On May 26-28, 2006, the London, Ont., Convention Centre buzzed with excitement as 680 women attended Women Connected, 2006. Sponsored by The Salvation Army Women's Ministries, Ontario Great Lakes Division, delegates were refreshed, renewed and refocused by participants and guest speaker and author, Liz Curtis Higgs.

Salvationists, Baptists, United Church members, Catholic Church members and two ladies from the Canadian Bible Society were among attendees who came from as far as Manitoba and Newfoundland.

During four sessions throughout the weekend, Liz Curtis Higgs, from Louisville, Kentucky, presented the gospel through her conversational style and characteristic humour. She focused on three points as she inspired and challenged her audience. 1. Know how unique and beautiful you are to God. 2. Laugh more. 'The mark of a believer is when you retain joy while in the valley.' 3. Get excited about women of the Bible.

Liz's own personal testimony is of redemption from a 10-year life span of playing dangerous games with marijuana, speed, cocaine, alcohol and a steady involvement in a promiscuous lifestyle.

Sessions were filled with a variety of music, creative movement, drama and young talent. Each participant added to the many blessings received. 'Instruments of Praise' a dynamic praise and worship band of 12 from the Listowell corps quickly endeared themselves to the ladies, providing both toe tapping and sensitive accompaniment to worship songs.

Laura Budgell, from the Chatham corps, touched the hearts of many through her top-notch vocal presentations, which included the dearly loved 'How Great Thou Art.' And, during each session the audience was left soaking in the presence of God as Captain Krista Andrews of Suncoast Citadel, Goderich, gracefully added creative movement to such songs as 'Nothing but Thy Blood.'

One of the monologues 'Woman at the well' presented by Captain Heather Richardson of Cornerstone Community Church in Mississauga, effectively communicated the message from this Bible story that God cares for and makes time for the most down-and-out sinner.

On Friday evening step dancers Kaitlyn Driver, 17, from Westminster Park and Sarajayne Sweetland, 15, from Ingersoll, skillfully performed a jig and wowed their audience as they accompanied the worship band playing the theme chorus of the weekend. 'First Love.'

Also, using their God-given talents during two sessions, timbrelists from the Great Lakes Division performed exciting drills, praising the Lord. Friday evening the group, ages 8-16 from St. Catharines, London Citadel and one young girl from Westminster Park Community Church, presented a drill written by Kristen Mooy, Timbrel Leader, St. Catharines. 'All Things New' was practiced over the past year and at each practice the girls prayed that their participation in the weekend would bring someone a blessing.

Saturday evening, under black lights, a group of young ladies from Guelph, Hamilton (Winterberry Heights) and Listowell created their drill, inserting the words of Psalm 150 into the secular piece of music 'Explosive.'

Testimonies were shared over the weekend by Tracy Haluk of London Citadel and Lt-Colonel Mary Belle Leach (Ret.) from Brantford. Tracy shared the importance of taking children to Sunday school and how later in life these teachings lead her to deliverance from life on the streets and in prison. Mary Belle told of the Lord's physical healing upon her after a year of being kept alive with a feeding tube. She spent more than 270 days in hospital as doctors desperately tried to keep her comfortable from the pain and nausea caused by acute pancreatitis that severely damaged her stomach.

Nancy Turley, territorial abuse advisor, encouraged the women to take an active role in their communities and get involved in the White Ribbon Campaign. A campaign to raise the legal age of consent for sex in Canada, which is now 14.

Commissioner M. Christine MacMillan reminded us that 'the Salvation Army has eyes to see connections in a disconnected world and that joy is when the beat of our hearts tune into Christ in a new way.'

Saturday night several decisions were made at the mercy seat following Liz's challenging presentation of two bad girls of the Bible, Rehab and Bathsheba. Through the lives of these women of the Bible Liz concluded: 'You are loved by Jesus as is, right now. We think we can get away with sin, but sin runs way with us.'

The weekend's success was due to the vision and dreams of the following committee members:

Major Ethel Richardson
Major Deborah Bungay
Beverly Miller
Major Wanda Vincent
Major Catherine Ritson
Major Renee Clarke
Major Connie Armstrong
Major Valma Budgell
Captain Ruth Rutherford
Captain Deborah Steward
Major Marion Venables
Lt. Col Mary Belle Leach
Major June Newbury