With Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris-Rogers
By Rob Bryceson, Pastor, The Gathering House
The Gathering House Church in Spokane WA is partnering with Quinn Agency to host monthly gatherings for women in leadership across the social spectrum. Dynamic, inspiring, women are coming together to speak to issues in society about women and for women. Government, business, education, health, and social industries are going to be tackled each month with panel discussions led by inspiring women leaders.
The leader of these events is Bonnie Quinn-Clausen, who owns the marketing firm next door to the Gathering House. She is recognized as one of the top businesswomen in the region. Her vision is to host monthly meetings at The Gathering House so that women in Spokane and beyond can connect, inspire, and aid each other. When the church first moved into the neighborhood, she was admittedly one of the greatest skeptics about a church buying prime, anchor, property in the business District. But after creating the coffee shop and café, she became one of the church’s strongest supporters, both from her award-winning business background and her own position of Christian Faith.
Spokane has been seen as progressive with so many women in leadership in the arenas of politics, banking, corporate CEO’s, health industries, and other fields. 100 such women bought tickets for the first Women’s Panel held on September 16th. Mayor Nadine Woodward of Spokane, and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris-Rogers were the keynote guests. The opening night’s topic addressed women of influence in politics with an emphasis on the heritage and impact of our free-market economy.
Throughout the evening, it was obvious that these gatherings will have a distinct flavor of women getting personal while sharing stories of success and struggle with each other. There was a refreshing level of honesty and candor when women leaders aren’t speaking to the press or to the society at large but are simply allowed to share their hearts and be authentic with each other. The evening opened with the simple questions; “Who are you? What do you do? Where do you come from? Tell us something about yourself.
Mayor Nadine Woodward spoke of being a local television broadcaster for many years. She loved covering stories of people great people who do wonderful things in their community. She finally decided she didn’t want to just tell the stories but be one of them, so she ran for mayor. She talked about the nature of divisiveness in politics and how painful and personal the attacks became. Mayor Woodward shared with the ladies how surprised and unprepared she was for the nasty things in politics and the impact of different standards that women are held to by society at large.
“I always had a job where I was scrutinized for my appearance, and women are, but in politics it was so much worse. The attacks were so much more personal and painful to be honest. I had an award-winning career, but as soon as I ran, I was nothing but a newsreader who didn’t know anything about the stories I was reading, and I cared more about my hair and make-up and veneers than the content of the news I was reading. I will tell you it was really misogynist, and it came from everywhere. It came from both sides and every demographic. That was a huge surprise”, she shared with the women gathered. When asked what drives you to do this? Mayor Nadine Woodward discussed how her faith and trust in God keep her going.
Congresswoman Kathy McMorris-Rogers followed up with how women can be too quick to tear each other down. “None of us can do it alone. If we learned anything during covid is that we need human connection” she said, “At the end of the day my identity is as a beloved child of God”, she added to a round of applause. “When you come to terms with who you are before God, and can really just grab on to that, you can let go of a lot of other voices out there. I have to daily remind myself of that. Then I can go out there and be strong and courageous and a mighty warrior.”
The evening also hosted a second panel discussion of political voices that took a surprising and touching turn when another political leader spoke of restarting life after abandonment in a difficult divorce. She spoke of how another strong woman lawyer helped her through a time of homelessness after the judge awarded the home to the father and she and the kids were displaced. She had driven tractor and knew a bit about farming but had no understanding of business and managing money. Other women helped teach her and lead her out of poverty. Now, she is empowered to act through her faith on behalf of her family and the world they will inherit.
Another political volunteer spoke of how she loves being her age, she doesn’t act it, and won’t tell it, but she didn’t get her mojo until age 70. She spoke of what life on her mother’s reservation was like and it how it was not a pretty sight. She informed the women how her life is empowered by God through prayer. Her personal life has been transformed by hearing Jesus call her and it changed her. Prior to that, she couldn’t be around people and never felt good enough, but God’s love gave her strength and purpose.
Before the night was over the panel discussed the current top-down driven economics, control of the federal government over local powers and ideas, the creativity and innovation of the free-market, and how to empower younger women to emerge as leaders. Although it came together as a business networking event, attendees were inspired at how much these leaders spoke of their Christian faith as a foundation on which they stood to find their bearings in life. Upcoming monthly meetings are going to be incredibly enriching.
Visit The Gathering House online for more information