The Women’s Retreat theme this year was Embodied & Beloved (Created Good. Made Holy. Sent in Love.) As women, there are days that we feel deep in our bones like the Helen Reddy song proclaims, “I am woman, hear me roar. I am strong. I am invincible. I am woman.” However, there are other days when the world’s view that we are “less than,” that we are “too much,” that we aren't aging to current beauty standards, our body is wrong, or that our size determines our worth seeps into our daily thoughts and undermines the beauty that God created.
What would change if we believed our bodies were holy? What would it change for you? We reflected on this throughout the weekend, and I saw the power of women to lift each other up individually and as a community. That our beauty comes from our laughter, our wide and varied talents, our genetic makeup, our imperfections, and life experiences. Our bodies are created good and holy for “We are fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139)
In the Bible, we see diverse women used for divine purposes. Deborah brought visionary leadership and unity. Ruth brought tenacious loyalty. Priscilla brought profound scriptural understanding and teaching. When we see each other through God’s eyes, we see the beauty in our uniqueness.
Often, women are overlooked, but God uses the overlooked to do the impossible. Throughout Scripture, from Miriam leading worship to the women at the tomb being the first to announce the resurrection, God has trusted women with profound responsibilities.
To begin our weekend, we chose a colored salt to represent us individually. At the end of the retreat, we combined the salt to form a mosaic of colors. We poured them together into one vase, we honored both what makes us unique and what binds us as one through God’s unconditional love. The blended salt reminded us that our individual talents and spirits, when shared, create something far more vibrant and whole than any one of us. We may have left the retreat alone, but we carried the beauty of shared community in our hearts and back into the world.
We are beloved by God. Created good. Made Holy. Sent in Love.
Thank you, Pastor Tracy Paschke-Johannes, for leading us this weekend, and thank you to the talented organizers and helpers, welcoming spirits, and thoughtful participants. If you missed the retreat this year, we hope you can join us next year. All are welcome!
Peace be with you,
Angie Seiller, Director of Faith Formation