WINNSBORO — Women in Winnsboro are finding means to promote excellence, though not of their needs and hands but of those of a higher power.

“Untouched they leave, but the ones that stayed were loved, touched and became Women of Excellence. Come give Him praise, become a worshiper, bask in his glory. Come experience the Love of God, blessing of God, anointing of God and leave in the Peace of God.”

That sums up the dreams and goals of the Women of Excellence Ministry that Evangelist Bettye Adamson founded in 1997.

“After 40 days of fasting and prayer I was inspired by the Spirit and a vision God gave me to minister to hurting women,” she said. “In any given setting there are hurting women, be it from the loss of a child or a divorce or the loss of a parent.”

She felt called to minister to women who had been mentally, physically or sexually abused. “Church hurts” developing from when a woman would have a bad experience with a person or group of people at a church and then never return to any other church is another part of her Evangelist outreach.

“People leave churches because of the hurt and don’t go back,” she said. “Our goal is to be a welcoming presence that encourages people to come back into the fold and worship somewhere.”

The Women of Excellence pray for restoration through the Word of God, through teaching and preaching.

“A big thing we try to do is look for ways to develop gifts and talents within people as we minister to them,” she said.

The goal is for women to possess the life skills, confidence and job skills so that when the Lord changes their life circumstances from struggling to something better they will be prepared to seize the moment.

Bible teaching is a large portion of the outreach, but Adamson and other group members help women learn how to interview for jobs, including holding mock interviews. They distribute clothing to women and their children on a limited basis. They teach women the benefit of conservative dress and hairstyles for interviews, too.

A 20-year evangelist, Bettye Adamson is co-pastor with her husband, the Rev. James Adamson, at 46 Shrine Circle in Winnsboro at the Golden Rock Fellowship Church. The Women of Excellence Ministry is an outreach at that church.

“I believe (that during hard times) people grab for what they need and that at that time the Word will reach them,” she said.

Outreach is imperative for them. For now the church building is their only property but she dreams of the day when they could provide housing for battered women. “We currently do assist them in finding a place to stay if need be,” she said.

Depending upon community needs, she and her co-ministers minister to around 10 people per week. Their 17 years of conferences, she estimates, have reached about 10,000 women.

The group theme for 2013 is the Year of Fulfillment.

They are a 501(c)3 nonprofit and she said donations and sponsors are always welcome to defray the costs of hosting these events for the community. This year she said the conference will be just one day, but will include lunch and music.

She encourages both men and women to attend the free event March 23. The event starts at 9 a.m. and ends around 1 p.m. Recording artists Derrick Brown and WOR will perform as will the Women of Excellence Singers.

Pastor Margaret Harper-Shekinah Glory and Minister Theretha Thorton from Atlanta, Ga., will speak to the topic from Psalm 102.

For more information contact Adamson at 803-438-0648.