Overview

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

Leadership

LEAD Couple

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. Linda Kurtz Burch and Daniel Burch

Planning Team

What to Expect

program

For the clergy couples: Edwin and Kimberly van Driel are preparing four sessions considering call and experience as clergy individually and together in an increasingly post-Christian world. Continuing education will include “theological resources for not caring [about living in somewhat of a fishbowl and all of the opinions that elicits!]” as well as some time for lectionary sermon prep. If there is enough interest, a boundary training session will be arranged (this is especially for ELCA folks— let Colleen know!)

For the teens: middle and high school aged youth will have their own breakout group this year, with plenty of time for camp activities as well as discussion geared more directly at their experiences as double PKs as they grow more aware of the world around them.

For the school age kids: our summer camp counselors will guide K-5ish aged kids through typical camp activities like team games, arts and crafts, Bible study, canoeing, campfire cooking, and more. We’ll explore the site and the springs

For the babies and toddlers: our summer staff will provide care based out of Knox, the room immediately downstairs from where keynote sessions will be hosted. This will include some time outside, as appropriate.

For everyone: s’mores and campfire vespers, family slip and slide, time in the pool, and family pictures are all on the docket, and more!

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

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! Previous date night dinners have included lobster tail, bacon-wrapped filet mignon, rib eye steaks, twice baked potatoes, and more. 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

Registration Information

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.

Register Here!

Children's Program

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.)

Called Together