Women’s Tea Party Brings Community Together at Sterns Church

More than a dozen women gathered Sunday, May 3, for a women’s fellowship tea party hosted by the Sterns, Ky., Church. The event, organizers say, was designed to encourage connection, faith and outreach among women in the community.

The event, organized by Victoria DeLaughter and Rose Coffey, brought together women from the local church, surrounding Adventist congregations as well as community members. Attendees participated in tea service, light refreshments and a series of activities centered on the biblical theme “For Such a Time as This,” drawn from Esther 4:14. The program included a presentation on purification practices from the story of Esther, as well as a hands-on craft in which participants decorated crowns symbolizing identity and purpose.

Organizers said the tea party had been in planning for several years and was inspired by the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference Women’s Retreats and gatherings. DeLaughter said she saw a growing need for intentional spaces where women could connect amid increasing social isolation and stress.

“There’s always a need for fellowship,” DeLaughter said. “We’re so isolated… and because of the anxiety and the fear, we don’t want to let people in. So, I really want to encourage them and remind them who they are in God and what their mission is.”

Attendance was estimated at around 20 participants, though organizers said the long-term vision extends beyond a single gathering. DeLaughter expressed interest in making the tea party an annual event, building on this year’s foundation.

“I want to bring all the women together, just to encourage them,” DeLaughter said. “Women, when they come together, they will encourage each other… and we become stronger.”

Church leaders said they hope the event will strengthen relationships among women in the region and inspire continued engagement with the community.

“As I look beyond our tea party event, I see our church’s women’s ministry breaking the ice with other women in our community,” Coffey “I want to show them that we are like them and that we love them and love God with all our hearts.”