General Conference Department of Women's Ministries Advisory
WM leaders meet by Zoom for their meetings held every five years.
[Maryland, USA] Every five years the General Conference Women’s Ministries leadership calls all division directors and their assistants together for an advisory. This time the meetings took place via Zoom from September 29-30, 2020 because of the restrictions due to COVID-19.
The meetings were facilitated by Heather-Dawn Small and Raquel Arrais of the General Conference. Because of the many different time zones the sessions began at 6 a.m. for some, 
while for others it was late in the night. It is amazing to be connected with each other around the globe in this way.
It was particularly valuable to share and hear reports of how we as a global family have coped with the Corona pandemic under the exceptional circumstances. All leaders have had recourse to intensive joint prayer sessions either per zoom, phone or other modern media. In general social media were used extensively and in many parts of the world women have discovered them as the most important new medium for meetings and events.
The topics of the advisory were:
- The strategic plan of the General Conference "I Will Go Reach My World." It was noted that many things are already included in our areas of Nurture – Empower – Outreach, and there are already lots of initiatives.
- Presentation of new resources
- Leadership and social media
- Scholarship program
- Sharing resources among other directors, etc.
GC President Ted N.C. Wilson and Dr. Ella S. Simmons, Vice President, also each addressed the participants in the departmental advisory.
Even though it was unusual to meet only via our computer screens, it was a blessed time and a real feeling of "Sisterhood" developed among the Women’s Ministry leaders.
By Dagmar Dorn, director of Women's Ministries for Inter-European Division
Published in Mosaic newsletter, 2020 Q4, fall issue
