Blog - Page 53 of 66 - Retreat-in-a-Bag 53

Back in the Saddle Again!

Posted by Debby on January 22, 2011

After a month-long hiatus for the holidays and some overseas travel….we’re home–and eager to “get back in the saddle!” You can expect regular posts to resume next week.

We want to take this opportunity to encourage you to “subscribe” by signing up to receive email updates from RetreatInABag.net. When you sign up (top right corner of website), you will receive email updates whenever something new is posted on the website. We are also eager to hear from you. If you have any suggestion for the website, or any question regarding the content, please leave a comment or send us a message via the “contact” page info.

Posted in: Retreat and Event Planning

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Setting the Stage

Posted by Debby on December 21, 2010

Our 2010 retreat theme was “Every Good and Perfect Gift.” We used many beautifully wrapped gifts with silver ribbons to decorate. We had these presents lining the hallway to the meeting room and throughout the meeting room. But the most important decorating area is the stage, since our ladies’ attention is focused on the stage and podium area during most of the retreat. As you can see, we had a large laminated poster with the theme in clear view, and the front of the stage was decorated with the wrapped gifts.

Each year, the decorating focuses on the registration area and this stage area. The decorations are a visual reminder of the theme of the retreat.

Posted in: Retreat and Event Planning

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On Being a Servant of God – A Book Review

Posted by Debby on December 17, 2010

On Being a Servant of God is a book written by Warren Wiersbe. Mr. Wiersbe has been in the ministry for over 30 years, and he writes this book as a means of sharing “what I wish I had known.” It consists of 30 short “armchair chats,” where he shares his perspective on issues we all face serving God–tough situations, tough people, the desire to run away, being misunderstood, being unappreciated. This book is not directed only to pastors and those in full-time ministry, but to anyone who serves in the church. Most will relate to the issues discussed in this gem of a book.

Wiersbe defines ministry as taking place when divine resources meet human needs through loving channels to the glory of God. He discusses these four elements in ministry–divine resources, human needs, loving channels and the glory of God. He reminds us that the love we need for ministry is something that only God can provide. He says that our “Christian service is supposed to make us grow and it will if we’re in the right place with the right attitude. He suggests that God allows problem people in our lives so that we will have the opportunity to develop spiritual maturity. He says that our Christian service “is supposed to make us grow and it will if we’re in the right place with the right attitude.”

Wiersbe touches on sensitive issues like knowing when and how to close a ministry and move on, being misunderstood and under-appreciated, how to learn from our failures and families in the ministry. He discusses the joys of Christian service, standing against the enemy’s tactics, loyalty and humility in the ministry, dealing with discouragement and disappointment, dealing with those bad days in the ministry, dealing with enemies and unjust accusations, and money issues and stewardship in the ministry. The subject of disagreements among servants in the church was one of the most applicable of his “chats” as he discussed what we can compromise (our right to be right all the time) and what we can’t compromise (fundamental doctrine).

What may seem like a mishmash of miscellaneous topics relating to ministry actually comes across as wise fatherly advice, backed up by scripture, shared by one who has had years of experience in the ministry. I would highly recommend this book to those who are serving within their church.

Posted in: Book Reviews

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Journey’s End

Posted by Debby on December 15, 2010

Our women’s retreat 2010 took place about a month ago. All of the months of planning and preparation culminated in a wonderful weekend of teaching and fellowship. It is now going to take a while to catch up on posts…those last two weeks before the retreat were busy, and now the holidays are upon us. Our retreat this year was a special one for Calvary Chapel Plano, as this is our twenty-fifth year (our “silver anniversary”) of doing an annual women’s retreat. We even had several women in attendance who had been to every one of those 25 retreats.

This year’s retreat theme, “Every Good and Perfect Gift,” was taken from James 1:17. Our main graphic was a gift, wrapped with a silver ribbon. Our decorations consisted of many beautifully wrapped gifts. Even our quiet time revolved around the “gift” theme.

Over the next two months, we will be reviewing the last minute details of planning and preparation for this retreat, as well as sharing lessons that we learned.

Posted in: Journey to Retreat 2010

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Why Include a Skit at your Retreat?

Posted by Debby on November 18, 2010

Skits We are big fans of including a skit during every event we can, especially during retreats. The best skits are funny and entertaining while at the same time being meaningful and applicational. Skits can add a dimension to your retreat where learning is taking place–yet under the guise of entertainment. Skits should highlight the essence of the retreat’s theme. While skits provide a break from the serious, they can still be an integral part of the message that is being conveyed throughout the retreat.

Additionally, people learn differently. All women do not learn best through the hearing of teachings (auditory). Some women learn better by reading (visual learners). And others learn better when they actively participate. One of the things I learned as a learning disabilities teacher was that the best way to ensure learning was to combine the learning styles–a multisensory approach. We use times of quiet reading, listening to the Word being taught and watching and participating in a skit to ensure that we are reaching as many of our ladies as possible.

Check out our downloadable skits!

Posted in: Retreat and Event Planning, Skits

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