July 29-August 1, 2024
Grow stronger in marriage and ministry.
Called Together is a four day retreat for couples in any stage of professional ministry. The event focuses on these tenets:
Relationships: Strengthen your partnership as a couple; develop friendships with other couples who get the unique challenges and blessings of being called together.
Renewal: Enjoy the gift of letting others plan opportunities for your spiritual renewal. Take time for Sabbath in a beautiful corner of God’s creation.
Resources: Participate in continuing education. Leave better equipped for ministry by gaining tools from our leaders as well as the community of ministry couples.
Bring Your Family!
During retreat activities for adults, children of all ages will enjoy a program designed especially for them. Enjoy opportunities for recreation and renewal as a family, as well as time to be among other adults while the kids participate in their own activities.
Questions?
Email Colleen Earp at colleen@massanettasprings.org
LEAD Couple
Rev. Kimberly van Driel, Pastor, First English Lutheran Church, Butler, PA
Rev. Dr. Edwin Chr. van Driel, Directors’ Bicentennial Professor in Theology, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
The Rev. Kimberly van Driel has served as pastor of First English Lutheran Church in Butler, Pennsylvania since 2015. Ordained in the ELCA in 2006, she has also served congregations in Naugatuck, Connecticut, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is a founding co-chair of the Butler Clergy Network, which develops interfaith relationships in the Butler area in order to promote human dignity. In addition to serving in parish ministry, she has completed a CPE residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital and has contributed homiletical and exegetical articles to various publications, including Feasting on the Word. She holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia and the M.Div. from Yale Divinity School.
The Rev. Dr. Edwin Chr. van Driel is the Directors’ Bicentennial Professor in Theology at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He teaches mainly in Christology, ecclesiology, and the interaction between biblical studies and theology. Van Driel is deeply invested in helping the church think about its existence and calling as it moves into an increasingly post-Christian world.
Van Driel has authored numerous articles and books in academic settings as well as popular magazines such as Christian Century, Call to Worship, and The Presbyterian Outlook. He currently researches an ecclesiology for a post-Christian world.
Van Driel is an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and served on the church’s committee that produced the denomination’s new hymnal, Glory to God. He was the primary writer of the committee’s “Theological Vision Statement” and “A Statement on Language,” and also served on the Editorial Advisory Board of the Book of Common Worship. He is the chair of the International Consultation on Ecclesial Futures, an invited group of practitioners, church consultations, denominational leaders, and academics from four continents which gathers yearly to consult on the church’s contextual missional challenges.
The van Driels together with their son, daughter, and orange tabby cats live in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania. We are excited to welcome them to Massanetta Springs for Called Together, and hope to help them get a current photo of themselves as a pair!
Planning Team
Revs. Jess and Jason Felici
Planning Team
Revs. Erin and Brian Evans
Planning Team
Revs. Linda Kurtz Burch and Daniel Burch
Planning Team
program
Details coming soon!
housing
*Hubler Lodge is FULL! Any registrations from here on out will be roomed in Richardson.*
Housing is in our hotel-style rooms in Hubler Lodge, all linens provided. These rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis, with overflow housed in our dorm-style rooms in Richardson.
If a dorm-style suite might better suit your family (this has been popular for families with older kids!), check in with Colleen (Program Director) to make arrangements: colleen@massanettasprings.org.
date night
David, our foodservice manager, loves to prepare special meals for events like Called Together! Some couples may choose to go out in Harrisonburg, where there are many options. Beer and wine as well as a variety of non-alcoholic beverages will be provided at our on-site dinner.
Children and youth will enjoy pizza and a movie night under the supervision of our Netta Day Camp Staff.
Suggested packing list
For adults:
comfortable clothes for each day, including socks and undergarments
clothes for recreation (such as canoeing, zip line)
clothes for date night
bathing suit and towel
sneakers
sandals
toiletries (include sunscreen and bugspray)
medications
charger for cell phone, baby monitor, etc
Bible
free time materials (books, knitting, etc)
favorite snacks, board games to share during evening fellowship
personal snacks
adult beverages, if desired
communal fridge available
For children:
clothes for recreation, including socks and undies
closed-toe shoes
sandals
bathing suit and towel
small backpack or bag with child’s name on it, to bring to children’s programs
sleeping arrangements (play pen, bed rails, etc)
sleep stuff (stuffies, nightlight, pjs)
sippy cups/bottles as needed
diapers/wipes as needed
sunscreen, bugspray, medications
games or snacks to share during evening fellowship
snacks are provided during children’s program
2023 schedule
2024 will be similar, and should be available by mid-July! This year’s program includes an option field trip for adults, looking deeper into some of the themes our Leadership Couple will present. Evening events will include campfire s’mores and date night, as well as plenty of time to hang out with other couples who understand what it’s like to be a clergy couple.
Monday, July 31, 2023
1:00-2:30 check in
2:30-3:15 welcome, introductions
3:15-3:45 children’s program orientation and drop off (parents & children)
3:45-5:00 Session 1
5:00-6:00 break, pick up children
6:00-7:00 dinner
7:15-8:30 Session 2
7:00-8:30 caregivers available in Greenwood, children’s program in Knox
8:30-? Social time
Tuesday, August 1
7:45-8:45 breakfast
9:00 drop off kids
9:15-9:30 morning devotion
9:45-noon Continuing Education
12:15 pick up kids
12:30-1:30 lunch
1:30-4:30 free time
4:00-5:30 family slip and slide
6:00-7:00 dinner
7:00-8:30 caregivers available in Greenwood, children’s program in Knox
7:15-8:30 Session 3
8:30 Social time
Wednesday, August 2
7:45-8:45 breakfast
9:00 drop off the kids
9:15-9:30 morning devotion
9:45-noon Continuing Education
12:15 pick up kids
12:30-1:30 lunch
1:30-4:30 free time
2:30-4:30 pool
3:30-5:30 family photos
5:30 group photo, child dropoff, date night!
9:00 child pickup
Thursday, August 3
7:45-8:45 breakfast
8:00-9:30 check out of rooms
8:30 drop off kids
10:00-11:15 Session 4
11:15 pick up kids
11:30 closing worship with communion
12:30-1:30 stay for lunch or pack it to go
2:00 check out
2024 Prices
HUBLER LODGE IS FULL! Any registrations here on out will be roomed in Richardson.
$769 per couple
$74 per child 5 & under
$99 per child 6 & older
$229 maximum for children’s program per family
Registration includes lodging, meals, and programs. Housing will be in hotel-style rooms in Hubler Lodge on a first-come, first-served basis, with overflow housing in dorm-style suites in Richardson. (Some families have preferred the arrangement of a suite, especially for older kids!) For questions about housing, scholarships, or program, contact Colleen Earp, Program Director: colleen@massanettasprings.org.
The Called Together Children’s Program offers childcare and programing for children of all ages during scheduled events for clergy couples. As parents are forming a community with other clergy couples, our staff provide an opportunity for clergy kids to connect with other ministry families. This program includes age-appropriate activities and supervision, with typical camp activities like swimming, arts and crafts, exploring nature, devotions, and rest time.
Infants and toddlers will be watched close by the adults’ meeting space, and school-aged children will participate in our Netta Day Camp program during the day.
Helpful Things To Know
All Massanetta caregivers have gone through a national criminal background check. They have also completed Massanetta’s required Child Protection Training.
Since they will be in our care during retreat activities, we need parents to fill out a health form on each child. We cannot take children into the program without completed forms. Children's Health Form
Parents will be responsible for administering regular medications. Massanetta staff will be happy to keep any emergency medication your child may need during childcare times. (epipens, rescue inhalers, etc.)
All children will need a bag with a spare change of clothes, swim suit, sunscreen, and water bottle (see suggested packing list for more details).
Snacks will be provided at appropriate times as part of their children’s program registration fee.
If your child is in diapers, please provide your child’s caregiver with appropriate diapers, wipes, etc. (Swim diapers required at the pool.)
Children will be grouped by age. Groups are determined approximately two weeks before the event, once we know who’s coming!
Unless overflow is needed, all participant families will be housed in the same location in Hubler Lodge. This will also be the location where evening social time happens. Families with younger children might find it helpful to bring a baby monitor. (Hubler Lodge also has WiFi, so using phones, tablets, etc. should also work.)
Massanetta has a limited number of pack and play cribs. If you need one provided for you, please let us know as soon as you can. (If you are able to bring yours easily, that would help us.)