1 Thessalonians reminded us that the best is yet to come!
For the past two Saturdays (17th and 24th August) the REACH WOMEN Conference 2024 took place! It was hosted at two different locations - Christ Church Somerset West (CCSW) and St James Church, Kenilworth.
When the Conference was bursting at the seams last year, with 950 women booked and many, many more wanting tickets, it was time to multiply!
One Conference - Two Dates - Two Locations
So this year, the Conference Committee approached CCSW to host a second Conference on their campus.
We witnessed with humility God growing this event before our eyes, as both venues sold out almost a month before the 2024 dates. Even more women were wanting tickets than capacity allowed.
The best is yet to come!
Alison Eloff was the speaker teaching from the book of 1 Thessalonians. The theme was READY AND WAITING. Alison encouraged us to think through how we trust Jesus day-by-day while waiting for his return. She reminded us, from God's word, that the best is yet to come!
There were (almost) all-women music teams, bringing together women from REACH churches across Cape Town leading us in vibrant praise and worship in both sessions.
Click here to watch the women at Conference #1 singing ON THAT DAY, the theme song for the Conference.
In addition to the two Bible talks, there was an interview with Ikho Poswayo, a lecturer at GWC. Sandy Lyons chatted to Ikho who shared her experience of navigating intense grief through the lens of the gospel. It was incredibly powerful as the women were able to connect the dots between the teaching from 1 Thessalonians and Ikho’s experience.
There was also a beautiful song item by the music team.
Click here to watch a time-lapse video highlighting the range of women attending, of all ages, stages and walks of life.
Thanks to our amazing teams
We want to thank the range of wonderful women from different churches who helped with music, welcoming, ushering, serving tea and coffee and keeping an eye on the toilets.
Both Saturdays were very cold days, so the women were keen for their hot drinks at the refreshment break. It's not a small task serving hot drinks to almost 400 women at CCSW and then 980 women at St James. This all within 20 minutes, so that there’s still time to chat and browse the CBD bookshop. The teams at both venues managed it with grace.
The only men on the campuses were our wonderful parking and sound teams. The St James music director, Jason, also assisted on stage at Conference #2.
Prayer and gratitude
We are so grateful to God for how this event has multiplied.
Please join us in praying that God would continue to use this Conference to REACH WOMEN for His kingdom and His glory.
With love in Christ
Hayley and the REACH WOMEN Conference Committee
P.S. Keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram pages and our website for links to the talks and interview segment.
Subscribe HERE if you'd like us to stay in touch via e-mail with info on future events.
Ready to go ... waiting to grow!
The Reach Women Conference 2024 is just around the corner. Preparation is well under way, and we are excited about what lies ahead for the Conference this year.
Year after year the Conference has reached women across our city with solid bible teaching that is relevant for our time. This year will be no different. Every woman who comes will be fed from God’s Word, encouraged through vibrant praise and worship, and spurred on by fellowship with other women.
Get ready to grow!
One of the highlights this year is that we are MULTIPLYING! That’s right – our Conference is growing!
We are so excited to be launching the Conference at a second venue. This is the plan: on Saturday, 17th August the Conference will be hosted at Christ Church, Somerset West, and on Saturday, 24th August, it will be hosted at St. James Church, Kenilworth.
Same Conference - two dates - two locations
You get to pick the date and the location that is best for you. If you are a real "keen bean", you are welcome to join us at both.
A God-given opportunity
Last year, we reached capacity a month before the Conference date. This meant that we had to turn women away. Adding a second location means that this year no one needs to miss out. We can REACH more WOMEN!
And if you have never been to a Reach Women Conference before, come and join us – we’ve made sure there’s plenty of room!
We want to see you there, so, pick a date and put it in your diary now. Tell your friends and family and let’s get ready to grow!
Please also pray for us as we plan, that God will use the growing Conference for His glory and the extension of His kingdom.
Ready and waiting for more info
While you're ready and waiting, follow us on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK, and keep an eye on our website where more details will appear in the coming weeks.
We look forward to seeing you at one of our two locations for the Reach Women Conference 2024!
Hayley Tubman
RWC Committee Chairperson
The joy of being together!
The REACH WOMEN Conference 2023 took place this past Saturday in Cape Town.
950+ women arrived at St James Church for an incredible morning of solid Bible teaching, amazing praise and worship and wonderful connection.
God provided us with a beautiful, sunny day. As the women arrived, there was a coffee truck to greet them, for those that needed an early morning caffeine fix.
On entering the foyer, there was a warm welcome from our team of ushers. Besides offering their beautiful smiles, the ushers checked tickets and handed out bottles of water, brownies and beautiful bracelets.
For women, by women
The bracelets were made by a ministry called BESIDE YOU. This ministry seeks to build up women economically and spiritually, and is run by a team from CROSS CENTRAL CHURCH in Parow.
More info here - https://christchurchtygerberg.org.za/ministries/partnerships/cross-central-church.html
The chocolate brownies from Khayelitsha Cookies were utterly delicious (https://kcco.co.za). Khayelitsha Cookies is a local bakery, supporting women and run by women.
Did we REACH WOMEN from across Cape Town?
The week before the conference, we asked our delegates to tell us where they were coming from. How encouraging to learn that women were coming from all across Cape Town to join us!
From Fish Hoek to Franschhoek; Bantry Bay to Betty's Bay; Wetton to Wellington; Kuilsriver to Constantia; Tokai to Tableview; Somerset West to Sunset Beach. Just amazing!
Here's a word cloud image of the responses:
Living by faith in a broken world
Our first session started with a wonderful time of praise and worship. Hearing 950+ women singing on the tops of their voices has to be one of the highlights of the conference. It's hard to describe how incredibly emotionally evocative that experience is!
We then heard the first talk from Habakkuk chapters 1 and 2, from our conference speaker, Jo Taylor.
Our second session included a beautiful SPOKEN WORD POEM by the talented Unati Manyela who attends Hope Community Church in Pinelands. Unati wrote the poem for the conference, in response to the teaching from the Bible talks.
The second talk focussed on Habakkuk 3, his response to God. It was so challenging to experience how Habakkuk ended by rejoicing in song, at who God is.
We ended the conference with an interview with Sandy Lyons. Sandy shared some of her own struggles and how she had also cried out to God in a time of intense difficulty. She spoke about how she had lost the song in her heart.
It was encouraging to hear how her relationship with God had grown through her suffering. Not only had the song in her heart returned, but she is now able to rejoice in how God was at work in that season.
The hymn of heaven
We ended the conference by singing THE HYMN OF HEAVEN with great joy!
Please pray with us!
We are so grateful to God for the opportunity to REACH WOMEN as He spoke to us all through His word on Saturday.
Please join us in praying that the seeds that were sown and watered at the conference will bear much fruit for His kingdom in the weeks and months ahead.
A sneak peak behind-the-scenes
With only a month left until the REACH WOMEN Conference, preparations are well underway.
Our wonderful RWC Committee is hard at work with their respective teams to make all the necessary preparations.
We are hoping to welcome the maximum capacity of 900 women to the Conference, which will be hosted at St James Church, Kenilworth on Saturday 19th August.
Getting the campus ready to receive and host this volume of people requires detailed thought and planning.
Getting the facilities ready
Jean Machill is overseeing the logistics for the Conference. She is making sure that the facilities are ready and that the logistics side of things runs smoothly.
For example, in addition to making sure that there is plenty of complementary tea / coffee on offer for our Conference delegates during the tea-break, Jean has also organised external COFFEE TRUCKS for the morning.
These COFFEE TRUCKS will be around from arrival at the Conference and throughout the morning. This means that, should you want to, you’ll be able to pick up a cappuccino (or whatever you choose) when you arrive or during the morning (at your own expense).
Tea / filter coffee will also be served inside the Conference venue during the morning refreshment break, in various refreshment areas. This tea / coffee is included in your ticket price.
We hope that these additional efforts will make the Conference even more welcoming and comfortable.
Delicious chocolate brownies
Charissa Hey, another RWC Committee member is liaising with the wonderful KHAYELITSHA COOKIES bakery (https://kcco.co.za). They are supplying us with a chocolate brownie each, to enjoy during our refreshment break.
Just a reminder that we are unable to cater for people with dietary requirements this year, so if you have a special dietary requirement (like gluten-free or vegan etc.), please bring along your own snack/s to enjoy during the refreshment break.
A team of volunteers to direct the traffic
Glynda Hermann who is also part of the RWC Committee is co-ordinating a team of ushers to help on the day. This team is vital to making sure that our Conference delegates receive a warm welcome and that their tickets are checked and received.
The joy of music
We’re also grateful to our team of MUSICIANS who will be leading us in singing on the day. They are already preparing behind-the-scenes to serve us in this way.
We’re looking forward to learning a this song with them, which fits in beautifully with the theme of the Conference.
Have a listen here:
Please join us in praying ...
Please join us in praying for the Conference as preparations are made. That God would use all our efforts for His glory and the growth of His kingdom.
We hope to see you on Saturday 19th August!
Book here - https://www.quicket.co.za/events/217980-reach-women-conference#/
More info here - http://www.reachwomen.org.za
A new-look website for a new-look conference!
On behalf of the REACH WOMEN Conference Committee, it’s my awesome privilege to officially welcome you to our new website!
We are so grateful to God for the ongoing opportunity that we have to REACH WOMEN in Cape Town for Jesus, through this annual conference.
The REACH WOMEN conference has a long history. It was born many years ago, had a necessary make-over pre-COVID and now, in the wake of COVID, we find ourselves needing to assess it again.
Part of that assessment, has been to look at the sustainability of the conference.
With the increased cost of living in South Africa, the ticket price of the conference is an ongoing challenge.
We are also mindful of the human cost that running a conference of this size requires. The conference is run by a group of passionate women who give their time and expertise, aside from their other life commitments.
So, in light of these and other considerations, the 2023 conference will bring some necessary and exciting changes.
Ticket Price
We have managed to reduce the ticket price to R60. This price does not reflect the “market value” of the conference (which is much greater), but rather our commitment to REACH WOMEN across the economic spectrum.
The reduced price is low this year, because we will no longer be including some of the standard “frills” such as goodie bags, lunch etc.
Instead, we are focussing on the conference content with tea/coffee, a delicious cookie and a bottle of water included in the price. We are also absorbing the ticket booking commission into the R60.
Ticket Booking System
Speaking of ticket booking commission, we are moving away from our “in house” booking system and instead using QUICKET.
QUICKET is an online booking system which provides us with everything we need, is easy to navigate and allows individuals to book a ticket easily from a smart-phone or computer.
QUICKET is a well known booking platform for events of all sizes, and so we’re grateful that we can access this platform for the REACH WOMEN Conference this year.
Spiritual Nourishment
To keep the ticket price down, as I mentioned, we’ll not be serving food or supplying a goodie bag … but rather focussing on the spiritual nourishment provided in the two sessions at the conference.
We’re so excited to have JO TAYLOR as our 2023 conference speaker. She’ll be speaking to us from the book of Habakkuk.
We really hope to see you at the REACH WOMEN Conference.
Please join me and the RWC Committee in praying for a wonderful time of connection, growth and encouragement as we meet together in August!