Sustain: A Women’s Mini-Retreat
Throughout history, bread is the food that is needed for sustenance and survival. But how do we sustain our spiritual lives?
Join us on Saturday, November 12 from 9am-12pm at Vintage Faith Church for Sustain: A Women’s Mini-Retreat. This will be a time of examining Scripture, musical worship, hands on experiences, and hearing from women in our community to learn about the ways that God sustains us - throughout history and in our own lives. We will use the examples of baking and bread (including gluten free) to emphasize God’s love and faithfulness and how these concepts also teach us how to live as followers of Jesus.
We are excited to offer optional 45 minute workshops (see options below), after the retreat from 12:15pm-1:00pm, designed to provide you with specific tools to help maintain and grow your faith. You are able to sign up for the workshops at the Mini-Retreat, however some have limited space, so please reserve your spot when you register today.
When you register, you will have the option to choose ONE workshop to attend and can choose from the dropdown menu. If you are unable to join us for the workshop portion after the mini-retreat, simply choose the first option (Mini-Retreat | NO workshop option). Scroll down for descriptions of the workshops.
This mini-retreat is free, however registration allows us to ensure we have materials for you. There is also an option in the registration to leave a suggested donation. If you'd like to help cover expenses, we would be ever so grateful. THANK YOU!
Contact Nini Lettner with any questions.
REGISTER FOR AN OPTIONAL WORKSHOP:
PRAYER WORKSHOP: Tools to keep your prayer life active
Prayer is an essential part of our Christian faith. Just like a sourdough starter, the more we feed our prayer life, the more active it becomes, but if we neglect our prayer life, it can become dormant or even die.
This workshop will cover different methods and styles of prayer and provided practical resources to incorporate prayer in your everyday life.
Workshop led by: Sarah Baker. Sarah grew up in Palm Desert, CA and has been following Jesus for as long as she can remember. She moved to Santa Cruz in 2009 and began attending Vintage Faith Church while studying at UC Santa Cruz. She obtained her degree in Psychology with a minor in Education in 2012. She currently serves on staff at Vintage Faith Church as the Director of Kids Ministry.
INDUCTIVE STUDY WORKSHOP: Tools for more than crumbs from Scripture
Reading the Bible seems to be one of the most commonly prescribed spiritual disciplines, but can easily become a box on a checklist rather than something that feeds our soul. Inductive study (or manuscript study) is a Bible study method designed to help us engage deeply with the text—to ask questions like “What does the passage actually say? How does the passage apply to my life and my community?”. In this workshop, we will learn how to practice the personal and communal discipline of inductive Bible study by studying Scripture together.
Workshop led by: Anneka Weinert. Anneka is a campus minister with InterVarsity in Stockton, California, and loves seeing college students grow in their walk with Jesus. In her free time, she enjoys sewing, and playing with her cat.
AWARENESS WORKSHOP: Tools to practice the presence of God
We often go through our days in an unconscious kind of way. We get get into our routines and hardly give any thought to life at a broader and deeper level. Our relationship with God can seem distant and hazy as opposed to close and personal.
In this workshop we will uncover ways to be more awake and aware in our daily lives and to practice the presence of God. Life can become much more meaningful and enjoyable when our awareness is shifted beyond the routine and mundane to the beauty of what is deeper, more abiding and life-giving.
Workshop led by: Mari Harrower. Mari is a wife of 53 years, mother of 2 grown, married children and grandmother of 4. She is a retired marriage and family therapist and frequent workshop leader.
PRAYING IN COLOR WORKSHOP: Tools to focus and deepen your prayer life
This workshop is a chance to reassess how we pray and re-enter into the childlike world of coloring. Jesus often points to children as an example of faith, love, and trust. “Drawing” closer to God isn’t regressing or abandoning maturity but rather connecting our child-like nature back to our grown-up selves. In this workshop we will explore incorporating the practice of prayer into one’s life through doodling and coloring. No artistic skill or prayer expertise is necessary. Whether you are a skilled artist, or just a doodler, you only need a willingness to put pen to paper and an openness to being aware of God’s presence.
Deanne Ortiz-McLendon is a long-time member of Vintage Faith Church. She is wife, mother, art teacher, and triathlete. As an artist with little extra time, she enjoys sketch-booking. It has become her portable life journal as art is how she processes life.
WALKING WITH GOD WORKSHOP: Tools to see God through creation
Join us on a hike as we look in awe of God's beautiful creation, and are reminded of how His creation can draw us closer to Him amidst the busyness of life. We will also take some time to learn valuable lessons from nature as well as look in the scriptures of how nature analogies are used to help describe our relationship to God, and God's character.
What to bring: good walking/hiking shoes, layers appropriate for the day's weather, a backpack, a water bottle, a packed lunch, a journal, and a pen. Closer to the date of the Mini-Retreat, you will be given the location where you will meet for this workshop, after the main sessions.
Katelynn Reynolds currently serves as the Youth Director at Vintage Faith Church. She has experience serving in the great outdoors and had previously been a teacher at the Mount Hermon Outdoor Science School. She enjoys spending time with her family, exploring God's creation, gardening, and cooking. She values God's deep love and steadiness, and continues to learn about His joy being her strength.