By Gail Marsh
A recent transplant who moved to the city for a new job, recalls: “The most difficult part of moving was finding a church where I felt like I belonged.”
All of us share this young woman’s deep longing for community. Many women of today feel isolated. They may struggle with work demands, family responsibilities, or personal issues. The church can provide a safety net of sorts—a place where a woman can share her burdens, knowing they will be received with genuine concern and love.
One of the best ways to foster community within your women’s ministry is through a retreat. Why? Because spending extended time together will allow stories to be shared. It will create a setting that encourages candid conversations about the things that really matter. A retreat offers the possibility to form new and lasting friendships—relationships that will continue long after the retreat comes to an end.
How can your retreat most effectively build community? Here are some ideas to consider:
- Provide name tags and encourage women to wear them throughout your time together. Being addressed by name fosters the feeling: I belong!
- Plan to seat retreat participants in circles, rather than in rows. Making eye contact and seeing facial expressions promote camaraderie.
- Plan intentional icebreakers geared to identify specific interests or hobbies. You might try open-ended sentences that can be quickly answered by each participant, like: My favorite thing to do on a rainy day is . . .
- Ask a few current women’s ministry members to sit beside someone they don’t already know and engage them in conversation.
- Allow plenty of time for small group discussions: after a keynote speaker; following a Bible study; or during snack time. Scheduled time to talk will promote community.
- Late night games, talk time, or enjoying a movie together will provide common experiences upon which future friendships are built. Never underestimate the power of unstructured time.
- Don’t assume anything! Not every woman will recognize or understand the church jargon that long-time members know. As much as is possible, print out worship guides, songs or hymns, and responsive readings.
- Intentionally pair up people who don’t already know each other. They can stick together for prayer time, when eating, for games and activities, and more. Change partnerships often to encourage further mingling and potential bonding.
- Do all you can to ensure a safe place where what is shared stays within the sharing group. Remind women about confidentiality often.
- Above all else, pray for greater community within your women. Ask the Lord to open hearts for new friendships, to foster love and genuine concern among retreat participants, and to bless everyone with the wonderful gift of belonging.
You are welcome to copy this article for one-time use when you include this credit line and receive no monetary benefit from it: © 2020 CTA, Inc. Used with permission.