History of SYNC

Several ladies were gathered around my dining room table to plan another conference. Calendars, papers, plans before us, I clearly heard in my heart, “Stop!”. We listened, and the team went home to pray and seek God’s will.

Two years before that, several of my friends and I attended a Stonecroft "Telling Your Story" conference in Pleasanton, California. Workshops were geared toward teaching women how to tell their faith story using a variety of gifts and talents.

On the way home we realized that God had given us all the same message. “Bring the conference to Reno!” Four very excited women began praying, planning, and putting together a team. The following spring, God changed lives and brought women to Himself through a wonderful "Telling Your Story Conference" in Reno. God brought Karen (then Kassar) Goodrick onto the Stonecroft staff. Her first meeting with me as Western Division Field Director turned into a lasting friendship that encouraged and helped us along the way. The team grew and the prayer time we shared was powerful.  

Years ago, when I lived with my young family at Lake Tahoe. God had gifted me with an amazing friend. The friendship Pam Butters and I shared began when our children attended nursery school and continued through their middle-school years. We did many things together, including ski lessons, soccer carpools, choir, directing Christmas programs, Vacation Bible School, volunteering at the kids’ school, and much, much more. Her family moved to Reno when the kids started high school and, sadly, we lost track of each other. Our children grew up and we also moved to Reno, yet our paths had not rejoined.

In the fall following the Reno Telling Your Story conference, I attended a women’s retreat that centered on Mercy Ministries for young women and a wonderful thing happened! Who did I run into at that retreat? Pam Butters!!! Amazingly, God had led us on parallel paths over the past twenty-something years and our heart connection was as strong as ever. As we shared our compassion for broken women and our desire to bring women together, we realized the real need for something ongoing that went beyond a weekend conference. Hmmmmm… I had an idea!

What if we did a “Telling Your Story” conference but changed the format? It could include ongoing workshops for equipping women to share their faith story according to their individual gifts and talents? A spark was ignited in our hearts and ideas began to flow. What if we could help women see themselves as God sees them…”precious daughters”? What if we could help women see the hope they have, not just for eternity, but in Christ today? What if we could encourage women to serve in ministries where God is already at work? What if we could equip women with the skills and confidence to love their friends and neighbors with such bold truth that God could use them to bring other women to Jesus? What if????

So, my friend of nearly 40 years joined us at our next Telling Your Story planning meeting. She was there when God spoke to those gathered around my dining room table. She was there when He spoke to my heart, saying, “STOP!"

Individually we prayed fervently that week, seeking the heart of God. We met again the following Saturday. Together we asked for God’s guidance in earnest prayer. That’s when we heard in our hearts, “I want so much more.”

Since then, God continues to bring women to our team, each with amazing gifts and talents. God has been teaching us to do things His way and in his time. He has given us a clear vision to:

The structure He led us to create is the foundation for the SYNC Program to grow in ever-expanding circles as women are drawn together through on-going groups and service to others seeking to share God’s Word. Events will be held throughout the year to equip and encourage women.

Our prayer is not only for Reno, but for cities and towns all across America and beyond. May believers be UNITED, as one in Christ as Jesus prayed to the Father (John 18:20-26). May we SUPPORT one another (Romans 14:19), and ENCOURAGE every woman (Hebrews 12:21) so that those who don’t yet know Christ will make him her Lord (Romans 14:11). May we fix our eyes on Jesus and do all for his glory!