Speakers from Pillar College Inspire at W.O.V.E Breakfast

By Candace Waller

New Vision Baptist Church W.O.V.E. (Women of Vision Edifying) Ministry hosted a breakfast on Saturday, March 9th at the NJIT Auditorium in Newark. The breakfast theme “9 Fruits of the Spirit Prayer Breakfast and Workshop” encouraged attendees who came from throughout the state as the nation celebrates the accomplishments of women during the month of March.

The presenters at the event breakfast were Pillar College professors Dr. Maxine Bradshaw and Dr. Joanne J. Noel along with Pillar College alumnus Shelly L. Bell. The organizer, Evangelist Victoria General, previously worked at the college and was recently appointed to oversee the Evangelism and Women Ministry at the New Vision Baptist Church at the Cathedral located in East Orange under the leadership of Bishop Victor Agee. Pillar College, based in Newark, offers associate, bachelors, and master’s degree programs with classes taught from a Christian perspective.

“I enjoyed having prayer for breakfast,” Bell said. “Just as breakfast nourishes the body, prayer nurtures our soul. It infuses every moment with meaning and elegance and sets the tone for appreciation, introspection, and communion with the divine.”

Participants at the event enjoyed a delicious hot breakfast, were inspired by the powerful words of the speakers, and were given the opportunity to share their prayer requests. General said the goal of the event “was to empower the brethren with sound teaching and doctrine beyond the Sunday Morning Experience.”

The three speakers along with Dr. Rosette Adera who also worked at the college published a book in 2022 titled,Tapping into Your Superpower. They were each given a section of the Bible from Galatians 5: 22-23 where 9 fruits of the sprits are discussed.

Dr. Bradshaw spoke from the themes “Love, Joy, and Peace.” She is the Associate Dean and Professor of Psychology and Counseling at Pillar College and is also a pastor, certified counselor and trauma professional, and consultant. Bradshaw said in her presentation that there are many trials people must face including being loving to those who don’t reciprocate. She told the audience that even with the many tribulations in life we should still have love, joy, and peace as eventually things work out.

Bell spoke on the themes of “Patience, Kindness, and Goodness,” and said those ideas relate to her role as founder of Naomi Widowed Village, a non-profit organization that provides resources to widows and the other community groups she works with. She is also the co-author of the book Voices of the 21st Century. She admitted that patience was a difficult skill for her to master and many people in the audience waved their hands when she asked if that fruit was also difficult for them.

“How do you handle it when someone disrupts you when you are speaking or working on a project? Make sure your temper doesn’t destroy your testimony,” said Bell. “People often see the glory without knowing the story. God isn’t going to give you anything you are not prepared for. At the heart of patience is the understanding that sometimes the most powerful act is to simply wait, to trust that every moment carries its purpose, and to believe that God allows everything to unfold as it should, in its own time.”

Dr. Noel, Dean of Humanities and Culture and Professor of English at Pillar College spoke on the themes “Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.” She is one of the founding leaders of Faith Foundation Christian Ministry, an organization that serves children in Trinidad.

In addition to the speakers, attendees enjoyed uplifting singing, a praise dance and mime performance. Each person was given a book on the 9 fruits of the spirits and a bracelet with acronym P.U.S.H (Pray Until Something Happens.)

General said she was pleased with the response to the breakfast.

“The prayer breakfast and 9 fruit workshop were birthed out of obedience,” General said. “The word lets us know that if we harken unto the voice of the Lord if we obey Him all these blessings should overtake us. The prayer breakfast was surely a blessing to many that came near and far. We are looking forward to continuously doing this on an annual basis.”

Candace Waller