Conference strives for unity, affordability

From left, Mary Medlock, Staci McHenry and Melanie Isaacs volunteer as kitchen staff during the 2015
Rock This House women’s conference, which is held annually at the Ash Flat Church of Christ.
From left, Mary Medlock, Staci McHenry and Melanie Isaacs volunteer as kitchen staff during the 2015 Rock This House women’s conference, which is held annually at the Ash Flat Church of Christ.

— An Ash Flat women’s group is planning to soon rock the house with storytelling, fellowship and live performances.

Rock This House, an annual women’s conference, will take place July 29 and 30 at the Ash Flat Church of Christ, 560 Ash Flat Drive. Rock This House started eight years ago as a way to bring women from all denominations to one location in the area.

“Our thought in the beginning was, ‘Let’s bring something to our small area that would be quality but people can afford,’” said Jan Haney, event coordinator.

Haney said the event builds a sense of community.

“I think we just try to bring an awareness of Christ, an awareness that no one can do it alone, that all of us together can really do lots of things,” she said.

Haney said she and about 20 other Rock This House board members, who all participate on a volunteer basis, organize the event, which usually draws 500 to 600 attendees.

Haney said ticket prices, which are $10, $15 and $20, differ based on seating, but the event strives to keep prices to a minimum. If women in the Ash Flat area were to attend a conference elsewhere, they might have to pay at least $60, she noted. All tickets include dinner Friday and a “more-than-continental breakfast” Saturday.

Haney said the board has fundraisers each year to help with ticket costs. In February, the group hosted a Crop This House scrapbooking fundraiser and will present a 5K Pumpkin Dash race in October.

“While [the conference] doesn’t make us a ton of money, it keeps our name out there,” Haney said. “People are aware that we’re trying to do this event.”

This year’s women’s conference will feature speaker Laura Story, a Grammy Award-

winning recording artist. Haney heard Story speak in Springfield, Missouri, last year. Locals will also emcee and host storytelling at the conference.

“We don’t teach doctrine,” Haney said. “We just come together as all denominations, and worship and praise God. It’s just just an uplifting time for the ladies in our area.”

Haney said the summer is an ideal season for a women’s conference.

“We have to do it in the summertime because that’s when the speakers are sort of on hiatus,” she said. “A lot of them go on missions and things like that.”

Haney said women from nearby states have attended Rock This House, too, including one woman who schedules her vacation around the event.

“We’ve had people come from Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Missouri,” she said. “We’ve had lots of people come from different states.”

Ideally, the conference would be free for attendees, but travel costs for speakers result in the event being ticketed.

“We would love to have it for free, but we can’t hardly do that,” she said.

Haney said Ash Flat doesn’t have many hotels, but there are three- to four-bedroom homes that can be rented nightly.

Younger children are also active in the weekend’s program, Haney said.

“Friday night, we have a little portion where we have several young girls — they’re 10 and under, usually — and they do some sign language to some of our songs,” she said. “My granddaughters have been [attending the conference] since they were little. It’s for all ages. Especially this year, Laura will speak to the younger people.”

Local men get involved, too.

“We have men that do our parking for us, and they generally stay, also,” she said. “They kind of line the back wall, but they’re there to help people in and out.”

Haney said Rock This House has already planned for author Lisa Harper to speak at next year’s conference. She said she hopes attendees will leave Rock This House feeling “fired up.”

“It’s probably the biggest thing we have that draws people,” she said. “It’s a one-of-a-kind event. I don’t think there’s anything like it anywhere around.”

For more information, visit www.ashflatcofc.org.

Staff writer Syd Hayman can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or shayman@arkansasonline.com.

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