A Story Still Unfolding: Reflections from Our 150th Celebration
Helena Bergen | Executive Director, CBWOQ
The planning for CBWOQ’s 150th Anniversary Celebration was truly a labour of love. In the weeks prior, each person on our staff team was asked to share their greatest hope for this memorable gathering. As I reflect on those responses, I see how faithfully God held each one.
Rachel anticipated the joy, beauty, and encouragement of being together—the reuniting of women whose friendships span decades, and the delight of newer connections. Abby looked forward to experiencing God’s presence through shared storytelling—both from the women of the past and the stories we are living out today. Tracey’s hope was that women would encounter the presence of Jesus in transformative ways through worship, teaching, communion, and prayer. To these, I added my own hope: that we would leave knowing how deeply our Father honours his daughters for their faith, courage, devotion, resilience, creativity, humility, and resourcefulness in responding to His call.
The excitement was tangible as women arrived—there was laughter, hugs, heartfelt greetings, and even tears as they reconnected and immersed themselves in the celebration. The stories shared in the Gallery Walk, highlighted by our plenary speaker, explored in breakout sessions, and remembered through photos from the past continually pointed us to God’s faithfulness. And through it all, women encountered the transforming presence of Jesus. I heard stories of healing from deep wounds, burdens lifted, and paths forward made clear. Some spoke of a restored sense of calling; others described a stirring of fresh hope for what had once been grieved as lost. A teenager responded with excitement as her imagination for what God might have in store for her as a young woman in the Church was stirred.
And what could be more honouring to women than the story of Hildegard and the image of her self-portrait? A medieval woman, Hildegard boldly depicted tongues of fire over her head, staking the authority of her ministry on the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
While some expressed a preference for a different kind of speaker, others experienced Dr. Beth Allison Barr’s presence as a bold and timely gift. In preparation, she engaged deeply with our shared history, including the Scrapbook History sent to her in advance. She spoke about the hope and resilience of women, tracing the redemptive movement of God among Baptist women through our stories. She is a thoughtful and prophetic voice for our time—one who invites us to re-examine history with courage and integrity, and to see afresh the ways women have participated in God’s work across the centuries. For many, her words were a particular encouragement – especially to those faithfully living out their callings in challenging spaces.
Today, we remember the women on whose shoulders we stand—those who embolden us to step into our own stories with deep gratitude. The ending of our stories is not yet known, but we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses pointing us forward with hope and confidence in God’s enduring faithfulness.
Leanne Friesen holds the distinction of being the first woman to serve as an Executive Minister for CBOQ. In her Gala address, she credited this to the trailblazing women of the movement we celebrate today. She shared this reflection with us:
“I was incredibly blessed by the ministry of Beth Allison Barr during the CBWOQ 150th Anniversary gala. As she painted a picture of how women’s voices and roles have so often been silenced throughout history, I was deeply moved to consider how CBWOQ has long worked to build a different narrative. They have truly done the work to make women seen, visible, and celebrated. As a woman serving in ministry, I am grateful that CBWOQ brought in such a relevant and timely speaker. Thank you CBWOQ for your 150 years of seeing women as God sees them! May God’s blessings continue to rest on you.”
— Leanne Friesen, Executive Minister, CBOQ