Yes, the Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference is happening! We will celebrate our 35th year of ministry July 26-28 — one day shorter to make it more time and cost affordable for you.
Our format will be similar to what we’ve offered in the past. Our theme, “Write His Answer” from Habakkuk 2:2, has not changed. The GPCWC continues to be committed to encouraging and equipping Christians from diverse backgrounds to write about a God who is real, who is reachable, and who changes lives.
Almost all of the faculty is in place. I’ll be introducing them to you over the next couple of weeks while I work on updating the website and getting the brochure to the printer. I’m excited and trust you will be, too.
Meet our newest
faculty member
Katara Washington Patton
Katara is the author of a series of books on successful living based on Biblical characters. Successful Moms of the Bible, Successful Women of the Bible and Successful Leaders of the Bible (Hatchette/FaithWords, 2016-2017) have received many outstanding reviews and testimonies of how Patton’s down-to-earth and sometimes humorous style has piqued even more interest in the Bible and the lessons within. Patton is also the author of a devotional coloring book for all ages, The Parables of Jesus Coloring Book (Hatchette/FaithWords 2017).
Katara has also created supplemental material for best-selling authors, such as T.D. Jakes and Joyce Meyer. She was general editor of Aspire: The New Women of Color Study Bible (Zondervan), the writer for the teacher’s workbook for Bishop Vashti MacKenzie’s Journey to the Well (UMI), and writer and acquisitions lead for Beth Moore’s So Long, Insecurity Teen Edition (Tyndale).
Katara graduated summa cum laude from Dillard University (New Orleans, LA), with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications and English. She then earned a Master of Journalism in magazine publishing from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (Evanston, IL). She also received a Masters of Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (Evanston, IL), where she received the outstanding preaching award.
She has worked in the editorial and acquisitions departments at Weekly Reader Corporation, Jet Magazine, Urban Ministries, Inc. (UMI), McGraw-Hill and Tyndale House Publishers. In 2013 she established Esteem Publishing, which allows her to help others bring their book and media ideas to fruition. In 2014, she was named Nonfiction Editor of the Year by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).
Katara is a native of Thibodaux, Louisiana. She and her husband, Derrick, reside on the South Side of Chicago. They have one daughter, Kayla. She is a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. As much as possible, she tries to enjoy a Zumba class and a competitive game of Scrabble to keep her life balanced.
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More News
If you heard the conference is moving, we are! I’m delighted to announce that we’ll be at Dock Mennonite Academy just off the Lansdale exit of the North/South PA Turnpike (476). It’s a beautiful campus.
Lodging is at the Holiday Inn in Kulpsville, just one minute from the turnpike exit and five minutes from Dock. We used the Holiday Inn for our February conference and were impressed. They’ve offered us a special rate of only $109 a night (plus tax). If you choose to share a room with one, two, or three other conferees (we’ll assist with roommate matching) you will substantially cut the already low cost.
Breakfast and Thursday dinner is on your own at the Holiday Inn or a local restaurant. You’ll have the option of purchasing box lunches Friday and Saturday and a catered Italian Feast Friday night.
Please pray for me as I work to open online registration by May 1 and put July 26-28 on your calendar now.
And the Lord said to me,
“Write my answer on a billboard, large and clear,
so that anyone can read it at a glance
and rush to tell the others.”Habakkuk 2:2 (TLB)
Write His Answer 
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