NE Gainesville church hosts inaugural Gathering of the Queens Brunch

The women of Open Door Ministries strengthened their bond of sisterhood by recognizing the queendom they all possess.

The Women and Girls Ministry of the church hosted its inaugural Gathering of the Queens Brunch on Saturday at the Best Western Gateway Grande Hotel at 4200 NW 97th Blvd.

Over 50 women wore tiaras and were given pink gift bags.

The event was created to inspire women to lead their lives with God and self-love, said Nona Jones, the church’s first lady. Her husband, Pastor Tim Jones Sr., is pastor of the church.

“We are celebrating being daughters of the most high God,” Nona Jones said. “We are ending our year receiving femininity and sisterhood. This event is a moment to remind us who we are in God and in each other as sisters.”

The event began with the women introducing themselves to those seated at their tables, and each woman was asked to give a rose to another woman who impacted their lives.

The woman with the most roses was crowned “Queen of the Roses.”

“I created this activity because after going to funerals, I saw so many roses on their caskets and I thought to myself, ‘Did they die never hearing what they heard at their funeral?’” Jones said.

The activity symbolizes giving someone their flowers while they are here, Jones said.

The two women who received the most roses were Cora Cooper and Shantelle Dorsey.

Dorsey said she has been a member of Open Door Ministries for over 40 years and is one of the co-leads of its Celebrate Recovery Program that helps people struggling with hurt, pain or addiction of any kind.

“I am very appreciative,” Dorsey said. “We need to do this annually. Lady Nona is wonderful for creating this. She’s a phenomenal queen.”

Cooper, a deaconess at the church, said she has been a member of the church since its founding in 1976.

“I appreciate the fact that they think that of me and gave me the roses,” Cooper said. “This brunch is beautiful because it is important for ladies to know that they are loved. I’m a hugger — I love hugging people.”

It is important to share your love with others, Jones said.

“Let’s keep this spirit going into the new year because you never know what people are carrying,” she said. “I met a woman during grocery shopping and I hugged her. She said before I hugged her, she was on her way to commit suicide. She told me, ‘Your hug made the difference.’”

Jones moderated the event’s panel discussion that featured Margaret Jones, her mother-in-law and widow of the  church’s founder, the late Samuel Jones Jr., church member Gwendolyn Anderson and Carrie Johnson Parker-Warren, Jones’ godmother.

Open Door Ministries:NE 19th Street in Gainesville named in honor of the late Rev. Samuel Jones Jr.

The panel discussion focused on valuing one’s worth and sharing words of wisdom with the women in the audience.

“If you’re going to be a queen, you have to believe in yourself,” Parker-Warren said. “You’re going to have to respect yourself to be considered a queen. If you have friends who are not making good choices, find new friends.”

Older women must guide younger women to live better lives and know their worth, Anderson said.

“You don’t have to wear a crown to feel like a queen, all you have to do is be yourself,” Anderson said. “Pick yourself up if you’re down. Know that God loves you more than you love yourself.”

Margaret Jones gave advice on the importance of remaining calm when faced with opposition.

“Most of my mistakes were from being reactive in some situations,” she said. “It’s always best to think because that’s where our character lies. Learn to be more assertive than reactive.”

After the panel discussion, Nona Jones thanked the panelists for their vulnerability, transparency, wisdom, love and compassion.

“No matter how hard life gets, we are royalty,” she said.