The 16th annual Harlan County Christian Women’s Retreat will be held on Oct. 28 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Harlan Christian Church, corner of 1st and Clover Street, downtown Harlan, with registration beginning at 8 a.m.

Speakers include Angelia Brooks Lee, Veda Thomas Hall and Darla Carter Heflin. Tickets are $25, payable to HCCWR, and include continental breakfast, lunch, door prizes and praise and worship with Common Ground. Send checks to HCCWR, c/o Vera Williams, 14473 Highway 522, Cumberland, KY 40823. T-shirts will be available for purchase.

“Unity in Christ is a Beautiful Thing” has been chosen as this year’s theme, and all women are invited to come join in fellowship, scriptural instruction, praise and worship together.

Angelia Brooks Lee has more than 10 years in ministry. Angelia loves the Lord and believes He can do anything. A business woman for over 25 years and widow of the late Rev. Leslie Lee, she has two children and owns Angelia’s Gifts & Florist.

Veda Thomas Hall is a freelance Christian writer with over 50 magazine and internet articles published. Veda has taught Sunday School for over 30 years. Her passions are teaching the Bible, writing and enjoying her grandchildren.

Darla Carter Heflin is an ordained Church of God minister. Darla has taught Sunday School for over three years and currently operates a local ministry, Living Stone Creamery and Coffee. She and her husband of over 18 years, Anthony Heflin, have one son.

The Common Ground Praise Team formed in 2013 specifically to sing for the Harlan County Christian Women’s Conference. This unique group of ladies come from different area churches. Their goal is to lift up the name of Jesus with the utmost honor, praise and exaltation through testimony, scripture, music and song.

The interdenominational Harlan County Christian Women’s Retreat is planned yearly by a steering committee composed of women from different Harlan County churches and seeks to reach out to women from all over the county, from all walks of life and from every circumstance, purposefully sharing God’s love and saving grace. They seek a closer walk with God, encouragement to be their best selves, to be Christian examples and to bring others to Christ.

For the past 16 years, this conference has taken many different forms, being held in different locations throughout Harlan County with out-of-town speakers and live simulcasts, and this year moves to a format of several local speakers. Over 100 women attended last year’s event. Women come to the event every year from homes across Harlan County where the economy, drugs, health or family issues may be of grave concern.

Take this opportunity to come together in unity as women in fellowship, thanksgiving, worship and to pray for and support each other, loved-ones, community, nation and world. Bring friends and sisters from your churches. (“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” Ps 133:1)

For more information, contact Vera Williams at 606-589-2744, or Tina Burkhart at 606-273-0376.