Christmas 2015 A Publication of NEWIM,
from the
Network of Evangelical Women in Ministry
“strengthening women”
Hope for the Holidays Christ in You, The Hope of Glory A Reflection: SERVING NEWIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jackie Rettberg Assistant to the Director Sherylynne Carriveau BOARD CHAIR Lisa Cappelli Bergstedt CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Maureen Moore RECORDING SECRETARY Jill Austin BOARD MEMBERS Shirley Barber Luann Budd Pam Cashion Cheri Dale Joyce Kinnu Carolyn Shea Tammy Tkach Barbara Willett Dawn Wilson
The Glorious Mystery of Christ in You, the Hope of Glory Colossians 1:27-28
Once again, this Christmas season we gather as Christians to celebrate the
birth of our Lord Jesus Christ as He entered this world from eternity. We rejoice that He came to bring salvation to all who would receive Him. As we look beyond that amazing moment in history we also reflect on the eternal hope we who are in Christ have at this very moment! CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY (Through the indwelling Holy Spirit) As Priest, giving you immediate access to the Father; As Prophet and Teacher, guiding you into all truth; As King, ruling your life; Christ in you to deal with all opposition to Him both externally and internally.
The glorious hope of each of us as Christians rests in the reality that at this very moment Christ’s character is being formed in you and in me and is our present glory, and one day, Christ’s character in us, in all its fullness, will be on display! And so, as Paul struggled with all his energy to present all perfect in Christ, we too purpose to proclaim Him so those in our sphere of influence might become perfect in Him. This is our Hope for the holidays! For reflection this season: Romans 8:28-39 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 1 John 3:1-3 —Jackie Rettberg oasis631@cox.net
Event Updates On October 30th, twenty women gathered for a beautiful day in Mission Viejo for a guided silent retreat hosted by NEWIM. They embraced God’s truth in 2 Peter 1:1-11 through listening, silence, art, journaling, reading, stillness and our hope in Jesus Christ. The next silent retreat will be held in Palos Verdes March 3-4, 2016. Contact Lisa Bergstedt at lisa@lcbevents.com with questions or for more information.
In September, six pastors’ wives from areas of California and Idaho gathered together in Newport Beach to share a weekend of rest, adventure, fellowship, love and our hope in Jesus Christ. NEWIM provided a lavish retreat for them to come away and be refreshed and encouraged in Christ.
The
NEWIM Bridge Day fundraiser was held on Thursday, October 8 at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach. Over $7,000 was raised to support NEWIM’s Silent Retreats, Springs Retreats and Pastors’ Wives retreats. It was a great day for all who participated. We hope to hold Bridge Day again next year on September 29 at Big Canyon Country Club. Bridge Day
New Website! Our website got a facelift! We have a whole new look, new ways to register for events, including an easier way to pay for retreats and purchase resources. Check it out and let us know what you think! www.newim.org.
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The Springs November 4-6, 2015 The first week of November, eighteen women got together from north, central and southern California, as well as Arizona, for a Springs retreat. The theme of the chapels was from Psalm 136:1: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good—His love endures forever.” Our chapels focused on all of the ways God reveals His goodness to us. Elaine Russell led Track 2 focusing on “Giving Thanks,” using insight from Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Reasons. The day before the retreat we had a serious mountain storm with thunder, lightning and pouring rain. Once the storm cleared, the mountains were covered in snow and the weather was perfect. What a treat. For the first time ever a 1-year-old brown bear also joined us. Apparently the fires brought him or her down the mountain in search of acorns. Below are comments from some of the attendees: How did the Lord use this time at the Springs in your life? “He spoke to me of not only His goodness but His holiness. In the first chapel, while Betsy was leading us in worship, He gave me a “picture” of Himself clothed in light—then turning He beckoned me to “follow Him.” “He allowed me time to encourage a friend through writing and art. He also answered a question I had about inner peace with my desire to place people before tasks. Also read a great book on prayer that was helpful.” —Sue “God is showing me that I must live intentionally for I am easily distracted by the good and urgent tasks of my life. I want to treasure each moment and not let them pass unnoticed and uncherished. ‘Lord, open my eyes so I can see You in these every day moments. More importantly, let me see You as You really are—good! Develop in me a grateful heart.’” —Pamela “I came to the Springs feeling guilty because I didn’t have the funds. So our church put in money so I could go. And my thought was, “Someone else deserves to go more than I do.” I felt like saying, “Someone who has never had the opportunity should go.” But Wednesday night in the conference room, my heart felt a nudge. I tried to fight it. Elaine read on ‘eucharisteo.’ And I knew I was right where I needed to be. To take a look at the goodness God hands us and learn to be thankful for it. I pray I will take this heart of gratitude home to stay! And live fully each moment.” —Julie Ann “He is so good! I’ll start with that! He spoke directly to my heart and soul and lifted burdens off my shoulders that I have been carrying around. I feel healing starting in my heart and attitude. I know my heart is full of His love and strength as I go back into routines of life. He has filled me with a sense of peace and joy that surpasses my understanding!” —Heidi “Even being away for 48 hours wasn’t enough for me to relax. I need to learn to rest in Him and totally surrender. I am too concerned about what people think of me. I want to receive from the Lord that my identity is one who is deeply loved by God, to rest in that and let it be enough.” —Anonymous “To slow down and truly know God has a plan even though I want to see the end result now and how he weaves the evil into something good. I know I just have to leave it there with Him. I love to have quiet time with the Lord and I realized I need more of it, especially now that I’m back in ministry after some time away from it.” —Karen Continued on page 4
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The Springs
Continued from page 3 If you had to boil everything down to one main idea: “Holiness… to finish all He is teaching me and challenging me.” —Anonymous “God knows the longings of my heart!” —Sue “God is always good. I am always loved.” —Pamela “Gratitude—being thankful so I can live fully in the moment.” “Slow down” is my theme! I want to not be so rushed and busy that I plow through life missing all the beauty and blessings God has for me!” —Heidi “Continue to pursue relationship with Jesus. Practice meditation on the Gospels.” —Anonymous “To take time and leave that rock (or boulder as it seems sometimes) at the foot of the cross and separate my thoughts away from it to closely focus on God, more often than I do.” —Karen
“My heart is full.”
Other “Your team does an amazing job! You have planned the perfect structure, times of rest and alone time with the Lord! Thank you for all you do to make this a time of rest for me and others.” —Heidi “As a pastor’s wife I appreciate the freedom I have here to share my heart and thoughts and not have to be concerned about what others might think or how that reflects on our church.” —Heidi “My life is so blessed to be a part of this amazingly simplistic time with God— my heart is full.” Plan to join us at one of our next Springs retreats in Three Rivers, California: April 13-15, 2016 November 2-4, 2016
Is your email address correct? NEWIM is all about networking and we love to keep in touch! If you’re not receiving email from us, please take a moment to send your email address to info@newim.org. Don’t forget to add info@newim.org to your contacts list. We hate it when we go in your spam file! Page 4
Network of Evangelical Women in Ministry Purpose Statement The Network of Evangelical Women in Ministry is a non-profit, nondenominational organization that strengthens Christian women who minister to others through networking, equipping and encouraging them in their walk with God. Foundational verses: “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light” (Colossians 1:9-12, NIV ).
Our Story The Network of Evangelical Women in Ministry (NEWIM) was born out of one woman’s need to connect with other women who were ministering to others, for the purpose of sharing ideas, resources and spiritual encouragement. The women found tremendous support both personally and for their ministries. In 1987, NEWIM became a non-profit, inter-denominational organization with our purpose inspired by Colossians 1:9-12. Today, we continue to be a network of evangelical women who have a heart to love Jesus and have our service flow out of a vibrant walk with Him. Our continuing purpose, in this noisy cluttered world, is to draw women aside and offer them opportunities to retreat and be still with the Lord, to pray with others who share our heart and be strengthened in order to live a life worthy of the Lord. It is our hope that the ministries and the resources we provide will deepen your desire for a life of service to the Lord and prompt you to follow Him wherever He leads you, now and in the future.
The best portion of a good man’s life: His little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love. —William Wordsworth Page 5
Books To Give You Hope How to Keep the Pastor You Love, by Jane Rubietta (Most pastors experience little support when they most need it) *God’s Grip in Grief and God’s Grip in Grief Leader’s Guide, by Betty Adkinson (A personal guide through grief) Life’s a Pain, by Todd Rettberg (Learning to walk by faith when every step hurts) Worry Less So You Can Live More, by Jane Rubietta (Surprising ways to feel more peace, joy and energy) Homosexuality and the Christian, by Mark Yarhouse (A guide for Parents, Pastors and Friends) *Journal Keeping, by Luann Budd (Writing for Spiritual Growth) *It Is Finished!, by Dr. Vern Lewis (The Bible reveals a continuing set of designs, revealed from Genesis to Revelation, each one with a purpose in the design) *A Heart to Share God’s Word, by Jackie Rettberg (A manual that helps your teaching change lives)
*Reflections, by Luann Budd and Moments with a Friend, by Jackie Rettberg (Help for your quiet times) When God Sees Your Tears, by Cindi McMenamin (Hope for those who think God doesn’t know what they’re going through) Stages of Faith—8 Milestones That Mark Your Journey, Don Willett, Ph.D. (Help for those who feel stuck and want to move forward on their faith walk) Against the Flow, by John C. Lennox (The inspiration of Daniel in an age of Relativism) *Passionate Love, by Luann Budd (Learning to Live the Great Commandment) Choosing Gratitude, Your Journey to Joy, By Nancy Leigh DeMoss (Gratitude is a choice) Five Leadership Essentials for Women, compiled by Dr. Linda M. Clark (Developing your ability to make things happen) * Available through newim.org
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The Hope of the World Give hope, give life, give blood.” This is the slogan for Lifestream, the Southern California blood bank that collects and distributes blood products to hospitals. For those who receive the gift of blood, donated by people who just want to help others, it is sometimes their only hope to regain their health and perhaps even their lives. This year as we prepare to celebrate Christmas, we could relate this slogan to our Savior, who came to fulfill those words in a different manner: by giving His blood, He gave us life and thus gives hope to the whole world. Christmas is a celebration of the hope He brought us in the form of a baby, one of us but God with us at the same time, the hopes and dreams of humanity wrapped in swaddling clothes. Matthew 12:21 says “His name will be the hope of all the world” (NLT). As Christian women with this living hope in our hearts, our purpose and everything we do at NEWIM is designed to help the women we serve keep that hope firmly planted in their own hearts. Every retreat provides the opportunity to connect with Jesus on a deeper level, to hear His voice and enjoy His presence. In our noisy, busy, disconnected world, time to get away with God may be a lifesaver women need to stay spiritually afloat. We pray your hearts will be filled with the knowledge of Him as you grow in wisdom and understanding (Colossians 1:9) and in His grace. We wish you a blessed, healthy and happy Christmas and New Year. —Tammy Tkach NEWIM Board member, Website Administrator and Newsletter Editor
Dear Fr iends of NEWIM, We are thankful for the loving support you have provided NEWIM over the years. Because of your prayers and generosity, NEWIM continues to encourage and equip women in Christ through retreat programs in northern and southern California, pastors’ wives retreats and chapter activities. Our prayer is that you have been or will be blessed by one of these ministries. The Board of NEWIM has felt a prompting from the Lord to change the support structure of our organization. You no longer need to become a member to support and experience all the benefits of NEWIM involvement. As an interdenominational, non-profit organization, our purpose is to encourage, equip and enrich women serving in ministry. As women, we all have an opportunity to serve our Lord in some capacity, either with family and friends or through our church, community or work place. We are indeed all in ministry to serve the Lord! As a non-profit organization, we continue to depend on your support to provide scholarships to women who otherwise would be unable to be equipped by our ministries. It is our heart’s desire that you will be blessed by participating in one or more of our ministries during the year. Blessings in Christ, NEWIM Board Page 7
NEWIM 18684 Santa Mariana St. Fountain Valley, CA 92708 (714) 318-4321 Address Service Requested
From the Heart
Newsletter Editor: Tammy Tkach Email: tammy.tkach@gci.org VISIT US ON THE W EB: WWW. NEWIM. ORG
Come to the Springs April 13-15, 2016 November 2-4, 2016 Wednesday through Friday St. Anthony’s Retreat Center, Three Rivers, California For more details and to register online, visit us at www.newim.org
Sit in Silence at Jesus’ Feet One Day Guided Retreat March 3-4, 2016. Palos Verdes October 20-21, Sierra Madre Thursday night, Friday For more details and to register online, visit us at www.newim.org