ‘will choose’ to become ‘less religious’ and more relational in order to bring about practical, godly, ‘real solutions’ to move Kingdom Business forward! Anointed men and women of God will not just be ‘in the Church, but they will not be ‘stuck in the Church!’ We are in the midst of a “Great Awakening.” A highway of holiness bringing forth ‘sure’ fruit along the way! God wants the voice of believers to be ‘amplified!’ And as our voices are amplified, ‘more strength’ will come within the body, and there will be a ‘new moti- vation’ to create and ‘totally surrender’ everything to the Lord! In order to cross over into this new season at hand, we will need to get through some slightly ‘choppy’ times! Embracing the "pain of change," God will use what may seem like opposition. It is actually the ‘wind of change’ that is here to bring strategic reposi- tioning that will set us up for advancement. We will need to get into a place of greater ability to stretch our spiritual wings! We will look back later and be glad that we took the risks and paid the price! [i.e. “We proceeded in ‘greater’ FAITH!”] God is calling us to do some- thing in a completely new way! Learning to hear and ‘adhere’ to His voice is monumentally important in this new season. Although this is going to be a year of reaping for all the pain and loss we may have experi- enced, it is by no means auto- matic! We will need to ‘prevail in prayer’ for the Lord’s approved strategy to recover all! This year WILL LOOK DIFFERENT! Things that were not aligned with truth and break- ing the patterns of the world off our lives will require UNITY. More intense corporate prayers, worship, and declaration will release spiritual authority and cause more people to open up, and this will set many free from the captivity of demonic forces! It is a time to both personally and corporately do only what we see Jesus doing! Believers, we absolutely cannot move accord- ing to human understanding or according to what appeases religious rules, but rather, we must yield ourselves to only do what our Father is doing! We must not break ranks or walk outside of the unity of God! (John 17:20-23). What seems “good” to human understanding will not always be God’s direction. Do not seek good; seek God! Beloved, let’s pray together that God brings His Acceleration into our lives so that His purposes come forth swiftly! And remember, this is not the day when there are NO Kingdom Consultants to shine— NO Fathers and Mothers, and Grandfathers and Grandmothers who are well able to lead God’s people into the grand and hum- ble procession of His presence! The Lord is using this time to not only rebuild some time-test- ed foundational truths, but to restore a breach of broken trust with spiritual authority figures! Even as many five-fold ministers are being raised up to equip the Saints, these office-holders will only be as effective as the spiri- tual fathers and mothers in our local houses of worship! The Lord is addressing the lie that spiritual author- ity can't be trusted! He is giving Believers more insight into inner healing and deliverance from this stronghold so that the Body can be a powerful place of healing and restoration! Scriptures are clear about the place and purpose of healthy spiritual fathers and mothers (see 2 Kings 2:12, 1 Corinthians 4:15, 1 Thessalonians 2:11, 1 John 2:13-14). God's plan has always been for the Body of Christ to be an inter-generational demon- stration of an eternal Kingdom that is always increas- ing and expanding, building upon previous lessons and victories! (Psalm 112:1-3). By Sheila Smith Lady Margie Anderson Dr. Claudette Sweet Dr. E LaQuilla Phillips Mother Juanita Meadows Sup Bertha Washington Lady Flora Young Rev. Mattie Guffie Mother Selena Coburn Evg. Gloria Alexander Dr. Agnes Martin COMMUNITY By Apostle Lawerence E. & Dr. Sandra Powell Continued on Page 21