Women’s Morning 2024

A truly heart-warming and encouraging experience was had this past Saturday at the Cornerstone Women’s morning. I had the joy of attending amongst 70 other women from Cornerstone and Emmanuel church Tolworth, a beautifully diverse group of all ages and nationalities. The atmosphere was welcoming and vibrant, filled with laughter, conversation and connection. 

The morning began bright and early with a refreshing Pilates session at 8am. Our instructor directed us through each movement with clarity and expertise, leaving us stretched out and stronger than before. It was a fantastic way to kick off the day and foster a sense of camaraderie with the women around us.

At 9am, the aroma of coffee filled the room, accompanied by a delicious spread of pastries. As we gathered, the lively conversations and joyful tone set the stage for the day ahead. 

After our pastries, coffee and tea, Cathryn stood up to welcome us all, and we transitioned into a period of praise and worship. This thoughtfully consisted of attendees’ favourite songs, submitted along with tickets in the weeks leading up to the event. It was a beautiful time to hear so many women’s voices raised to the roof in praise of our Sovereign Lord and Saviour, and reminded us of our unity in Christ despite different backgrounds, nationalities, and churches.

Karen Yeo was then welcomed to the stage, and broke down a Bible reading of James 1:19-24 alongside the history and meaning of the traditional and simplified Chinese characters for “listen”. Packing in symbolism, the traditional character for “listen” denoted standing upright, eyes completely focused, and placing the undivided attention of our hearts on the speaker, whilst the simplified character emphasised that to listen is to obey or heed what you are hearing. This perfectly complemented the accompanying passage from James and allowed us to better understand the passage, and reflect on our behaviour from a different culture’s perspective so we may change to better learn and support one another in the body of Christ.

More grateful praise and worship followed, and after a coffee, pastries and tea break, we had the chance to participate in various workshops. I was particularly excited about the Chinese calligraphy and Japanese pastel art workshops, as well as a book discussion of “The Secular Creed” that sparked lively debates and shared insights. Each workshop provided a unique opportunity to connect with one another and explore creatively.

As the morning drew to a close, there was a sense of rejuvenation and connection in the air that will stay with me long afterwards. I am grateful for the women I met and eager for the next Women’s gathering. 

If you ever have the opportunity to join a women’s event at Cornerstone, I highly encourage you to attend. It’s an experience rich with connection, learning and fellowship.

Here are some of the photos I captured throughout the day!