Cape First Church to host 12th annual Ladies Tea Party

For the past 12 years, Cape First Church has brought women together to enjoy an evening with friends, make acquaintances and receive inspiration.

It's that time of year again: The 12th annual Ladies Tea Party will be Friday night at the Osage Centre on North Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau.

Rose Brothers, who pastors Cape First with her husband, Gary, said she has a passion to see women thrive and fulfill their God-given potential. It is that passion that gave birth to the event.

"I have a great desire to minister to women, to cause them to be empowered and encouraged and uplifted because they're God's creation," she said.

So how is tea instrumental to that goal?

Kelly Minter

"Every culture, every country in the world drinks tea," Brothers said, adding, "When you drink it with friends, no matter how you say it, it's always fun."

This is at the heart of this year's theme, which is "Tea in Any Language."

Since its inception, the annual tea party has attracted more than 1,000 people to the Osage Centre, which is transformed with a feminine decor of tables, tea cups and tapestry.

This year, 1,400 are expected, many returning from previous years and some for the first time.

Attendees enjoy the company of those at their tables, hang out at others' tables and shop at the vendor booths of small businesses such as Smoothie King, charitable organizations such as Options for Women and home-based businesses. The photo booth also is a favorite.

"In this day and age of social media, people love that," Brothers said.

Kelly Minter, an author, speaker and musician, is this year's inspirational speaker. Brothers said she prays for direction in selecting a speaker and looks for someone with whom people are familiar.

Julee Wilson, the church's ministry assistant, serves as Brothers' right-hand woman for the event, which requires several months of work.

Among other duties, Wilson sends out letters to previous years' hostesses, assigns hostess tables, coordinates vendors, collaborates with speakers' assistants and invites churches. Their team also meets with the Cape First media department to brainstorm and create graphics for the year's theme.

Brothers noted the experience and the help of her church staff have made it a "well-oiled machine."

"All the guys pull their weight," she said -- and she did mean "guys." Although it is a ladies' tea, it has not become the success it has without the help of men.

"Over a hundred men attend to help serve, usher, greet and protect," Brothers said.

Kristi King, who plays the saxophone and guitar on the church's worship team, said she appreciates the effort. She has attended the tea party over the years, and this will be the third time she has hosted a table.

The first year, she chose a grape theme for her table, using grape-printed plates, cups and saucers.

The second year, she opted for a patriotic theme, which "included patriotic plates, red cups and saucers, the American flag and the Missouri state flag."

"Each of my guests got an American flag dog tag necklace and their own patriotic name card. That was my hostess gift," she said. King, a KHIS Radio employee, will decorate her table with a KHIS theme this year.

Her favorite part is "seeing so many ladies in one place worshiping God together."

She said, "I like that unity. I like seeing people just coming together. ... It's not just a Cape First thing. We host it, but it's for everyone."

The event includes a salvation call, allowing women to accept Jesus into their lives. Last year, she said, 89 responded to that call.

"My goal is for women to be encouraged, to be celebrated, to be loved," Brothers said, "for them to have an opportunity to grow in their relationship with Christ."

She wants them "to know God loves them and that they can win in life. They're going to be overcomers, not downtrodden."

The event itself is Wilson's greatest joy, she said.

"Hours upon hours go into it. ... But the night of the event, I know it's worth it because there will be so many people there that are going to be encouraged, ministered to."

Wilson shared the story of a woman whose husband committed suicide; she attended the event and was encouraged.

Wilson and Brothers spoke about the importance of the event's neutral setting: People will go there and hear the gospel but may not go to church.

"A ladies' tea at Osage doesn't seem as threatening," Wilson said.

One challenge the event faces is space.

"Making sure every lady who wants to come is able to come" is the biggest challenge, Wilson said, "because we always end up with a waiting list. ... This year, the tables were grabbed up in only about a week and a half."

"The Lord has blessed it, and the women enjoy it," Brothers said.

The Ladies Tea Party is at 7 p.m. Friday at the Osage Centre. Doors open at 6, and tickets are $14. For information about ticket availability, call (573) 334-4421.