The American Baptist Churches of New York State cooperates with the ABCNYS Minister's Council to serve a common ministry purpose. The Minister's Council, however, is an autonomous, self-governing organization with its own internal decision-making process. AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCHES NEW YORK STATE MINISTERS COUNCIL
A TIME AWAY: REFRESH, REVIVE, AND RESTORE TUESDAY MAY 16 to THURSDAY 18, 2023 STELLA NIAGARA CENTER OF RENEWAL RETREAT & CONFERENCE CENTER Lewiston, NY
Are you burned out, tapped out, spent? By May of 2023, we will have all been through three full years of pandemic worry, technology overload, screen blindness, and community anxiety. Some of you I know have hardly taken a breath since March 2020 when this virus began to break and doors began to close.
If this description fits you, then why not consider giving yourself “A Time Away” to Refresh your spiritual connection with God, Revive your awareness of the Spirit’s life within you, and Restore your sense of community with Christ Jesus and fellow pilgrims seeking the peace of Christ? Perhaps in the process you can reawaken that sense of call and purpose that drew you to ministry in the first place!
As guests of the Center of Renewal we will explore the beautiful grounds of the Stella Niagara Retreat Center. Some features of the grounds include: a labyrinth walk, a path lined with each Station of the Cross memorialized, an amphitheater, and an original chapel situated on the banks of the Niagara River. Two members of our Ministers Council Executive Committee will lead the retreat:
Rev. Howie Maxson serves as Pastor of Fowler Baptist in Gouverneur. He brings with him years of discipline in Celtic Spirituality, as well as hisexperience as a Certified Spiritual Director through the Spiritual Renewal Center in Syracuse. Rev. Wendy Depew Partelow served as Pastor of First Baptist Bainbridge for six years, is a two-time participant in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola as administered through the Spiritual Renewal Center in Syracuse, and brings over 20 years of practice in various spiritual disciplines.
Give yourself something to look forward to and join the Ministers Council for “A Time Away: Refresh, Revive and Restore,” on May 16-18, 2023. After three Christmases and four Easters of worship-service juggling you need a break. “A Time Away" may just be the what you need to renew yourself in Christ.
for more information, Contact: Rev. Pat Ludwig (716.443.0976, butterflypreacher@juno.com)