After many requests the decision was made to try to hold our fall retreat at one of our Bible Camps. The NWC Ministerial Association Retreat for pastors, church ministry staff, and spouses, will be held Oct. 9-11 at Lake Beauty Bible Camp this year.
Our theme is Developing Leaders and we will be having individuals from within the NWC sharing some of their stories and insights from their ministries. The speaking time will be shorter than usual as we want to focus on celebrating God through worship more extensively.
Paul Knight is Lead Pastor of HOPE Church, Grand Forks, ND. He’s married to Bonnie (high school sweetheart) and the couple has 3 adult children—Tim, Daniel, and Kristen—and one amazing 3-year-old grandson named Elliot. “I have been pastor of HOPE for about 25.5 years. I promised the church I would stay 3, and if it was going well, that I could imagine myself staying 5 years. I have now begun my 6th, 5th year. My hobbies are travel, biking and bee keeping. In the last 25 or so years we have been a part of many changes: several locations, several building programs, a few stewardship drives, staffing changes and challenges, and moderately paced growth. HOPE Church has been a significant recipient of God’s grace.”
Jodi Moore is the Rural Ministry Partner for our mission priority of Start and Strengthen Churches. She is a resource and advocate for rural pastors and churches in the areas of leadership, governance change and congregational vitality. Prior to this, she led the Evangelical Covenant Church in Ceresco, NE, through a 10-year vitality journey. Jodi lives in Lincoln, NE, with her husband and two daughters (ages 4 and 7) where she makes her own caramel macchiato everyday. In her free time, can be found playing Skip-Bo with her girls and wearing red as she pretends to be a Husker fan. She is excited to return to the camp of her childhood and join the Northwest Conference ministerium where she first “tested the waters” of ministry.
Jim Murphy is the Associate Pastor for NextGen Ministries at The Covenant Church in Bemidji, MN. He leads staff and volunteer teams who serve in ministries to the next generation, ages 0-30 (months to millennials). He’s been in youth ministry for more than 25 years and in Bemidji since 2006 where he’s navigated leadership challenges related to (among others) ministry growth, staff development and alignment transitions. His wife of 23 years is Deanna, and his two children are Natalie (14) and Greta (12). Jim occasionally blogs at thenextgenblog.com.
Jamie Staples is Lead Pastor of Renew Covenant Church in Eau Claire, WI. He’s married to Emily and the couple has three kids—Elsa, Brahm and Linley. Staples has been in ministry for 14 years, and prior to planting Renew, he served as youth pastor at First Covenant Church in Red Wing, MN, for 11 years.
Monday, Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
We’ve all been impacted by the necessity to see our small towns as a mission field, otherwise we would not be serving where we are. Mission isn’t just something that happens “over there,” it also happens “right here.” Yet helping folks in our church see the difference can be a real challenge. How do we help people in our congregations get as excited about reaching their town as we are?
Glenn Kaiser is a Covenant Pastor that has served at Jesus People USA since the 70s. He may best be known for being a musician ministering with Resurrection Band, Mississippi Delta blues with Darrell Mansfield, and his own solo worship and blues projects. He has a great passion for the hurt and downtrodden which is reflected in his newest hobby, cigar box guitars, where he redeems old beaten up cigar boxes and turns them into musical instruments to share the good news of Jesus Christ.
Glenn will be leading us throughout the retreat in heartfelt and profound worship. Check out some of his music on YouTube. Search “Glenn Kaiser All My Days” for a taste.
We will be having a cigar box guitar workshop during free time, put on by Glenn Kaiser. Materials can be purchased for $5. This includes everything needed to make a fully functioning guitar.
Rates all include 2 nights lodging, 5 meals (Mon. Supper-Wed. Breakfast), and $20 conference fee.
Retreat Center Room (2-8 per room, shared bathrooms with showers down the hall)
$125 per person.
Cabin (up to 8 per cabin, shared bathrooms with showers in nearby separate building)
$120 per person
Campground (bring your RV – full hook ups available)
$95 per person
Commuter/Offsite Hotel Lodging (Blocks of rooms available thru Friday Sept. 8 at Little Falls Country Inn & Suites and at Little Falls Super 8)
$75 per person (includes 5 meals and $20 conference fee. Offsite hotel cost is additional).
Church Planters Pre-Retreat and Rural Ministry Workshop
Retreat Center & Cabin Lodging
(includes sessions, 1 night lodging and 2 meals: Mon Breakfast & Lunch)
$50 per person
Campground Lodging
(includes sessions, 1 night in campground with full hook ups and 2 meals: Mon Breakfast & Lunch)
$35 per person
Commuter/Offsite Hotel
(includes sessions and 2 meals: Mon Breakfast & Lunch)
$25 per person
Payment and Cancellation policy
Full payment is required online using a credit/debit card for retreat and pre-retreat options. A $50 fee will be charged for any cancellations through Sept 30. No refunds after Sept 30.
Register online at: http://www.lbbc.com/registerlog-in.html
Questions? Call the Lake Beauty Bible Camp Office at (320) 732-3218.
Pre-Retreat Options: Church Planter’s Retreat and Rural Ministry Workshop (pre-conference sign up required)
Sunday, Oct. 8:
Monday, Oct. 9
Tuesday, Oct. 10
Wednesday, Oct. 11
Free time options will include: hiking, Vikings game party (Monday night), trip to a local pub, horseback riding, golf outing, cigar box guitar making, paintball, Spiritual Direction, bonfire, hot tubs and more!
The Northwest Conference Spiritual Directors Network will offer pastors and their spouses an opportunity for spiritual direction on Monday at 2:30 and 3:30 PM and Tuesday during free time at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, and 5:00 PM. We welcome you to experience spiritual direction for the first time and/or to sit with a spiritual director as he/she guides you in discerning God’s direction for a specific concern or decision. You can sign up for a session when you check in at the retreat.
The fall retreat is important in our lives together as a Conference ministerium as well as for personal growth and renewal. Recognizing that some of our members and churches face real financial hardships, there are resources available to ministerium members in need. We invite anyone in need of assistance, to contact NWCMA treasurer, Sandy Norris, (612) 721-4893 or sandy@northwestconference.org. The deadline for applying for assistance is September 1, 2017.