Myrtle Stagner left First Christian Church a bit closer to God, and maybe even a few friends richer.

She and 84 other area ladies attended the Women in His Image conference Friday and Saturday, bonding with the Lord and each other.

“I just need that fellowship with other Christian women,” Stagner said, “and time to praise the Lord.”

The women, and teenagers, had several workshops to choose from covering various topics, like Mary Tague’s session on incorporating Christ in the workplace and Jessica German’s about finding nutritional sources for healing.

“People look to see what the topics are, and they decide what they need at that time, and they take that one,” Stagner said.

Vanessa Day, 13, attended her second conference with her mother and aunt, and signed up for the finance class for teens.

“I learned how to save money and not spend it on things you don’t need,” she said.

Day also took a workshop called, “what teens need to succeed.” She picked up pointers on how to improve herself and focus on her strengths.

Everyone could enroll in two workshops.

“All of them are good so it’s hard to choose,” Stagner said.

In the workshops, women of all denominations come together to reflect.

That’s one of Stagner’s favorite aspects of the workshop.

“The most common thing we have is Jesus Christ,” she said. “We may not agree on everything, but we all agree the only way to Heaven is through Christ.”

Women from Craig, Rangely and even Fruita came for the conference, but organizer Jeannie Higgins said this year’s attendance is down from the two previous conferences.

The first year included 124 women, the second year 138, and this year, only 85.

“Busy weekend, I guess,” she said.

The format stayed the same, Higgins said, but the speakers and workshops changed to give women variety.

Craig Realtor Sari Cobb was this year’s keynote speaker, and Craig native Rhonda Walmer headed up the worship services, as she has for all three events.

Higgins said women like this make the event worthwhile.

“There are about 20 women from the community who took the joy, the love and the time to do this,” she said. “It was fantastic.”

Michelle Perry may be reached at 824-7031 or mperry@craigdailypress.com