Making sense of grace
Special guest Major Val Mylechreest speaks at the Sydney Captivated conference. (Photo by Carolyn Hide)
Over 600 women attended Captivated by the Word conferences in Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane this month, focusing on the theme ‘making sense of grace’.
Major Val Mylechreest was guest speaker and is the Adult and Family Ministries Officer for the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland. She has served as an officer of The Salvation Army for over 25 years, including six years at the Camberwell Corps in Melbourne.
“We are going to have a multi-sensory experience of God this weekend,” said Major Mylechreest, opening the two weekend conferences in Sydney and Brisbane, as well as the evening event in Canberra.
“We are going to apply all our senses – our sight, hearing, taste, touch and sense of smell – so we can engage with God personally and respond to what he wants to say to each one of us.
“Be ready to smell the sea, hear the lap of the water along the shore and see the crowd as you enter this time of reflection and affirmation.
“Let’s be open to God giving himself generously to us through Jesus. Let’s be captivated by his unforced rhythms of grace.”
Major Mylechreest emphasised that she hoped the conferences would be full of laughter, new and renewed friendships, fun and sharing. And most importantly, that the women would spend time in the word, hear from Jesus and come away filled and refreshed by an outpouring of God’s grace.
Throughout the weekend sessions Major Mylechreest used humour, depth and conviction to delve into the scriptures and show how Jesus used all the senses to highlight the immensity and richness of his grace.
She encouraged the women to respond to the free gift of God’s grace and allow it to change the way they lived.
“Let grace drench you, change, shape, soften and capture you,” she said. “If we’re not living a life of grace, we’re living a life of disgrace.”
As the conference drew to a close, Major Mylechreest encouraged the delegates to see this as just the beginning, as she read from 2 Chronicles 29:1-11.
“Allow Christ to free you today from the captivity of the world and be captivated by him,” she concluded. “He hasn’t saved you so you can stay the same; allow him to change you; his grace has set you free and given you an identity and a voice.”
The conferences concluded as they had begun, with Matthew 11:28-30 and God’s promise of “unforced rhythms of grace” as we live and rest in him.
During the weekend conferences, Commissioner Jan Condon, Territorial President of Women’s Ministries, also launched the 2014 Women’s Ministries project – training in midwifery and sewing for rural women in Tanzania.
To help bridge the generation gap Colonel Janet Munn in Sydney, and Major Julie Campbell in Brisbane, facilitated an inter-generational panel discussion featuring eight women of different ages.
The discussions focused on how women from different generations can respect, understand and appreciate each other more deeply, both for personal reasons and for the sake of the gospel. They also considered how to overcome barriers, close the generation gap and connect more intentionally. Women from each generation shared what they found valuable and motivating in cross-generational relationships.
The conference had a positive impact on all who attended. “I have had the most uplifting weekend,” said Jean Fox from Caboolture Corps in South East Queensland. “The singing, music and other speakers who supported Major Mylechreest made it a conference I won’t forget.”
Audio recordings of the main sessions and inter-generational panel in Sydney are available for $22.00. Please see your corps officer, or email salvos.women@aue.salvationarmy.org
For a full report on the conference, see the March issue of Women in Touch.
Comments
I loved seeing all generations worshiping, serving together and ministering to each other. I especially loved it when the young guitarist left the platform during the prayer time to pray with Commissioner Jan.
Major Val your hopes became a reality, there was plenty of laughter, I met new friends and renewed friendships. I heard from Jesus and came away filled and refreshed by an outpouring of God’s grace.