March 18, 2021
Women of the East Texas Baptist University campus community including students, faculty, and staff, gathered on March 9 and 10, for the 2021 Women’s Summit. The event’s Chapel service and luncheon featured guest speaker Katie Gravens, who formerly served as the Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) State Lead Team Director. While on campus, she used her platform and perspective on collegiate ministry to encourage everyone to use their unique gifts to serve God’s Kingdom.
“An opportunity to serve is never an opportunity wasted,” Gravens said. “You can come to a better understanding of your gifts through serving. Our gifts are a part of what God is doing in our lives as well as the lives of others.”
The Summit’s focus, Growing Where You Are Planted, encouraged ETBU Women to develop God’s gifts in fulfilling His purposes.
“This event empowered women through the beautiful picture of our purpose and identity in Christ,” Chapel on the Hill Coordinator Kendall Westbrook said. “Grow Where You are Planted invites the idea of cherishing the moments we are in. Not believing or waiting on the next stage of life to listen to God’s call but embracing the call of Christ on our lives in the here and now for His glory.”
The Women’s Summit serves as an opportunity for the women on ETBU’s campus to connect and grow together through learning and fellowship. Gravens focused on Scripture from Romans 12 and charged listeners to act as humble servants of Christ whether serving on mission thousands of miles away or serving a next-door neighbor.
“It feels so good to be diving into God’s Word with other women from campus,” sophomore management marketing major Genavieve Matthews said. “Being here reminds us that we are all going through similar things. We can get together and talk about specific topics for women. Mrs. Gravens really opened our eyes to the end goal of doing the Lord’s work. She showed us how it might not be the same way as someone else, but each of us can do the Lord’s work in our own unique way.”