115th Annual Retreat for Women

REGISTRATION PAGE

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

Below is the complete list of workshop selections available by session.  It is suggested you first review the list and make your choices before registering.  When ready, simply click the 'Register Now' link at the bottom of this page. See you soon!

IF YOU WERE REFERRED BY A FRIEND BE SURE TO INCLUDE THEIR NAME IN THE APPROPRIATE SPACE.

Payment Notice:  We are set up to accept online payments with MasterCard, Visa & Discover, but not AMEX.  Thank you!

WORKSHOPS

Holy Yoga - Holy Yoga is the intentional practice of connecting our entire being, body, mind and spirit with God: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. With complete reliance on God's Word and prayer, Holy Yoga invites us to surrender and introduces us to Grace. When we breathe and move and have our being in Christ, we find ourselves in the flow of His magnificence. Bring a towel, yoga mat, and water bottle. Participants should wear comfortable clothes. Presenter: Jennifer Howard is wife to Erik and mom to three amazing teenagers, Jackson, Katelynn and Keaton. She is co-founder of Holy Beautiful Life and teaches Holy Yoga workshops in the Marshall area. Sharing Christ with others is her true passion.  She has also been the Directress of the Junior Daughters of the King Ministry in Marshall, Texas for ten years, leading young girls and women into a closer relationship with Jesus. She is currently working towards my Master’s degree in Christian Ministry at Liberty University. To learn more about Holy Yoga & Jennifer's classes and workshops follow the link here :  Holy Beautiful Yoga.  Session I, II, III

Family Reunion: Telling the Stories of God - Family Reunion is a time when the family comes together to share memories and to make new ones. Two of the favorite pastimes of such gatherings are eating and telling stories. Both give us something to chew on and help us to remember. In this session we will hear some of our family faith stories told and explore ways of seeking God in the story and finding ourselves there. Presenter: Kathy Culmer is a storyteller, writer, teacher and lover of The Word. A member of St. James’ Episcopal Church in Houston, she serves as a Lector, Worship Leader, and Director of Religious Education. Kathy is a recent graduate of United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH with a Doctorate of Ministry in Biblical Storytelling in a Digital Culture.  She is the editor of a collection of personal narratives called Yes, Jesus Loves Me: 31 Love Stories, author of the January 2014 meditations in the Forward Day by Day and is featured in Abiding with God Day by Day, a 2016 book of Meditations published by Forward Movement.  Session I, II, III

Prayer Journaling allows us to give focus to our prayer life, reminds us to pray the way Jesus taught us, and changes our prayer life. During this workshop we will begin our own prayer journal, talk about the ACTS prayer model, and study scripture that helps us pray for those close to us. Please bring several pictures of those you would like to include in your prayer journal. Presenter: Lorri Augustine is a wife and a mother of two young men. She currently teaches math to at-risk high school students in League City. Lorri has a passion for scrapbooking and working with women in ministry. Lorri and her husband, Jody, will be embarking on the "empty nester" journey this fall as her two sons return to and begin their college journeys. Session I, II, III

Connecting the Dots - Around the world we are connecting the dots:  women, health, sustainability.  A solution to breaking the cycle of poverty fits in our hands.  Since 2008, Days for Girls International has been putting sustainable, washable feminine hygiene kits that last up to three years in the hands of girls in hard places.  Whether you sew or not, anyone can be Jesus' best friend to a girl.  Come learn how you can give back days of education, safety, and dignity. Presenter:  Fran Lantz is a member of St. Christopher Episcopal Church in League City.  Former human resources manager providing training and development in Texas chemical manufacturing and Appalachian coal mining.  Former public school educator grades 6 through post-secondary in Tennessee, New York, Wisconsin and Kentucky.  Session I, II, III

Who Do You Say That I Am? A Journey From the Head to the Heart - Jesus is repeatedly misunderstood throughout His ministry by many of the most learned leaders of the Jewish faith. They are so steeped in head knowledge that they fail to notice the heart tug of God revealing the Truth to them. In the Gospels, Jesus asks His closest friends an important question: “Who do you say that I am?” He continues to ask us that question today. Do we answer with our head or with our heart? In this workshop we'll reflect on how we might respond in the midst of our 21 Century lives. Presenter: Jane Jewell is a certified Spiritual Director, trained at the Cenacle in Houston. Jane describes herself as a a self-taught artist who loves sharing her faith with others through writing, art, and teaching. She has facilitated Art as Prayer at the Cenacle’s Spiritual Spa Day for the past four years.  She has also facilitated or co-facilitated Art as Prayer over the past five years for several other groups such as local Theresian chapters and church ministries; and has given talks on prayer and spirituality to women’s groups.  Currently she is involved with facilitating marriage preparation and co-facilitating the Caregivers Support Group at St. Laurence Catholic Church in Houston. Session I, II, III

I Shall Say It Again: Rejoice! - In this session you will have a variety of opportunities to ponder, discover and discuss your unique gifts and graces. You will design a “custom” book-mark as a reminder that you are wonderfully, beautifully made! Rejoice! Presenter: Jan Bethancourt An artist from the age of four, author and motivational speaker, Jan has discovered that creative passions can combine to create a mission with a passion for encouragement. Out of a desire to encourage and comfort her daughter, Sarah, Jan's goal of encouraging women to recognize their worth became her mission. Through her art, her book and her motivational speaking, Jan urges women to recognize and embrace their strengths and to believe in themselves. Jan encourages, motivates and inspires every woman to believe in her best self. She challenges each listener to recognize her gifts, identify her goals and to trust her abilities! Session I, II, III  

Big Church or Small Church Outreach and How to Access Grant Funds - We are often reminded to love our neighbors as ourselves. For us to be serious about serving our neighbors through outreach, we need to embrace who we are with Christ by our side. The song goes “If Jesus is for us, who can be against us.” Jesus knows the greats gifts and talents that often lay hidden in us. How we seek those gifts and what we decide to do with them is choosing to live in this kingdom on earth with Jesus Christ as our best friend. This workshop will provide many suggestions for outreach as well as opportunities for grants to help you access the funds for programs. Presenters: Leiselle Sadler is a cradle Anglican who has been a member of St. Francis Episcopal Church, in the Memorial area of Houston, for almost 30 years. She currently volunteers as the Outreach Director, serving the expanding outreach of the church and seeking and reviewing new ministries. She also guides volunteers to leadership positions so that they may have the opportunity to discover their own gifts and potential on behalf of God and of others. Leiselle loves to sing in the St. Francis Assisi choir and play her large D & E bells as a “Belle Ringer.” She is a past Vestry member of St. Francis Church, as well as, past Board Member of St. Francis Parish Day School. Leiselle is committed to serving Christ through her dedication to serving those who find themselves in unfortunate circumstances and as ECW Outreach Trustee, will seek, review and share opportunities with her church sisters. Karla Randle Schapansky received her B.A. in Music Education from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas.  She retired professionally in 2012 having gained over twenty-five years’ experience in Healthcare Management. Karla and her husband Allen are members of Christ Church Cathedral in Houston where Karla currently serves as a staff singer, pastoral care leader, and usher. She is a former Trustee of the Episcopal Foundation. Mrs. Schapansky is the current Chairwoman of the Bishop Quin Foundation and the Strategic Mission Grant Committee. Session III
 

Outreach Project

Lord of the Streets Mission, Houston

The mission of Lord of the Streets Episcopal Church is to offer spiritual, physical, emotional and social ministry to Houston's homeless and disadvantaged. Plarn Sleep Mats will be given to Lord of the Streets Mission in Houston to distribute. Donations of feminine hygiene projects, gift cards from Target & Walmart, as well as monetary donations will be collected.

The Plarn (plastic yarn) Project repurposes plastic bags into a new direction - sleep mats to benefit the homeless - and saves the environment at the same time. Bring your plastic bags (grocery bags, take-out bags, dry cleaners bags, shopping bags, etc.) to the retreat to make mats that can be used to sit or lie on, as a blanket for warmth or a cover from the rain. The sleep mats are intended for people who are less fortunate, be that the homeless, refugees in camps, or people in the third world. Everyone is encouraged to come in the Hope Room to sort and cut bags (bring sharp scissors); weave plarn; roll balls of plarn;  and crochet the mats (a brief crochet lesson/demonstration will be held).