Overview
Grow Stronger In Marriage And Ministry.
Called Together is a four day retreat focusing on relationships, renewal, and resources for couples who are both in professional ministry.
Strengthen your relationship as a couple/family; develop relationships 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 – Leave better equipped for ministry by gaining tools from our leaders and 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.
Leadership
Chaplain Couple
Rev. Dr. Jan Edmiston,
Co-Moderator of the 222nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Jan was born, raised, and educated in Chapel Hill, NC, where she grew up in the University Presbyterian Church. She attended Andover-Newton Theological School in Newton-Centre, Massachusetts and was ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament, having received a call to serve as pastor of the Presbyterian United Church of Schaghticoke, New York. She later earned a Doctor of Ministry in Christian Spirituality from Columbia Theological Seminary. Edmiston and her husband, the Rev. Fred Lyon, moved to National Capital Presbytery in 1989 to serve as Designated Co-Pastors of Fairlington Presbyterian Church in Alexandria, VA. She served the congregation for twenty two years before moving with her husband to Chicago where he accepted a call in Flossmoor, Illinois, and she has served as Associate Executive Presbyter for Ministry at the Presbytery of Chicago. Her duties as Co-Moderator have given her a broad and deep experience in the church. Recently she accepted the call to become the General Presbyter of Charlotte Presbytery, a position she will begin on May 1, 2018.
Rev. Fred Lyon, Senior Pastor,
Flossmoore Community Church, Flossmoor, IL
Fred was called as Senior Pastor to Flossmoore Community Church in November 2010. He served congregations in the greater Washington, DC area for 22 years. He felt called to FCC because of their intentional focus on Christ and diversity, as well as the congregation’s openness to discerning new directions where the Holy Spirit is leading them. As Senior Pastor and Head of Staff, Fred offers leadership to the Worship & Arts, Christian Education, Stewardship and Personnel Committees. Fred graduated from Bucknell University (BA) and Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div.).
Rev. Martha Spong
Resource Leader
Martha is a writer, a pastor, and a clergy coach. Her new book, Denial is My Spiritual Practice (and Other Failures of Faith), coauthored with Rachel G. Hackenberg, will be published in May, 2018, by Church Publishing, Inc.
Martha is the Executive Director of RevGalBlogPals, an ecumenical ministry providing support and resources to clergywomen around the world and across and beyond denominations, and the editor of There’s a Woman in the Pulpit, a collection of essays by members of the RevGalBlogPals web ring. Martha has a leadership coaching practice focused on empowering clergywomen to meet their goals in leadership and life.
Brad Barnett
Workshop Leader
Brad Barnett is an Accredited Financial Counselor and Certified Personal Financial Manager who works as the Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships at James Madison University. In addition to his numerous state, regional, and national activities in over decades of working in the financial aid profession, Brad also teaches personal finance at JMU and provides financial counseling services to individuals and couples outside of his role with the university.
Registration Information
We have done our best to keep retreat costs reasonable, while giving you the absolute best experience possible. Nine meals, lodging in our hotel-style Hubler Lodge (two queen beds and private baths in each room), and all retreat activities are included in the per couple or child price.
Registration Dates
Before 4/16/18 $575 per couple*
After 4/16/18 $595 per couple*
After 6/11/18 add $50 per couple*
Children’s Program
$45 Children 5 and under
$75 Children 6 and over
Maximum $150 per family in children’s program costs
There are no early discounts or late penalties for the children's program.
*Please send your registration form to Nola Avey at nolaa@massanettasprings.org
*It is Massanetta’s desire for our retreat experiences to be affordable for everyone in need of them. If funding is the only thing keeping you from attending, please be in touch with Hannah Altman, our Acting Program Director at hannaha@massanettasprings.org to work out a plan to enable you to come.
Children's Program
One of the ways we are making Called Together welcoming to families is by providing childcare for all planned activities during Called Together. As you are forming a community with other couples, we hope the children will be doing the same among their peers.
One of the ways we are making Called Together welcoming to families is by providing childcare for all planned activities during Called Together. As you are forming a community with other couples, we hope the children will be doing the same among their peers.
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.
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 approximately 2 weeks prior to the event once we know how many children are coming and their ages.
As of 5/31/2017, all participant families will be housed in the same location. This will also be the location where evening social time, etc. occurs. Bringing baby monitors may be helpful for you. (Hubler Lodge also has WiFi, so using phones, tables, 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.)
Tentative Schedule
Tentative Participant Schedule
Please note, schedule subject to change.
August 5th
1:00 – 2:00 – Arrival/Check In
2:30 – Welcome, Introductions, Etc.
3:15 -Break/Childcare Orientation (For all other childcare times see childcare schedule)
3:45 – Gather with Chaplain Couple (Session #1)
5:15 – Break until Dinner
6:00 – Dinner Dining Hall
7:15 – Dedicated time to get ready for first session with Martha Spong
8:15 (perhaps sooner) – Evening Devotions (Peerys)
8:30 – Social Time
Children’s Program or Childcare Available – Times listed are drop off and pick up.
3:15 -3:35- Childcare Orientation and First Drop Off
3:15-5:15pm
7:00-8:30pm
August 6th
8:00 – Breakfast
9:15 – Morning Devotion
9:45 – Session 1 with Martha Spong (The Hats We Wear)
12:30 – Lunch Dining Hall / Free Time
4:00 – Workshop: Is Money a Problem? Brad Barnett
5:45 – Dinner Dining Hall
6:30 – Gather with Chaplain Couple (Session #2)
8:00 – Social Time
Children’s Program or Childcare Available
9:00am-12:30pm
1:30-4:00pm
6:15-8:00pm
August 7th
8:00 – Breakfast Dining Hall
9:15 – Morning Devotion TBD
9:30 – Session 2 with Martha Spong (The Hats We Wear)
11:00 – Gather with Chaplain Couple (Session #3)
12:30 – Lunch Dining Hall
5:00 – Optional Family Photos
5:30 – Group Photo, Child Drop Off, and Date Night Begins!
Children’s Program or Childcare Available
9:00am-12:30 pm
1:30-3:15 pm
5:30-8:30 pm
August 8th
8:00 – Breakfast Dining Hall
9:15 – Gather with Chaplain Couple (Session #4)
11:30 – Closing Worship/Communion
12:30 – Lunch / Depart Dining Hall
Children’s Program or Childcare Available
Drop-off at 9am; Children will be brought to closing worship.