Nice for Thomas Nelson:

The two-day conference starts Friday, but Andjeski paid her $65 long ago — benefiting from a group discount.

She quickly added that she could "hardly wait to laugh and cry, sing and pray" with the 11,000 or so women the company expects at its "Contagious Joy" traveling variety show Friday and Saturday, July 15.

As in all 27 cities the 2006 show visits in the United States and Canada, Women of Faith booked a roomy venue, The Q, for its nondenominational, Christian spirit-boosting extravaganza. Company spokeswoman Tracie Robbins characterized the conferences as "grace-based and inspirational — and a whole lot of fun." Andjeski and others who have at tended WoF events here and elsewhere agree.

Now in their 11th year, the conferences have an other mission: making money for their corporate owner, publisher Thomas Nelson Inc. of Nashville, Tenn. Cleve land’s event might gross more than $700,000, a portion of that going to investors.