WinGS (WOMEN IN GOD’S SERVICE)

WOMEN’S RETREAT PROVIDES TIME AND SPACE TO RECONNECT WITH GOD AND OTHERS

Fifty-one women came together for fellowship, fun, and spiritual renewal at the beautiful St. Raphaela Retreat Center for our Women’s Annual Retreat on April 28-29. It was a wonderful opportunity for women of all ages to connect with each other and to reflect more deeply on their spiritual lives. Amy Shutt, this year’s retreat leader, encouraged women to expand their view of God and his love and recognize his closeness. As the apostle Paul writes in Acts 17: 27b, “He (God) is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being.” Amy invited women to remember and share individual experiences of God’s love, and to participate in a renewal of their baptismal vows. Participants enjoyed reflecting on the health of their own “spiritual gardens” as they prepared and painted clay pots for planting. There were options for yoga with Josette Cicacci, an introduction to Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina given by Buff Barnes, singing led by Beth Greenwood and Melanie Eberhard, and DIY art exploration. When asked what was life giving about the retreat, individual women responded with the following: the value of silence, the music, watching the birds behind as Amy was speaking, connecting and getting to know other women, the symbolism of rooting again in God’s presence, the “baptism,” remembering as a way to become aware of God in our lives, being reminded that God’s grace is everywhere, sharing in pairs, Lectio Divina, connection with God, the centering of our life, dialogue, yoga, time to reset, all of it.

Women interested in helping to plan next year’s retreat may contact Jeanne Kauffman at jkauffman2853@gmail.com or Lee Pretz at lpretz@verizon.net.

Wings Celebrates Summer With Annual Sunset Social

May 18th was a beautiful, sunny day, and The Willows is an amazing location. About 35 WPC women took full advantage of the great day and location to enjoy light refreshments and wonderful fellowship at our Sunset Social. It was a lovely evening of laughing, food, and sharing, and a great way to end our WinGS program year.