Join us for our Women’s Day celebration next Sunday, April 23 at 11 a.m. at New Salem Baptist Church, Columbus, Ohio with guest speaker Evangelist Vandalyn Kennedy and the Women’s Day Choir. The theme is The Power of the Holy Spirit. This year’s Women of Power Weekend includes the first women’s retreat (in Chicago) since the pandemic. Don’t forget to wear your white with a purple accent. Come and connect with our church family and uplift our women and girls as we praise and worship our Lord in His house.
About Our Speaker
Multi-dimensional aptly describes Evangelist Vandalyn Kennedy. Born in New York City into a family of educators, entrepreneurs, and faith leaders, Vandalyn’s leadership and giftings have made an impact around the world.
Her multifaceted identity is manifested through her experience as a LEADERSHIP STRATEGIST, AUTHOR, PUBLIC SPEAKER, FAITH LEADER, MUSICIAN, and EDUCATOR. In these roles, she has impacted hundreds of thousands of people as well as organizations in varying industries. Vandalyn Kennedy is a CONNECTOR and BUILDER. Evidenced through individuals and organizations, she is gifted to empower others to reach maximum effectiveness.
Having a passion for youth, she worked as an Educator and Administrator within the New York City Department of Education for over 18 years, as well as the first Youth Pastor of her childhood church. Her work as a youth advocate in the non-profit sector has spanned over three decades and continues to touch many.
A proven transformative leader, Vandalyn is a change agent with quantifiable growth. As a result of her experience and expertise in leadership and strategic development, she founded Bridging The Gap Inc., a solutions firm helping individuals and organizations strategize for best practices and growth. BTG provides targeted leadership training for youth leaders in both secular and sacred spaces.
Vandalyn graduated from high school at the age of sixteen, went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree then a Master’s degree in Education from Sarah Lawrence College, and a second Master’s degree in Music/Music Education from Columbia University. She also obtained a Master of Divinity degree from Columbia University’s Union Theological Seminary with a Focus on Leadership and Preaching and completed Princeton Theological Seminary’s Black Theology and Leadership Institute Certificate program. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Leadership and works as an Adjunct Professor in the New York City area.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
Musically, Chairlady Kennedy worked as a choir director, vocal trainer, and Gospel concert producer in both sacred and secular spaces. Her work as a music educator spans from elementary school to college level. She has also served in numerous Minister of Music positions within the Church of God in Christ (local to jurisdictional), previously serving as Dean of Education for the International Music Department (COGIC Worldwide), and Coordinator of the International Youth Choir.
As a faith leader, Chairlady Kennedy travels extensively nationally and internationally as an itinerant minister speaking into the lives of thousands of people. She is an ordained minister who speaks Spanish and has ministered in Panama, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, and Spain. She has also been blessed to be the keynote speaker several times for COGIC’s summer convention (AIM) as well as the annual Holy Convocation and was selected as one of the Church of God in Christ’s 150 most I l influential women. Vandalyn was blessed to be a keynote speaker on the main stage during the 2019 Hampton Ministers’ Conference and has been featured in The New York Times as a “Women in the Pulpit” to watch. She currently serves as Chairlady of the International Youth Department of the six-million-member Church of God in Christ.
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