A God-Potent Day
On a sunny day in mid-September, 23 women gathered for a Women in Ministry Day Retreat. This is an account of that beautiful, God-potent day.
Around 9 a.m., ladies began showing up. There was a mixture of low, quiet Saturday morning energy and “I’ve already done 14 things this morning” energy. There were hugs of familiarity and brave handshakes of introduction.
Over coffee, one woman remarked that driving down the dirt road reminded her of the driveway of the camp her kids go to each summer, but that at the end of this road, was a holy time and place for her spiritual nourishment.
When we opened the retreat registration just a few weeks prior, the spots quickly filled in just four days. It was clear there was a desire for this kind of gathering.
The day consisted of icebreakers, a reminder of our context and covenant as we come together across traditions, and our stories.
The most meaningful part of the day for me was the group spiritual direction, where I undoubtedly experienced the Holy Spirit’s presence. We each took turns sharing the season we sense we are in, how God is showing up, and our response. The structure and what it allowed for is what I found most beautiful. It provided an opportunity for us:
to share equally
thoughtful or slower external processors to share without the conversation moving on before we were done
to see the person sharing as God sees them
to sit in God’s responses through others and prayerfully discern what it meant
It was in this space and through these women that I felt I was in the company of Christ, as if He was the one sharing words of encouragement, asking hard questions rooted in love and desire for goodness, affirming who I am, and providing communion with those around the table.
Participants offered this feedback about the day.
“Retreats like these truly create much-needed space for connection with God and one another, and we need to learn how to incorporate regular rhythms of rest into everyday life.”
“Women who work in ministry want more of this kind of opportunity: breathing space, connective opportunities, prayerful discernment, and restoration. ”
“God is on the move in and among these women, and the Church in Dane County does know how to recognize that in one another, even with denominational or theological differences.”
If you are a woman in ministry and are interested in connecting, check out our future offerings at collaborationproject.us/women-in-ministry/