The 8th Armenian Evangelical Women’s Fellowship of the Eastern Region's (AEWF-ER) biennial conference took place in Warwick, Rhode Island. Our speaker, Laurie Konyalian from Montreal, Canada, spoke on the theme "Anchored in Hope and Moving Forward,” which is based on Ephesians 1:17-18.
This conference was the culmination of efforts of the AEWF-ER executive committee and the local planning committee from Rhode Island.
94 women, ages 18-86, attended, eager to grow in their faith and deepen relationships with one another. We had a wonderful weekend together delving into Scripture to understand what it means to live a life of hope. This was my first opportunity to attend and I was especially excited to be surrounded by so many mentors and loved ones.
There were many opportunities for the ladies to lift their voices in worship, which was led by talented musician Mher Koubelian from Montréal. Interspersed throughout the weekend we heard personal testimonies which testified to God's faithfulness and hope.
Over four sessions from Friday night until Sunday, Laurie taught on the importance of the hope which grounds us in our faith and directs us. Over sessions one and two she covered “How can we live in hope? By knowing God, and knowing who we are in God.” During session three, she defined “What is hope?” We had the opportunity to discuss some of these items in small groups.
After lunch on Saturday, we had a session focused on how to stay hopeful in difficult situations. Saturday afternoon was an opportunity for relaxed free time. Many women left to explore the greater Rhode Island area; going to the beach, the Breakers, the downtown area, and many others.
The conference ended Sunday morning with a church service. During the service, Laurie taught on “How to maintain hope as we go back to normal routines of life.” Her teachings were immersed in Scripture. It was an uplifting and energizing weekend filled with love and support from our sisters in Christ, who traveled to Rhode Island from Canada, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The next women’s conference will be held in September 2021. I encourage all women to come for a truly amazing weekend.
Catherine Momjian
Armenian Martyrs’ Congregational Church, Havertown, PA