The first-ever “Women Who Rejoice in Praise” retreat was held Feb. 25-27 at White Oak Conference Center. The weekend was a collaboration between the women’s ministry and worship and music offices of the South Carolina Baptist Convention.
Rashna Masih (second from right) is pictured with women from Corinth Church, Seneca, during the “Women Who Rejoice in Praise” event Feb. 25-27 at White Oak.The worship experiences, workshop session topics, and keynote addresses were designed to create an environment for women to focus on living a lifestyle of praise.
Worship times incorporated multiethnic praise music led by a Spanish-language praise team, an African-American praise band, and SeraphSong, a choir of female church musicians from across the state. Workshop topics included interpretive movement, symbolic worship tools, praise used as a spiritual weapon, and how praise can be a spiritual health indicator of individuals and churches. Two Spanish-language workshops were also available.
Mark Powers, SCBC worship and music director, led three “Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs” workshops during which participants contributed to the words and music of one worship song, which they named “Tears of Joy in Jesus’ Name.” Powers taught the new song during a worship time Saturday night. The first verse and chorus read:
Our differences are many, we come with many needs; there’s diversity among us, one thing brings us to our knees. Tears are flowing now, we join in praise. Tears of pain, tears of sorrow, tears of hope and grace; tears are flowing, hearts are one in praise; tears of joy, in Jesus’ name.
A multiethnic worship experience jumpstarted the retreat on Friday night.Rashna Masih was a keynote speaker and workshop leader who shared her testimony of the power of praise. Iranian by birth, Masih spent the majority of her life in India. She sought God through different religions before becoming a Christian 11 years ago.
“I was desperate to know the real God,” Masih said. “He has created us to worship him, and God seeks worshippers who worship in spirit and in truth.”
The retreat helped to reaffirm many aspects of praise for Kim Ward, who attended with her church, New Heights, Columbia. “I hunger and thirst for this sort of experience, I just can’t get enough of it. The only thing I would have changed about the weekend would be to have added another day!”
Laslene Glymph, SCBC women’s ministry associate, drew from the retreat’s Philippians 4:4 theme to remind the participants that God wants them to be women who rejoice in him. She highlighted Paul’s theme of joy in Philippians and how it helped him to spread the gospel during his imprisonment, gave courage to other believers, and brought honor to the messengers God sends.
Powers also challenged retreat participants to continue to rejoice when they returned home from the retreat. “This worship experience cannot be hoarded. We should ask how we can take what we’ve experienced and pour it out to those around us,” Powers said. – SCBC