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The vision of the National Coalition of women in Ministry (NCWM) was given by God to Jada Shipp Meeks in July 2001. Jada became a licensed minister in January 2001. Rev. Meeks has been a computer programmer, teacher, assistant principal and principal. In each of these roles she always joined the national professional organizations that were available to give her that extra support as she worked diligently to do her job. She did not depend on her immediate boss to provide all of the training that she needed. She began searching for a national organization to affiliate with to learn more about being a better minister of the word of God. After asking every minister she knew and searching on the Internet for organizations that helped support and connect women ministers, she found that there wasn't an organization on that level. Yes, there were organizations that were affiliated with a particular denomination, but not one that was nondenominational in nature. In Jada's studies she found Jesus to be nondenominational in nature and wanted to find an organization that was more like Christ. So after much prayer and studying, God said that Jada would start one.
From 2001 to 2003 God placed women in her life that He identified as potential board members for the organization. Each person God had selected agreed to help implement the vision. The founding board members were: Elder Belva Armour in Memphis, Tennessee, Rev. Janine Graham in Gary, Indiana, Rev. Mary Moore in Memphis, Tennessee, Sis. Janet Vernon in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Minister Louise Walton in Sterling Heights, Michigan. These women helped implement the vision spiritually and financially.
In March 2004 the nonprofit Charter was confirmed for the National Coalition of Women in Ministry. The first chapter was opened in Memphis Tennessee in May 2004. In October 2004 the second chapter was opened in Gary Indiana. In September 2004 the third chapter was opened in Nashville Tennessee. In September 2005 the fourth chapter opened in Chicago, Illinois. In February 2006 the fifth chapter opened in the Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia area.
God is blessing the NCWM in mighty ways. Many Pastors, male ministers and lay women began expressing an interest in supporting the mission of NCWM. God motivated us to implement the “Friends of NCWM” membership. These members help publicize NCWM events, attend our workshops and conventions. The topics that are implemented by NCWM are not gender specific. They are Christ centered and focused. Many of our pastors help facilitate some of our workshops. We are a ministry that embraces our men as well as women.
In 2005 NCWM begin hosting the Esther Awards Banquet and ceremony. This award is given to women that have excelled in the ministry in their local church and community. Twenty five women are honored each year by NCWM. The first Esther awards banquet had over 300 hundred guests at the banquet.
God has called each of us to a unique ministry that can only be implemented by the call that God has given us. We support ministries that believe in the Trinity: The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit. Many women’s ministries have been established all across the country to do a great work in their local community. It is the mission of NCWM to unite these ministries on a National level to support and encourage one another. This year we have implemented an Affiliate level membership that will support Women ministries that are already operational and want to retain their group, but affiliate on a National Level with other women in ministry. Please review our affiliate level benefits.
The Atlanta Chapter is scheduled to open in March 2007. We expect to open a chapter in Dallas before our July National Convention. Many women and men have been blessed as a result of the workshops and networking that has been provided by the members of the National Coalition of Women in Ministry.
Our National conventions since have been hosted in Memphis, Tennessee since 2005. At the first convention, we had seven states represented. The themes for the conventions have been:
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