HOLD QLD Local Conference 2025

13 – 15 June 2025

Watson Park Convention Centre

Dakabin, Queensland

Once again, members of QLD Handmaids of the Lord were given the opportunity to grow in faith and be enriched and nourished spiritually.

The HOLD Conference was a great success. From beginning to end and all through the program, this conference was not only helpful but gave us the opportunity to reflect on the theme “Called to a New Life in Christ”. God has allowed us to take part in this conference, to strengthen our faith and reconcile our relationship with Him. The two days have been days of reflection in our own heart.

It was such a spirit-filled conference. It has given us inspirational, spiritual and engaging experience. It was filled with prayers, songs of praise and worship and scripture which created that blessed atmosphere during the conference. The joy and happiness of the praise and worship, praise parade and praisefest touched our heart. As we sang and prayed, peaceful and spiritually inspiring thoughts prevailed and we felt the presence of the Holy Spirit.

The HOLD Conference was absolutely successful. Thank you so much to HOLD leaders, especially to sis Girlie Gapusan, sis Bubut Aldana, sis Angie Uy, sis Fatima Sowter and to all members of HOLD Core group who worked tirelessly together for this conference. The venue was excellent and the hall was beautifully arranged and decorated. Heartfelt thanks to CFCA leaders, led by Bro Ric Manalac and service team for the help and support. We do appreciate their level of dedication and hard work done to carry out this important event. A huge thank you to the Music Ministry for providing music during the conference. We are also grateful to speakers and leaders for the thoughtful and spirit-filled guidance that they offered in this conference.

The talks were delivered by outstanding and brilliant speakers. The three speakers, Ann Brereton, Maureen O’Halloran and Glorious Manalac brilliantly explained everything and provided in depth wisdom in order to make our journey exactly what we needed. The talks were informative and enlightening. Ann Brereton gave us an insight on reading the signs of the times. We need to be alert, awake and vigilant. It is not simply to be prepared but to be an instrument to bring about a New World in the shell of the old.

The speakers offered great reflection questions about broken relationship between human and nature, broken relationship among humans and more importantly broken relationship between humans and God. Participants were asked to reflect on the action to be taken to actively respond to God’s call to universal reconciliation. God is waiting for us to be reconciled to Him.

The sessions gave us opportunity to reflect on the themes explained by the speakers such as restoring our relationship with God, with other people, with own self and with nature; Also, to reflect on fostering unity and shared purpose.

What touched me most was the pray-over conducted by Ann Brereton. It was a sacred time of healing and deepening our relationship with God. It was an experience that strengthened our faith and felt the presence of the Holy Spirit as we said our prayers. The prayers of my sisters in Christ really touched my heart and brought me tears of joy and heavenly feeling of being loved.

The social night was tremendously successful. It was so remarkable. The decoration was absolutely fabulous. The atmosphere was electrifying and the food and mocktails were so appealingly and appetizingly arranged, so inviting and truly tasty and delicious. I was so amazed to see how everyone got into the spirit of the 50’s, theme for the social night. The room was full of joy and laughter. Swinging into the 50’s, our beautiful sisters performed their dance numbers so gracefully, elegantly and joyfully to the beat of rock and roll. Absolutely fabulous sisters dressed in 50’s style, added to the vibrant spirit of the night. It was an evening of fun and fellowship and unity among the HOLD sisters and CFCA sisters and brothers.

We are grateful to HOLD leadership for giving us this significant experience. It was wonderful to connect with other sisters in Christ in prayers and fellowship. We had a wonderful program of prayer, singing and sharing with free time to chat with each other and enjoy the delicious meals.

For the culmination of the conference, a Holy Mass was celebrated. It was pretty special, a Filipino priest gave an uplifting, very inspiring and encouraging homily, that connects God’s word to the theme of the conference “Called to a New Life in Christ.”

The HOLD conference was an event that has given us renewed sense of what HOLD mission is. Sis Glorious Manalac expressed gratitude for HOLD sisters’ participation. She gave us renewed sense of hope and purpose and encouraged us to reach out to others to be able to achieve the mission of “5000 in 5”.

The conference concluded with prayers, music and reflection. We, as participants were inspired, uplifted and motivated to continue the great mission of HOLD under the guidance of CFCA.

We left refreshed, feeling so blessed and happy in Christ.

CFCA Handmaids of the Lord Queensland