Sustaining the Courage to Serve

A 2016-2017 Courage & Renewal^® Retreat Series for clergy in the UMC Texas Annual Conference

Do you wish you had more time to pause, reflect, and reconnect with your calling? Do you feel isolated and long for a community where you can candidly share your successes and failures without being judged? Do you want space to explore spiritual practices that can strengthen your faith and ministry? If so, consider joining colleagues in Sustaining the Courage to Serve.

In this retreat-based program, using the Circle of Trust^® approach, you can discover new ways to embrace multiple roles, reclaim balance between your personal and professional life, and lead from a place of wholeness.

With help of skilled Courage & Renewal^® facilitators, and guided by unique principles and practices, you and your fellow participants create a community of mutual respect and engage in prayerful listening to one another and to God’s inner guidance.

What to Expect
In a five-retreat series over a 14-month period, you will gather with the same cohort of 20-30 clergy to engage in deep conversations within a trusted community of peers.
In large-group, small-group, and solitary settings, the retreats provide opportunities to:

• Explore Sabbath practices that renew heart, mind, and spirit;
• Reclaim authentic leadership that honors one’s gifts and acknowledges the power of limits;
• Create a community of mutual respect and caring that welcomes the soul and honors diversity;
• Learn about the discernment process called Clearness Committee;
• Embody the principles and practices which create safe space for spiritual formation;
• Bring back insights and experiment with new ways of leading in one’s own faith community;
• Practice healthy ways to hold tensions inherent in a life of faith and service; and
• Discern helpful approaches to “real life” challenges with colleagues.

This program is offered in partnership with the Permanent Endowment Fund of Moody FUMC of Galveston, The Center for Clergy Excellence, Lakeview Methodist Conference Center, and the Center for Courage & Renewal.

Series Dates
To receive the full benefit of this program, participants are expected to attend all 5 retreats. You are responsible for full program payment even if you miss a retreat.

Fall:                Identity and Integrity in Leadership
                      November 7 – 9, 2016
 
Winter:            Death and Dormancy in Ministry
                      February 20 – 22, 2017
 
Spring:            Power of Paradox
                      April 24 – 26, 2017
 
Summer:         Abundance of Community
                      July 24 – 26, 2017
 
Fall:                Harvesting Our Learning
                      November 6 – 8, 2017

Schedule: Each retreat begins at 3:00 pm on Monday and concludes at noon on Wednesday.

Peer Learning Circles: Participants will be divided into cohorts of 4-5 individuals. These cohorts will provide peer support by telephone and online communication between retreats.
 
All retreats will be held at Lakeview Methodist Conference Center, 2 hours southeast of Dallas. This beautiful 1300-acre property includes three lakes and an array of hiking and nature trails.
400 Private Road 6036, Palestine, TX 75801
Phone: 903-538-2711 
 
See brochure to learn more