Register here.  For a discounted rate, register by March 15.

This summer’s Celebrating Ministering Women: Radical. Redeemed. Ready. Conference will be a wonderful time of fellowship, friendship, learning and celebration, as we join together to recognize and celebrate the positive history and future of American Baptist women ministering throughout the world, including many of our own sheros! Meeting June 16-19, 2020 at the Green Lake Conference Center in Green Lake, Wisconsin, Celebrating Ministering Women: Radical. Redeemed. Ready. will feature exciting Keynote Speakers, workshop leaders and will highlight inspiring women in  leadership, laity and women in ministry, bringing together women, men, lay and ordained to celebrate and recognize great accomplishments throughout the history of ministering women.

One of our Keynote Speakers, Dr. Susan Gillies, caught up with us to tell us a bit about herself. Learn more below:

Question: What glass ceilings have you broken? 

Answer: First female General Manager, KFJM-AM & FM, at that time licensed to the University of North Dakota, affiliated with NPR.

First female and first lay person to serve as Executive Minister, ABC of Nebraska.

First female and first lay person to serve as Interim General Secretary, ABCUSA.

Question: What have been the highs and/or lows of your career?

Answer: A great learning experience was after five years of college teaching, I married, moved to Texas and the only teaching job I could find was high school.  While I had the required education classes, I wasn’t really prepared for the unique challenges of high school teaching.  It was tough.  I survived, eventually returning to college level teaching (with very deep respect for those who teach in secondary schools!).

Question: What have you had to overcome? 

Answer: The naiveté that comes from growing up part of dominant culture.  (and the overcoming continues)

Question: What was most important to you or stood out to you most during your time working with laity in leadership across the denomination through your position with ABHMS? 

Answer: Too many churches focus on how to use the gifts of laity within the congregation and don’t give enough attention to the church’s presence in the community through the daily lives of lay persons.  What are the challenges for a person of faith in a secular workplace?  It’s called the Sunday/Monday Gap – it sounds good on Sunday but is hard to carry out on Monday.

Question: Who is your shero? 

Answer: Come to Green Lake and I’ll tell you some great stories of ABC sheros!

Question: What does the future look like to you? 

Answer: The road ahead is very rough for the church, for people of faith, for this country & world.  My advice:  Find your ministry, adapt with integrity, and be not afraid.

Register Today to hear more from Susan’s sheros andlearn from our exciting Keynote speakers in Green Lake, June 16-19, 2020!!