Clergywomen attend retreat led by Meghan Larissa Good

By Nancy Sollenberger Heishman

More than 70 clergywomen from 16 church districts attended a denominational retreat traditionally offered every five years by the Ministry Office of the Church of the Brethren. The retreat, which is available to licensed, commissioned, and ordained Church of the Brethren women, provides space for rest and refreshment, continuing education, and treasured connections for women of all ages.

The retreat was held Feb. 10-13 at the San Pedro Spiritual Development Center in Winter Park, Fla. Presentations were offered each morning by Meghan Larissa Good, lead pastor of Trinity Mennonite Church in Phoenix, Ariz., and author of Divine Gravity: Sparking a Movement to Recover a Better Christian Story. In addition to her pastoral ministry, Good serves as theology chair for the Jesus Collective, an organization working to unite, equip, and amplify a movement toward a more hopeful Jesus-centered Christianity. Good is also Faculty of Record for Teaching Leadership in the doctor of ministry program at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary.

Following Good’s presentations on the theme “Love the World like Jesus with Courage, Care, and Healing,” women enjoyed small group and worship experiences that afforded the opportunity for intercultural fellowship across diverse cultural heritages. Translation into English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole was available throughout the retreat with equipment provided by Atlantic Southeast District.

*A group picture from the Clergywomen’s Retreat. A full photo album is online at www.brethren.org/photos.*

The retreat enjoyed strong sponsorship from a variety of denominational agencies and programs. In addition to their generous financial support, Eder Financial surprised each attendee with a small gift box of chocolate truffles. Michelle Kilbourne, a vice president at Eder, was joined by four other female staff who led a workshop on “Financial Wellness for Clergywomen.” Karen Duhai, Bethany Theological Seminary’s director of Student Development, coordinated the seminary’s support for airport transportation, ably chauffeured by drivers Tim Morphew, Dale Dowdy, and Norm Waggy. Julia Baker-Swann, a poet and theopoetics adjunct instructor, also provided leadership on behalf of the seminary. The Part-time Pastor; Full-time Church program offered financial support and program supplies. The Womaen’s Caucus supported several women’s attendance through grants from the Mary Blocher Smeltzer scholarship fund.

Flowing from Meghan Good’s presentations, clergy sisters returned home pondering challenging questions such as “What is the shape that Jesus’ love takes in me?” “How does Jesus’ love in me enable me to love my enemies?” and “What could I do to increase the likelihood of hearing and following the voice of the Holy Spirit in my life and ministry?”

May the responses to such questions bear abundant fruit in the lives of those who love the world like Jesus loves!

— Nancy Sollenberger Heishman is director of the Church of the Brethren’s Ministry Office. Find an online photo album from the Clergywomen’s Retreat at www.brethren.org/photos.

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