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Archive for Retreat and Event Planning

What’s For Dinner?

Posted by Debby on November 12, 2013

Depending on your venue, you may be called upon to make and approve a menu for the retreat. Of course, there are retreat centers that just feed everyone the same thing, cafeteria style. But if you are going to a hotel setting, you will be called up for menu selection. Normally, a hotel will give you some menus to choose from that are in your price range.

Considerations:

Be sure you have some form of protein available for every meal, otherwise your ladies will fizzle out before the next meal. This is normally not an issue, unless you are looking at a continental breakfast. But we try not to skimp on breakfast, and make sure eggs are available.
I hate to say it, but some form of chicken is normally the safest choice to make.
Be sure your registration form clearly states which meals will be included and paid for with their registration; often, when we are arriving Friday night, we do NOT include Friday dinner in the cost of the retreat. Make it clear that women must eat that meal on their own.
Hotels will work with you on special dietary needs, but special diets must specified on your registration form, so that you can inform the hotel well in advance.

Posted in: News & Information, Retreat and Event Planning, Starting Points in Retreat Planning

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Inclusive Pricing

Posted by Debby on October 29, 2013

I had the opportunity to chat with a pastor’s wife recently about retreats. At the time, we were few weeks away from our 2013 retreat, and she had also been planning their women’s retreat–so we compared notes. We are doing ours at a retreat campground, using their hotel on site. Meals are provided, and we will be eating together with other groups in a dining hall. Women are staying 2-3 per room. Price for this retreat ranges from $125-145 per person for a two-night, four-meal retreat.

Her women had planned a weekend retreat about 350 miles away. They were renting a bus for travel and hotel upon arrival. Meals were to be determined when they arrived. Their retreat cost was approximately $350 per person plus the cost of meals.

Now, I understand that different groups expect different things from a retreat. And I’m sure their retreat will be lovely and a fun weekend away in a vacation locale. But what comes to my mind is: How many women can afford a retreat like that? Are women being priced out of that retreat?

As you plan your retreat, it may be tempting to do something elaborate. But consider this–is your pricing excluding women? Could you change something so that it would include more of your women?

Posted in: Ingredients for a Great Retreat, News & Information, Retreat and Event Planning, Starting Points in Retreat Planning

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The Difficult Weeks before a Retreat

Posted by Debby on October 22, 2013

Our women’s retreat is less than one week away.

One thing we have learned over the years that our team has been planning women’s retreats is to expect those weeks before a retreat to be difficult, and fraught with attack. The enemy loves to throw obstacles and roadblocks into retreat planning, and often hits the leaders personally as well. We’ve seen it happen year after year, so we weren’t surprised to see it happen this year. His assault this year hit the leaders personally. Our nine leaders have experienced–among other things–new job stress, chronic pain, illness, seriously ill children, death of a parent, children moving overseas, and I could go on! The timing of it all was just a bit too coincidental. This was on top of the normal retreat planning obstacles we faced.

If you are in the midst of similar attack, take heart. Press on in spite of the difficulties, because a blessing awaits! Don’t let the opposition discourage you, because God will overcome.

We are expecting an extraordinary retreat this year!

Posted in: News & Information, Retreat and Event Planning

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Using Pinterest

Posted by Debby on September 17, 2013

All the new social media options can be overwhelming and confusing–as well as time-consuming! However, I want to mention that Pinterest can be a creative resource for events and retreats. For those of you familiar with Pinterest, you know it to be a source of millions of recipes, as well as creative ideas culled from the web about every topic imaginable–crafts, children’s activities, fashion, landscaping, and home decorating, to name a few. But one way I have found it helpful (once you have jointed Pinterest) is to do a search of either your theme or just “retreats” or “women’s ministry” in general. Many women have created boards of ministry ideas, and some can contain very helpful ideas, easily adapted to your needs.

For example, we recently had a women’s event themed “From Lemons to Lemonade.” The theme scripture was Romans 8:28. I searched “lemons” on Pinterest, and found a wealth of decorating ideas, centerpiece ideas, graphics and recipes that were helpful.

Posted in: Decorations, Money-Saving Tips, News & Information, Resources, Retreat and Event Planning, Retreat Remembrances

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Praying for One Another

Posted by Debby on September 10, 2013

A primary ministry at our retreats should be making prayer available for those who need someone to pray with them. Our retreats should be a place where women feel comfortable asking for prayer. The Bible clearly states that we should “pray one for another that you may be healed” (James 5:16b). Our leaders, as well as other mature women should be on the lookout for those women who perhaps look upset, needing personal prayer. But we all know that women are very good at hiding their true needs. So we also provide opportunities during the retreat where women can go to specifically ask for prayer. One is normally in the evening, during a time of worship and waiting on the Lord, where we have women available to pray. We normally have prayer circles set up around the room where a woman can go to ask privately for prayer. Sometimes the semi-darkness of the evening makes asking for prayer easier. But we have done similar set-ups during the day, where women are invited to go to a specified room at a certain time where women are available to pray with them, and we always have a response.

Posted in: Ingredients for a Great Retreat, Ministry at the Retreat, News & Information, Retreat and Event Planning, Starting Points in Retreat Planning

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