Chosen, Called, Changed!

The 24th girls-only youth conference Girl Talk saw joyful praise and souls won for Jesus, explains Shiv Rapley

Girl Talk is a girls only youth conference hosted annually at City Gates Church in Ilford. For the past 24 years, it has been a space where young women are invited to encounter Jesus and lives are changed.

I first attended Girl Talk as a teenager and didn’t miss a single year until it was time to step up and serve. In 2017, I took on the role of conference coordinator, and it remains a huge privilege to oversee such a significant youth ministry.

This journey is shared by many on the Girl Talk team, women who once sat in the crowd and are now pouring into the next generation.

Our 2025 conference took place on Saturday 1 November and centred on the theme Chosen, drawn from 1 Peter 2:9. Our guest speaker was Emma Lou Francis, founder of Girl Got Faith and Kobey House.

We opened the morning with corporate worship and the girls ran to the front. There was a tangible sense of sisterhood and unity throughout the room. The team quickly recognised a deep hunger for God; nothing felt forced, so we leaned in and made space for what the Holy Spirit was doing.

Moments of spontaneous worship flowed naturally, alongside powerful declarations spoken over the girls.

One particularly moving moment came when our guest worship artist, Sabrina Mitchell, felt prompted to ask if anyone wanted to sing the words, “I am chosen, not forsaken, I am who you say I am”.

Two girls stepped forward and sang into the microphone in front of more than 450 people. What made this moment extraordinary was that both girls are autistic and usually very reserved. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. It was a beautiful picture of God’s Kingdom, inclusive, welcoming and overflowing with grace.

Throughout the day we explored relevant topics, shared meals, enjoyed competitions and finished with a joyful praise party. But above all else, souls were won for Jesus and lives were transformed. Girl Talk is no longer just a City Gates event. God has steadily expanded its reach, and over the years we’ve welcomed youth groups from across our region and beyond, including Birmingham, Bristol, Coventry and even Scotland.

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.