Dear Sisters in Christ,
“Being a ‘steady rester’ means stopping the effort to do something, to be someone, to accomplish something that is worthwhile or important. It means being still, being quiet, relaxing, puttering, or taking a break. It means taking your life back, and not having to use a bowl of ice cream or running yourself into the ground to do it. When you give yourself permission to rest, you discover again and again that the world will not fall apart if you don't hold it up.” Geneen Roth
Our annual women’s reTREAT can help you as a woman of influence be a “steady-rester!” It is a time to step off the treadmill of expectations and pressures of daily life and ministry; it is a time for physical rest; it is a time to restore your soul and replenish your spirit; it is a time to be nurtured and cared for by other sisters in Christ.
As women who are involved in leading and serving, we need the body of Christ and the nourishment of loving sisters sharing, praying and holding one another accountable just as much as any of those God calls us to serve.This year’s reTREAT will be held on March 9-10, 2012 at the
Rolling Ridge Conference Center, housed in Ethan Allen’s historic mansion, in North Andover, MA. Our reTREAT is for women who are or have been involved in our regional
Together groups,
but it is also for any woman who is currently serving in her church or organization. This will be a time to connect with sisters who have a heartbeat for Christ; it will be a time of encouragement and enrichment.
Our time “together” will feature a variety of elements:
- Meaningful and inspirational worship
- Special speakers
- A relaxed time of fun to connect with old and new friends
- Personal quiet time and prayer
- Round table discussion groups on pertinent topics, including: “Super Women” Don’t Have Needs, Right?-Dealing With Unrealistic Expectations; Social Media 101: Don’t Get Left Behind!; plus a special talk-back session with speaker and author, Carolyn Custis James.
You can download the full agenda.
Once again we will have two speakers for our general sessions.
Susan Moody has been a faithful contributing member of our
by design team for many years and is also a member of our
by design ministries board. Susan is a much-requested speaker and workshop leader and is on staff at two churches! She has also just published her first children’s book,
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made.
Carolyn Custis James is President and Founder of
Synergy and of
Whitby Forum and is the author of several books. Her most recent book is
Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women. She champions women in ministry leadership with an empowering biblical message that frees and emboldens us to engage the unique challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century. Carolyn has recently relocated to New England and we are delighted she can join us.
reTREAT DETAILS:
- The reTREAT begins Friday at 7:00 PM and concludes Saturday by 4:00 PM. Plan to arrive between 5:00-6:30 to register. In the past, we have limited the number of women leaders from each church to 4 participants. That guideline is waived for this reTREAT. There is no limit. Please pass this information on to those women in your sphere of influence that would be interested in attending.
- Accommodations are family-style with rooms varying from two beds with private bath to six beds and a bath off the hall. There is one room on the main floor that is handicap accessible. Private rooms are available for an additional $20. Linens are provided. We will attempt to assign rooms according to your Together group or geographic area.
- Plan to bring copies of various ministry resources to share with fellow attendees. These could be brochures, ministry tips, planning guides, devotionals, organizational tools, etc., anything that might be of use to another women leader. The total number of copies that will be needed will be included in your confirmation letter.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
- Download registration form
- The registration fee of $97 covers overnight lodging, breakfast and lunch on Saturday, and materials. Please note: Your registration fee is transferable but non-refundable (i.e., another person can come in your place). February 28th is the cutoff date for registrations.
- Limited scholarships are available. Contact our office for further information.
- An optional pre-reTREAT dinner is available Friday evening for an additional $15.00, but you must pre-register for this meal.
- For optimum benefit, we heartily recommend you attend both days. If circumstances militate against you attending the complete reTREAT, you may come as a ‘commuter;’ you will still need to pre-register. See the linked registration form at the bottom of the page for fees.
By early March, you will receive a final confirmation letter with directions and additional information. If you have other concerns, please call our office at (978) 710-4455 or you may e-mail me at 1611psa@gmail.com.
I’m looking forward to seeing you in March. More importantly, the Lord Himself desires to encourage your heart and ministry with His strengthening Presence.
Soli Deo Gloria,Linda Moore
Director,
by design ministries
