NATCHEZ &045; A multi-cultural worship event continues in Natchez today at Word of Faith Christian Center, where guests from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya and Swaziland are gathered with U.S. friends from Natchez, Lumberton, Vicksburg and Detroit for an international women’s conference.

&uot;Establishing the Kingdom of God&uot; is the theme of the gathering. Bishop Robert Cade, pastor of Word of Faith with his wife, Betty Cade, said both men and women from throughout the Natchez area are invited to attend.

&uot;This evolved from conferences we’ve had in the past,&uot; Robert Cade said. &uot;It has been our good fortune to know people overseas through one of our members.&uot;

Dr. Janice Owens moved to Natchez from California about two years ago, Word of Faith member

Olivia Holloway said. Owens has chaired the event and called upon her contacts in Africa to pull the event together.

&uot;She is a prophetess and travels in Africa all the time,&uot; Holloway said of Owens. &uot;She said this is something we ought to do.&uot;

Visitors arrived in Natchez throughout the weekend, Holloway said. Most of the African visitors will be speakers on the programs. Two, however, are special guests and are queens in their country.

&uot;We have two real queens,&uot; Holloway said. They are Her Royal Highness Queen S. Masanga and Her Royal Highness Queen A. Gija, both from the Kingdom of Swaziland.

&uot;God has given our pastor a vision to go beyond this little area where we live,&uot; Holloway aid. &uot;There are Christians all over the world. We are branching out to share the gospel everywhere.&uot;

Cade said the event provides the opportunity to worship with people from different countries who also love God. Such a coming together tears down walls between people, he said.

&uot;There are a lot of barriers we think are important but they are not, things like denominations,&uot; he said. &uot;What’s really important are the relationships with God, a personal relationship with God.&uot;

Owens has been a link to make this possible, Cade said. Joining with others who want to build up the universal church is important for God’s people, he said.

&uot;Everybody has a gift, and when they use that gift, it nourishes the body of Christ. And it takes all of us. Everybody has a part.&uot;