Girl Talk truly has my heart!

Siobhan Cunningham-Rapley explains how the annual Girl Talk event has played a pivotal role in her life and walk with God.

Girl Talk is a girls-only youth conference hosted annually at City Gates Church in Ilford, writes Siobhan Cunningham-Rapley. The event has been running for over 20 years, and every year young ladies and their youth leaders encounter Jesus!

I attended Girl Talk as a teenager, and it has been a privilege to take up the baton and oversee this significant ministry. Girl Talk has played a pivotal role in my personal walk with God. The beautiful thing about the conference is the strong sense of legacy; many of the team members also attended as young people and are now able to share their wisdom and experiences with the next generation. If it wasn’t for Girl Talk, I don’t know if I’d have considered women’s ministry!

Girl Talk truly has my heart, and I pray many churches can partner with this conference to raise up a mighty generation of godly women! Girl Talk provides a safe atmosphere for young girls to encounter God. We explore relevant themes and topics and give the girls an opportunity to gain wisdom from relatable women who have already walked the journey ahead of them.

Every year, we welcome hundreds of girls from across the country, all of whom have a desire to meet with God and have fellowship with other young ladies. The conference consists of worship, breakout sessions, food, a Girl Talk market, speakers, performers, and we end with a praise party! In the past, we’ve had an array of incredible performers and guest speakers join us on stage, such as Faith Child, A Star, Rachel Kerr, Lurine Cato, CalledOut Music, Tofunmi Adorna, and interviews with Naomi Scott and Anastasia Bostock.

Because many of the girls come expectant, we always give them the opportunity to respond to the gospel. And as a result, every year souls are won for Jesus, and many young ladies also make the decision to recommit their lives to Christ.

The recent Girls Talk event, held on Saturday, 2 November 2024, at City Gates Church in Ilford, was a resounding success. The theme, ‘Embrace,’ based on the Bible passage James 4:8: “Come near to God and he will come near to you,” resonated deeply with everyone in attendance.

The powerhouse guest speaker, Damilola Makinde, delivered an inspiring and heartfelt message, while the guest performer, ASTEPFWD’s Asha Elia, a previous female artist of the year and 2022 MOBO nominee, captivated the audience with her incredible performance. The event was a powerful time of connection, worship, and spiritual growth, leaving everyone feeling uplifted and encouraged.

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.