God Conscious Women Ministry marks 6th anniversary, urges couples to strengthen communication
The God Conscious Women Ministry (GCWM) on Sunday, August 30, 2026, celebrated its sixth anniversary with a colourful gathering marked by praises to God, fanfare and reflections on the ministry’s journey over the past six years.
The anniversary celebration, which attracted members of the ministry, family members, friends and well-wishers, also featured a marriage-focused programme aimed at helping couples build healthier and more enduring relationships.
The theme of the 2026 anniversary was “One Voice, One Heart: Communication in Marriage.”
The organisers used the occasion to emphasise the importance of effective communication between husbands and wives, noting that poor communication is capable of creating misunderstanding, resentment, emotional distance and, eventually, marital breakdown.
The Founder and President of the ministry, Pastor Tina Kanu, in her keynote opening address, urged couples to cultivate the habit of listening to understand rather than merely listening to respond.
She admonished couples to “listen to understand, speak with love and respect, and never assume your spouse knows what you need.”
Pastor Kanu expressed gratitude to God for sustaining the ministry over the years, particularly through periods of uncertainty, discouragement and challenges that, at some points, made her consider giving up on the vision.
She described the anniversary as more than a celebration of six years of existence, saying it represented the survival and fulfilment of a vision that had passed through years of preparation and incubation.
According to her, the vision for the ministry was conceived by God long before its physical manifestation.
“Today is a day of great joy, thanksgiving and reflection. As I stand before you, I am reminded that the story we are celebrating today did not begin six years ago.
“The vision for this ministry was captured by God many years before its physical manifestation.”
She recalled how her childhood experiences, particularly being encouraged by her siblings to attend church, participate in the choir and attend Bible study, gradually became part of her spiritual preparation.
She also recounted an encounter in which she saw herself stepping forward in a trance while an elderly man handed her a clean, white handkerchief, which she subsequently used to wipe the tears of people before her.
Pastor Kanu said she now interprets the experience as an indication of her calling to minister to women, comfort the broken-hearted, encourage the discouraged and help people going through difficult seasons.
She said the impact of the ministry over the years had confirmed the significance of the vision.
“Today, when I look at The God Conscious Women Ministry, I see women who have been encouraged, strengthened and helped to rediscover hope.
“I see women who are becoming more conscious of God, His Word and His purpose for their lives.”
The founder also spoke about the years of preparation and incubation preceding the establishment of the ministry, including her experience in a prayer cell under the late Rev. Father Charles Anyanwu of Friends of Jesus Ministry.
She said the experience helped to deepen her understanding of prayer, intercession and total dependence on God.
Looking back, she said the difficult seasons she encountered were not necessarily signs of abandonment but periods of preparation, testing and spiritual development.
The guest speaker, Pastor (Mrs) Ruth Orok, a relationship teacher and advocate for healthy marriages, challenged couples to acquire communication skills capable of promoting peace, understanding and happiness in their homes.
Speaking on “One Voice, One Heart: Communication in Marriage,” Orok said the real challenge in marriage was not simply loving one another but learning how to communicate that love effectively.
She identified listening, speaking, understanding, forgiveness, accommodation and mutual growth as essential ingredients for effective marital communication.
According to her, many marital problems do not necessarily begin because couples have stopped loving each other, but because they have stopped communicating effectively.
“A husband may speak, but his wife may not understand what he is trying to communicate.
“A wife may express a genuine need, but her husband may interpret it as criticism.”
She warned that silence and assumptions could gradually damage a relationship.
“Silence can create assumptions. Assumptions can create resentment. Resentment can create emotional distance. And if nothing is done, emotional distance can gradually become a wall between husband and wife.”
Orok explained that communication in marriage goes beyond talking, stressing that it involves listening with understanding, speaking with love, expressing truth without destroying the dignity of one’s spouse and creating an atmosphere where both partners feel heard, valued and understood.
She urged Christian couples to allow God’s Word, prayer, patience, tolerance and sacrifice to guide their communication, noting that both partners must be willing to make sacrifices for the success of their marriage.
Following the keynote lecture, a panel of discussants (Pastors Okojie, Innocent, Orji and Afolo) further explored the theme, offering practical perspectives on communication challenges commonly encountered by couples.
The interactive session provided an opportunity for participants to examine issues such as listening, expressing emotions, handling disagreements, managing expectations, forgiveness and avoiding assumptions in marriage.
The discussions reinforced the message that successful communication requires the active participation of both husband and wife and that couples must learn to resolve disagreements without attacking each other’s dignity.
The anniversary celebration was attended by several notable guests, including Pastor Dick Okojie and his wife; Pastor Joseph Innocent and his wife; Pastor (Mrs) Ruth Orok; Pastor Orji and his wife; Pastor Afolo Charles and his wife; Pastor Theo Ohonsi; Mr Kenneth Emeruwa and his wife; Matron Ruth Oboh; Mr Adibe Michael and his wife, Ebere; Mrs Agbakwu Adaora; Mr and Mrs Nwachukwu; and Mr Moses Ehigiator, among other dignitaries.
There was couples games, Bible quiz and some other activities during the event.
The anniversary ended on a celebratory note, with members and guests expressing gratitude for the ministry’s growth while looking forward to greater impact in the years ahead.
