The 3rd Annual Women's Retreat at the Bosque Center was quite successful. Our theme was 'Taste and See'. We 'tasted' God's presence in our fellowship and worship. We were able to 'see' God in each other and in the beauty of the Bosque Center. We also got a 'taste' of the Enneagram, which is a tool to help us 'see' ourselves and others more clearly as individuals and beautifully created Children of God.
Over 40 women from all around the Diocese, including some guests from other denominations, were present. We started with a soup and salad supper on Friday evening, then moved on to share our ministries, focusing on how they relate to the 'spirituality wheel' of Union, Action, Evangelism, and Study. This was an inspiration to all as we heard of the multitude of ministries we women are active in. Many of the ministries could have fit into more than one of the quadrants, so it was hard to determine where to put them. You'll notice that many of the 'leaves' ended up in the Action quadrant, but they could have also been placed in Study or Evangelism or even the Union areas. As someone noted, "It's easier to identify an action ministry, than some of the others." It was a great way to get to know a bit more about each other.
On Saturday, Kathleen Pittman from Roswell presented an introduction to the Enneagram. She explained the basics of the 9 'types'. Most of us were intrigued about our 'type'. Interest was expressed in having another retreat on this topic where we can go deeper into the subject.
Kathleen based much of her presentation on her years of work with the Enneagram and on the work of Don Riso & Russ Hudson. Anyone interested in learning some about this tool can find information online and in their book "The Wisdom of the Enneagram".
Next year's retreat will be led by Katrine Stewart and will focus on what women in the Bible can teach us about living fully. There will be time for journaling and quiet and other fun activities. Mark your calendar for November 6-7, 2015 and join us at the Bosque Center.