WITH CHRIST AT THE CENTER
MAY 2025 VOLUME RR NO. 5
CONNECTIONS OUR WOMEN ON MISSION RECENTLY ATTENDED THE SECOND HARVEST EMPTY BOWL LUNCHEON! THIS GATHERING HELPS TO RAISE AWARENESS AND FUNDS TO HELP END HUNGER IN THE METROLINA REGION.
From the Children and Adult Ministers "If being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you [...] become deep-spirited friends […]" Philippians 2:1-4 (MSG) There are a few phrases buzzing around our church this spring. If you listen closely, you’re bound to hear that we are “promoting a culture of invitation,” “building strong relationships,” and “fostering spiritual formation.” These phrases summarize three of the five goals of our collective Vision of Ministry. You might have even noticed a slide scrolling across our screens since late 2024 encouraging us to “save the date” for an upcoming All Ages Retreat. We believe that this intentionally intergenerational weekend away is the perfect intersection for our collective Vision of Ministry, and we would love for you to be part of it! We’re betting that before you save the date for a Labor Day Weekend event, you may have a few questions—or at least a bit of curiosity—as to what we’ve invited you to. You may be wondering: “What can I expect?” To help cast a vision, we encourage you to think “summer camp,” but over Labor Day weekend. During a weekday site visit in April, we were able to meet the hospitable staff and explore the building and grounds of Chestnut Ridge Camp and Retreat Center. Lodges and
cabins, connected by accessible gravel walkways, are just a few minutes from the Morris Center Dining Hall, firepits, a serene lake, an outdoor chapel, and all the outdoor games your heart could desire. While most of the facilities were quiet that day, it was not hard to imagine this place coming alive by the groups and people who shared life together there. Laughter and joy echoed around us in the calmness of that day. It was easy to imagine the people of Providence here. It was easy to imagine you creating ripples with your canoes, pulling up chairs for each other at meal time, sharing stories and s’mores around the firepit, and forming deepspirited friendships in the cabins. It is exciting to imagine how the goodness of God will meet us there. Early Bird Registration is open now through June 22. It has been important that this retreat is affordable, which has been made possible through a generous contribution from our Endowment. Early Bird prices carry an additional discount on top! • Adults: $75 • Ages 6–College: $50 • Ages 2–5: $30 • Birth–1: Free • Family Cap: $300 This price includes 7 meals, lodging for 3 nights, and most of our camp activities. There are a few additional recreational activities that you or
your family will be able choose à-lacarte. You’re also guaranteed an exclusive retreat t-shirt! The perks of registering early also help us to best plan for the retreat. There are several pieces to our weekend together that will be determined by the size of our group, one of which is our lodging. While each cabin is equipped with suites with bunk beds, there are some specifics we will not know until we have our group numbers in. If you miss Early Bird Registration, there’s still time to sign-up! We can’t guarantee that there will be t-shirts in your preferred size, but we hope that doesn’t stop you from coming. Standard Registration will open from June 23-July 27. We invite you to join us for a weekend where we can play, grow, and be together with a relaxed schedule. We hope that you are a part of this intentional, intergenerational weekend that we will share together.
Elizabeth Maye Hudson Minister with Children and their Families
Blake Kendrick Minister for Adult Discipleship