clergywomen

clergywomen

Fund-raising dinner

The Interdenominational Clergywomen’s Alliance (ICA) was founded by the Rev. Lillie B. North, pastor of Friends House Chapel in Youngstown.

The founder: The ICA had a prelate bishop ordination ceremony for Rev. Mrs. North in November 2008. She founded the alliance along with 11 other charter members in 1980. It includes women in the ministry from Youngstown, Akron, Cleveland, Dayton and Cincinnati, and an affiliate in Farrell, Pa., was chartered. Mrs. North is founder and executive director of North Star Patchwork Training Center. She attended Youngstown State University and worked as a scrub nurse at St. Elizabeth Medical Center (now St. Elizabeth Health Center), was a visiting nurse and a school nurse with Youngstown city schools. Mrs. North accepted her call to the ministry and was licensed in 1977. She graduated in 1980 from the American Baptist Theological Seminary, Youngstown Extension Unit. She was ordained in 1981 by the Rev. Lonnie Simon. Mrs. North founded Friends House Chapel in 1983. She also serves with Youngstown Police Chaplaincy Corps.

Fund-raiser dinner: The event with the theme, “Moving Forward,” is planned at 6 p.m. Aug. 29 at the Elm Tree, 170 Walton Ave., Struthers. Speaker will be Elder James Bowie, interim pastor of Friendship Baptist Church. The cost is $25. For tickets, call Sheila Conley, program chair, at (330) 330-8181 or the Rev. Gwen Alexander, ticket chair, at (330) 718-8801. Tickets also will be available at the door.

Beneficiary: The proceeds from the dinner benefit ICA’s scholarship program and other community projects.

Officers: The Rev. Eleanor Felder, first executive president; Bishop Martha J. Sanders, second executive president; evangelist Anita Wilkins, third executive president; Ollie Williams, first vice president; minister Anner Hardin, treasurer; and minister Tanya D. Payne, chaplain.