I N V I TAT ION TO R ENE WAL
Beside Still
A D AY F O R S O L AC E W I T H G O D
S AT U R D AY
F EBRUARY 18, 2017
9 : 0 0 A . M . - 4 : 3 0 P. M .
Finding Peace in the Midst of
an Anxious Climate
Facilitators: Rev. Dr. Rod and Bev Wilson
Location: North Creek Presbyterian Church
Cost: $35 (includes snacks and lunch)
It was not long ago when anxiety was
primarily understood as a psychological
problem requiring some sort of intervention. Now we are seeing massive change
in the global culture, an increase in terrorist
threats, and a volatile economic climate
throughout the world. Younger people
are concerned about their long term job
prospects and seniors are wondering if
they will outlive their financial resources.
While many of us still experience
psychological distress, a new kind of
anxiety is washing over the planet, one
that demands a fresh look at the shalom/
peace that is provided by the triune God.
This day will combine teaching, reflection,
prayer, silence, and art to explore these
themes and to invite people into a space
where they can find solace in the midst
of disruption.
Rev. Dr. Rod Wilson
Rod and Bev are
Canadians living
in Vancouver, B.C.
As a renowned
Christian leader in
Canada and the
U.S., Rod received
an honorary doctorate from Trinity Western
in recognition for his gifts of leadership and
acuity in vision. He travels the world with
Bev to teach and counsel Christians, pastors,
and leaders. He was President and Professor
at Regent College (2000-2015). Originally
trained as a clinical psychologist, he
pursued theological training. He has
served in the fields of counselling,
consulting, academia, and congregational
ministry. Rod authored two award–
winning books:
• Counseling and Community
• How Do I Help a Hurting Friend?
AND...
• Exploring Your Anger: Friend or Foe
• Keeping Faith in Fundraising
Beverly Wilson
Bev’s early employment was in the area
of Human Resources
and Staff Training. She
moved from these
roles into work with
the homeless, street
kids, mentally disabled, and single moms.
She served in volunteer roles alongside Rod
while he was President at Regent. Bev is
an artist who purposefully blends the
contemplative with her art in photography
and acrylic abstract painting. She is involved
in soul care and spiritual direction with
people on-line around the world.
S AT U R D AY -
Name: _______________________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip Code: ____________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________________________________
Email: _______________________________________________________________
Special Food Needs: ____________________________________________________
REVEREND LYNELL CAUDILLO - Calvary Presbyterian Church, Enumclaw, Washington
What does communal discernment look
like? And why is it needed? As a recently
installed pastor, the Session (elder board)
and I agreed that due to our past history of
pastoral sexual misconduct and dissension
over denominational issues, we were in
need of assistance.
Three “snapshots” stand out
from that day:
Come and learn how to hear God when facing
important decisions; vocation or schooling –
what next; retirement – when and what do I do;
ministry - how am I called to serve?
Payable to:
Renewal Ministries Northwest
PO Box 12243
Mill Creek, WA 98082
——————————
425-361-7953
[email protected]
www.renewalminnw.org
A confirmation letter with directions will be sent.
Newsletter by SaraLarsonDesign.com and CoxPrintingandSigns.com
TESTIMONIAL:
Listening to God - Workshop on
Spiritual Discernment
Facilitators: Rev(s) Denise Easter and
Dianna Kunce
Location: North Creek Presbyterian Church
Cost: $45 (includes snacks and lunch)
Enclosed is my $10 deposit to reserve my place.
I am paying in full.
R est for y our S oul
9 : 0 0 A . M . - 3 : 0 0 P. M .
Saturday, February 18, 2017 - “A Day of Solace with God” - $35
Saturday, March 25, 2017 - “Lenten Prayer Retreat” - $30
Saturday, May 6, 2017 - “Listening to God” Workshop - $45
q
q
Issue Theme:
Finding Peace in
a n An x i o u s Wo r l d
M AY 6 , 2 0 1 7
R E T R E AT R E G I S T R AT I O N F O R M
q
q
q
JANUARY 2017
Wa t e r s
425-361-7953 • [email protected] • www.renewalminnw.org
“At my invitation, Rev. Dianna
Kunce and Rev. Denise Easter
from Renewal Ministries met with
us. They asked good questions,
and listened well. They helped
us design an all-church retreat
day that focused on healing
and renewal. Over 50 people
responded to the invitation and
participated. It was an amazing
day of worship, of listening to
God, and listening to one another.
We learned new ways of prayerful
listening and reflecting.”
First, after a morning of worship and
prayer, individuals wrote a word on a stone;
something that had been weighing them
down, a past/present wound or concern
they were prayerfully letting go of. And
during a time of prayer the stones were
brought to the foot of the cross and
relinquished there to the Lord.
Second, during an appreciative inquiry
exercise, there was a great deal of
excitement and energy in the room as
small groups shared the results of their
reflections. Like a brightly colored thread
running through a tapestry, Calvary’s
charism emerged: “A legacy of
worshipping God and serving others.”
Lastly, our closing worship included
a ritual which symbolized what had
happened that day. Each person lit a
votive from the Christ candle and set it on
tray, with a prayer of hope. Soon it was
glowing brightly; filled with the Light of
Christ which had been at work in and
through us. It was a powerful day of
healing and renewal.
Several additional gatherings were held
over the next six months in our process
of “Discovering God’s Focus for Calvary’s
Future”. God revealed what we were to
focus on in this season of our life together
and we have begun to take steps on how
God is calling us forward. It has been a
valuable process and well worth the time
to listen, both to God and to one another.
Learning new and deeper ways of
praying and listening has brought a
deeper sense of unity, particularly
among the leadership.
We are still in the process of listening to
God and to one another as we move
forward together into what will be
Calvary’s 125th year of ministry on the
Plateau in 2017!
IN THIS ISSUE
PAGE 1:
Reverend Lynell Caudillo
PAGE 2:
What is Lent?
PAGE 3:
Lent Ministry Opportunities
PAGE 4:
Upcoming Events!
Christian Observance of Lent
W
hat are we about at Renewal Ministries? We engage
people in spiritual practices leading to deeper relationship with
Jesus that refresh their souls, renew their spiritual vitality, and inspire
them to participate with Jesus in transforming the world. We hope
the following Lenten practices, shared by a few of our staff, will
assist you in receiving the peace of Christ in your life. Also, we invite
you to seek his peace by participating in our upcoming events.
See our offerings below and our special day of solace and renewal on the back page.
Contributors:
Rev. Denise Easter (left)
Rev. Dr. Paul Strawn (middle)
Rev. Dianna Kunce (right)
W HAT IS L ENT?
S PIRITUAL D ISCIPLINES
Lent prepares us for Easter. It is a time of prayer,
reflection, confession, and self-sacrifice. It is a
time to remember the temptation, suffering,
and sacrifice of Jesus. Most of all, it is a time to
ready ourselves for the humble thankfulness
and sheer joy of Easter when we meet our
risen Lord.
Spiritual disciplines are essential for our lives
if we desire to cooperate with Christ and his
Kingdom. Dallas Willard in, The Spirit of the
Disciplines, states, “When we understand that
grace (charis) is gift (charisma) we then see
that to grow in grace is to grow in what is
given to us of God and by God. The [spiritual]
disciplines are then a means to that grace and
also to those gifts… they are only activities
undertaken to make us capable of receiving
more of His life and power…”
Why does Lent last 40 days? The early church
celebrated Lent only for a few days before
Easter. Over the centuries the length of the
season grew to several weeks. In the 7th
century, the church set the period of Lent
at 40 days (excluding Sundays) to remind
people of the duration of Jesus’ temptation
in the wilderness.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent
when Christians set aside time for extended
prayer, often in a service of worship. Many have
their foreheads marked with ashes as a sign of
their repentance and humility before God.
Lent encourages us to also focus on spiritual
disciplines of “disengagement;” to enable us
to experience in tangible ways what the
apostle Peter describes as, “…setting aside
your own desires so that you will become
patient and godly, gladly letting God have his
way with you…the more you go on in this
way, the more you will grow strong spiritually
and become faithful and useful to our Lord
Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:6, 8).
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES FOR LENT
Consider adopting one or more of the practices below for a segment of time—
perhaps for one day, every day, or weekly!
DISCIPLINES of
DISENGAGEMENT
DISCIPLINES of
ENGAGEMENT
During Lent we consider possible areas for
personal self-sacrifice (disengagement). In
1 Peter 2:11, the apostle calls us to
“…abstain from the desires of the flesh that
wage war against the soul.” Peter isn’t
suggesting there is something wrong with
our desires, longings, and needs. These are
good for life and health. However, it is
possible that our sinful nature compels us to
seek after these things in inordinate ways.
This is how we become self-focused and
self-indulgent at the expense of loving God,
ourselves, and others. This robs our soul of joy
and peace and as Dallas Willard writes, “may
harm our walk with God.”
There are many spiritual practices that we
can use to cultivate engagement with God
throughout the 40 days of Lent. One that is
most essential is prayer. By focusing on the
discipline of prayer the goal is to develop
a regular habit that leads us into a deeper
authentic relationship with God. And it is
in prayer that we are called, gifted, and
empowered by the Spirit of Christ to
cooperate with God in God’s kingdom
work in our daily lives.
DISENGAGEMENT
Weariness from well-doing - Disengage
from “reaching beyond your capacity” or
overburdening yourself to the point of
becoming fatigued and weary.
Electronic compulsions – Disengage
from an inordinate need or desire to stay
connected with the outer world through
television, texting, e-mail, social media, and
all things electronic.
Negative and/or cynical thinking –
Disengage from focusing on the negative;
drawing false conclusions based on the
negative which lead to actions taken and
words spoken that diminish one-self
and/or others.
Self-sufficiency and self-directedness –
Disengage from self-reliance in which you take
things into your own hands; causing you to
neglect seeking God and relying on God.
ENGAGEMENT
Start a daily prayer rhythm - Spend time in
silence and prayer as a way of deepening your
relationship with God.
Cultivate a life of gratitude - Write thank
you letters. Be aware of how many people
have encouraged and blessed you.
Pray for others you see – as you go about
your daily life ask God to show you who to
pray for and silently pray for them.
Forgiveness - Pray and ask God to open your
heart to the possibility of forgiving someone
you have struggled to forgive and be open to
how God leads.
Other Disciplines – are there other
disciplines that you might consider creating
and practicing during Lent?
T HREE L ENTEN M INISTRY O PPORTUNITIES
1
ASH WEDNESDAY
SERVICE
A Contemplative Service of Worship with the
Disposition of Ashes.
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
7:30 p.m.
Location: North Creek Presbyterian Church
Free will offering
Facilitated by:
Jeff Johnson,
Songwriter and
Recording Artist
2
LENTEN PRAYER
RETREAT
“Never abandoned...Never forsaken…
Never alienated!”
““Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” – “My God, my
God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34)
Our culture teaches us to measure up and
perform; that acceptance and love are
conditional. This exposes us to the possibility
of shame and rejection and this can shape
the way we pray. We may fear that “who we
are” is cause for God to turn away. Can we
come close to God to be seen and loved as
we are? God was abandoned and forsaken for
us. Jesus welcomes you to come and listen.
Saturday, March 25, 2017
9:00 a.m. - 12:30
Location: North Creek Presbyterian Church
Cost: $30 (includes snacks)
Facilitated by: Rev. Denise Easter and
Rev. Dianna Kunce
3
ONLINE LENTEN
DAILY REFLECTIONS
Downloadable weekly option is available.
To Register:
By email [email protected]
or call 425.361.7953
February 1, 2017 (Registration opens)
Cost: $20
Facilitator: Seth Thomas
Seth serves as Ministry
Associate at Birchwood
Presbyterian Church. A
graduate of The Seattle
School of Theology &
Psychology, Seth’s
ministry and calling focus on worship
leadership, writing, and rhythms of spiritual
practice. He lives in Bellingham with his wife
and son.
Out of Ashes
The Lenten journey begins in ashes,
reminding us of our nature as people of dust.
Using daily Lenten scripture and weekly
prayer practices, we will be guided to reflect
upon what it means to not simply stay in
the place of ashes and dust. The ashes are a
reminder of a fire of hope that is being built
in our lives through the work of Jesus.
We will look at the theme of Ashes and Fire
as they relate to our journey through the
purifying process of being sanctified by
Christ on the cross. We celebrate that in the
Resurrection on Easter, Jesus ignites a fire in
our hearts that burns and makes us whole.
In Lent, we follow the Living Flame in a
journey Out of Ashes.
I N V I TAT ION TO R ENE WAL
Beside Still
A D AY F O R S O L AC E W I T H G O D
S AT U R D AY
F EBRUARY 18, 2017
9 : 0 0 A . M . - 4 : 3 0 P. M .
Finding Peace in the Midst of
an Anxious Climate
Facilitators: Rev. Dr. Rod and Bev Wilson
Location: North Creek Presbyterian Church
Cost: $35 (includes snacks and lunch)
It was not long ago when anxiety was
primarily understood as a psychological
problem requiring some sort of intervention. Now we are seeing massive change
in the global culture, an increase in terrorist
threats, and a volatile economic climate
throughout the world. Younger people
are concerned about their long term job
prospects and seniors are wondering if
they will outlive their financial resources.
While many of us still experience
psychological distress, a new kind of
anxiety is washing over the planet, one
that demands a fresh look at the shalom/
peace that is provided by the triune God.
This day will combine teaching, reflection,
prayer, silence, and art to explore these
themes and to invite people into a space
where they can find solace in the midst
of disruption.
Rev. Dr. Rod Wilson
Rod and Bev are
Canadians living
in Vancouver, B.C.
As a renowned
Christian leader in
Canada and the
U.S., Rod received
an honorary doctorate from Trinity Western
in recognition for his gifts of leadership and
acuity in vision. He travels the world with
Bev to teach and counsel Christians, pastors,
and leaders. He was President and Professor
at Regent College (2000-2015). Originally
trained as a clinical psychologist, he
pursued theological training. He has
served in the fields of counselling,
consulting, academia, and congregational
ministry. Rod authored two award–
winning books:
• Counseling and Community
• How Do I Help a Hurting Friend?
AND...
• Exploring Your Anger: Friend or Foe
• Keeping Faith in Fundraising
Beverly Wilson
Bev’s early employment was in the area
of Human Resources
and Staff Training. She
moved from these
roles into work with
the homeless, street
kids, mentally disabled, and single moms.
She served in volunteer roles alongside Rod
while he was President at Regent. Bev is
an artist who purposefully blends the
contemplative with her art in photography
and acrylic abstract painting. She is involved
in soul care and spiritual direction with
people on-line around the world.
S AT U R D AY -
Name: _______________________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip Code: ____________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________________________________
Email: _______________________________________________________________
Special Food Needs: ____________________________________________________
REVEREND LYNELL CAUDILLO - Calvary Presbyterian Church, Enumclaw, Washington
What does communal discernment look
like? And why is it needed? As a recently
installed pastor, the Session (elder board)
and I agreed that due to our past history of
pastoral sexual misconduct and dissension
over denominational issues, we were in
need of assistance.
Three “snapshots” stand out
from that day:
Come and learn how to hear God when facing
important decisions; vocation or schooling –
what next; retirement – when and what do I do;
ministry - how am I called to serve?
Payable to:
Renewal Ministries Northwest
PO Box 12243
Mill Creek, WA 98082
——————————
425-361-7953
[email protected]
www.renewalminnw.org
A confirmation letter with directions will be sent.
Newsletter by SaraLarsonDesign.com and CoxPrintingandSigns.com
TESTIMONIAL:
Listening to God - Workshop on
Spiritual Discernment
Facilitators: Rev(s) Denise Easter and
Dianna Kunce
Location: North Creek Presbyterian Church
Cost: $45 (includes snacks and lunch)
Enclosed is my $10 deposit to reserve my place.
I am paying in full.
R est for y our S oul
9 : 0 0 A . M . - 3 : 0 0 P. M .
Saturday, February 18, 2017 - “A Day of Solace with God” - $35
Saturday, March 25, 2017 - “Lenten Prayer Retreat” - $30
Saturday, May 6, 2017 - “Listening to God” Workshop - $45
q
q
Issue Theme:
Finding Peace in
a n An x i o u s Wo r l d
M AY 6 , 2 0 1 7
R E T R E AT R E G I S T R AT I O N F O R M
q
q
q
JANUARY 2017
Wa t e r s
425-361-7953 • [email protected] • www.renewalminnw.org
“At my invitation, Rev. Dianna
Kunce and Rev. Denise Easter
from Renewal Ministries met with
us. They asked good questions,
and listened well. They helped
us design an all-church retreat
day that focused on healing
and renewal. Over 50 people
responded to the invitation and
participated. It was an amazing
day of worship, of listening to
God, and listening to one another.
We learned new ways of prayerful
listening and reflecting.”
First, after a morning of worship and
prayer, individuals wrote a word on a stone;
something that had been weighing them
down, a past/present wound or concern
they were prayerfully letting go of. And
during a time of prayer the stones were
brought to the foot of the cross and
relinquished there to the Lord.
Second, during an appreciative inquiry
exercise, there was a great deal of
excitement and energy in the room as
small groups shared the results of their
reflections. Like a brightly colored thread
running through a tapestry, Calvary’s
charism emerged: “A legacy of
worshipping God and serving others.”
Lastly, our closing worship included
a ritual which symbolized what had
happened that day. Each person lit a
votive from the Christ candle and set it on
tray, with a prayer of hope. Soon it was
glowing brightly; filled with the Light of
Christ which had been at work in and
through us. It was a powerful day of
healing and renewal.
Several additional gatherings were held
over the next six months in our process
of “Discovering God’s Focus for Calvary’s
Future”. God revealed what we were to
focus on in this season of our life together
and we have begun to take steps on how
God is calling us forward. It has been a
valuable process and well worth the time
to listen, both to God and to one another.
Learning new and deeper ways of
praying and listening has brought a
deeper sense of unity, particularly
among the leadership.
We are still in the process of listening to
God and to one another as we move
forward together into what will be
Calvary’s 125th year of ministry on the
Plateau in 2017!
IN THIS ISSUE
PAGE 1:
Reverend Lynell Caudillo
PAGE 2:
What is Lent?
PAGE 3:
Lent Ministry Opportunities
PAGE 4:
Upcoming Events!