by Lorraine Pelley

After attending the Pastors' Wives Conference sponsored by Focus on the Family and The Joyful Journey and finding both were great, I believed our women would gain from a similar experience.

I was a bit apprehensive to share my idea but when I mentioned it, their response was enthusiasm and a willingness to help. Now I had their support but I wasn't exactly sure where to begin. After talking with a few of you who had already sponsored a retreat I got some good ideas and jumped in.

We held our first retreat in August 1997. Eighty-seven women attended. We were filled to capacity! God truly blessed the entire weekend. Pat Halford and Norva Kelly were our guest speakers. They did a wonderful job. If your area chooses to have a retreat, here are my suggestions:

*Select a Prayer Team Immediately. Ask them to commit themselves in daily prayer for the planning. Widows and the elderly are especially effective for this special part in making your retreat a success. Three weeks before the retreat I mailed each one on the Prayer Team a letter including a list of the women registered. I asked that they pray for each one individually so this retreat would be a personal blessing for them.

*Choose Your Location. A Christian conference center may prove to be an excellent choice to hold your retreat. Hotels were too costly for us. Contact your local Christian radio station and ask them for information.

*Use the gifts and talents of your women. Some have great administrative skills, some enjoy being on stage either performing music or speaking, while others prefer to work quietly backstage. Encourage them to help where they are most comfortable. Their confidence will be boosted and you'll have a happy team working in harmony.

*Choose a theme. Our theme was "Capture the Joy" and a butterfly motif was used in the decorations, candies, hand-outs and gifts. Our speakers and our group discussions and music centered on it as well.

*Pamper your guests! Make them feel special and loved. We placed chocolate butterflies on their pillows, gave away door prizes and had popcorn and snacks at the end of the evening sessions to encourage fellowship.

*Check and double-check everything. Make sure everyone understands their responsibility, the budget allotment and time frames involved.

A retreat is a wonderful experience for those attending, but being involved in the preparation builds harmony and growth in your own congregation. I saw many women blossom. Several commented that they would like to be more involved in the future. Friendships were made that with nurturing will last a lifetime.

You can conduct a retreat! If you don't feel comfortable coordinating it, ask God to show you who has the time and the organizational skill to assist you.

Success doesn't come to you--you go to it.

(Compiled by Denice M. Orr)