MARYSVILLE — Church women from across the state and beyond will be converging on Marysville to ask themselves, “What Are We ‘Bee’coming?”

The Marysville United Methodist Church will serve as the site for a Christian ecumenical gathering of the Washington and Northern Idaho Church Women United, as they conduct their biennial state assembly and leadership council meeting on April 8-9.

According to local Church Women United Vice President Jeannie Lish, the movement is celebrating 70 years of service this year with “fellowship, prayer, advocacy and action for peace with justice.” Among the event’s motivational speakers will be Barbara Moreland of Mukilteo on “To Bee or Not To Bee,” Richard LeMieux of Bremerton on the problem of homelessness, and Tom and Jan Kemp of North Bend asking how to minister to truckers.

Attendees can register for one or both days, and work with registrars to reserve motel rooms or possible home hospitality stays, with the latter depending upon availability. Those who have no other accommodations can sleep in their cars in the church’s parking lot, since Marysville Police have been made aware of the “sleep-out.”

April 8 will include a leadership council business meeting open to all attendees from 1-5 p.m., a 5:30 p.m. dinner served by the women of the Marysville United Methodist Church, followed by a 6:15 p.m. round of singing, speeches from Moreland and National Church Women United Vice President Jenni Yeoh, and the installation of officers for the Washington and Northern Idaho Church Women United.

April 9 kicks off with music, devotions and the presentation of the Valiant Woman Award at 9 a.m., followed by workshops on Church Women United’s activities and services from 9:45-11 a.m. LeMieux will speak at 11:15 a.m., and after a noon lunch and leadership officer training, the Kemps will conduct their program at 1:45 p.m. The two-day event will close at 2:30 p.m. with worship offerings and the completion of evaluation forms.

Lish invited attendees to bring relatives, friends and acquaintances with them, but warned them to make sure their registrations were submitted by postal mail no later than March 25.

The Marysville United Methodist Church is located at 5600 64th St. NE in Marysville. For more information on registration, contact Lish by phone at 360-652-9227 or via e-mail at MAJEL45@cedarcomm.com.