Voices of Hope ignites faith, encouragement for women

Having a voice and a story in today’s world is invaluable, and bringing together women who can share their experiences, hopes and dreams and build each other up is the essence of the upcoming Voices of Hope 2026 Christian Women’s Conference.

Celebrating its 10th event, the two-day conference will take place from 4:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, April 10 and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 11 at United Dayspring Church in Berlin.

Doors will open 30 minutes prior to the start each day, with a light meal served Friday evening and lunch provided Saturday.

There is something powerful about women gathering to share their stories, experiences and wisdom. At the Christian Women’s Conference, those conversations often move beyond simple networking and become moments of encouragement, understanding and inspiration.

When women can speak honestly about their journeys and share the challenges they’ve faced, the lessons they’ve learned and the victories they’ve celebrated, they emboldened others to do likewise.

In those shared moments, every word of hope, encouragement and connection serves as a reminder no one walks alone.

“This is an awesome weekend filled with laughter, tears, sharing and plenty of prayer,” said Kim Griffiths, VoH conference coordinator. “We believe that healing starts with Jesus at the center, and this conference was created to be a starting point to get women talking about their stories.”

Voices of Hope and the Christian Women’s Conference were founded by Dena Schrock, who was born and raised as one of 14 children in a Swartzentruber Amish home. Schrock, who resides in Florida, launched Voices of Hope through her passion to empower women to create hope, overcome struggles and embrace their God-given potential.

“In talking with friends and neighbors, Dena found that a large number of women have experienced abuse, and so her mission became one of bringing women together to share and to allow the healing process to begin,” Griffiths said. “She has such a heart for the mission.”

Keynote speaker at the event will be Lizzy Hershberger, author of the acclaimed memoir “Behind Blue Curtains.” Her book and speaking engagement will focus on how she courageously escaped abuse at 14 years of age and sparked a national movement toward justice for those who have endured similar circumstances.

Hershberger’s story has inspired many, and she serves as a voice for survivors. In addition, there will be other speakers focusing on surviving abuse, oppression, family disfunction, grief and more.

Griffiths said Hershberger’s story, along with her ability to touch the lives of those with whom she is speaking, make her an ideal speaker for the event. She said Hershberger was heavily involved with the first six or so conferences before a new venture arose.

“A journalist from Cosmopolitan Magazine caught wind of Lizzy’s story and wrote an article,” Griffiths said. “She just completed a documentary which is airing on PBS March 23, and it has been making the film festival tour recently and is getting rave reviews. It’s actually eligible to be Oscar-nominated.”

The worship leader for the event will be Leanette Lopez of Redemption Praise. Lopez is a bilingual worship artist who can bridge cultures through her music, pouring her faith and experience of the healing process into every song.

Each day will feature small group breakout sessions with trained leaders, which can open the door to greater healing and developing faith.

“It’s such a neat, meaningful event,” Griffiths said. “We are trusting that God will bring in those who need to be there and hear the messages, whether that is five people, 50 or 500. We are just going to share our stories together and know that women are experiencing many of the same things and that there is strength in numbers, and sharing our stories of pain and overcoming can help everyone heal and grow.”

Tickets to the 2026 Christian Women’s Conference are $70 per person. Tickets are available online at www.voicesofhopegivers.com/springconference. They also are available by calling 570-337-9302 or via mail at VoH, c/o Ella Byler, 1310 Schmidt Road, Muncy, PA 44610. Tickets will be held at the registration desk on the day of the conference.

The church is located at 5461 Township Road 362.

For more information about the event, visit www.voicesofhopegivers.com/springconference.