2024 Congregational Pastor Retreat

Dates & Cost:

• November 6 - 8

• $200 Per Pastor

*If you find that attending would be prohibited due to finances you may reach out in confidence to Rev. Casey Carbone.

**Due to the nature of this retreat and the topics covered, participation is limited to clergy only (not open to partners at this time).

*Select Lunch/Registration Fee

Friends,

I'm drawn to the Message interpretation of Matthew 11:28, "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life." Is there any one of us who hasn't experienced the challenges of ministry over the last few years: divisive politics, acts of racism, the impact of climate change, and communities of faith filled with joys, struggles, and everything in between?

Therefore, you are invited to an intentional pause, a time to rest, a time to recenter, and a time for restoration and rejuvenation with others who serve in a congregational context. The Nurturing Leadership Team is offering a time to step away from the happenings of church life and enter into a renewal.

We hope you take advantage of this opportunity to connect with colleagues and friends in ministry, enjoy the retreat center's beautiful indoor and outdoor space, and be filled by the words and meditation of our keynote speaker and preacher, Rev. Dr. Kimberly Wagner. Be sure to check out the itinerary and information below!

The Hudson River Presbytery through the Nurturing Leadership Team heavily sponsored this retreat, so the cost to attend is only $200 (this includes all meals and access to all facilities: pool, sauna, etc.). Additional services (i.e., massage) can be scheduled in advance (at the cost of the attendee), so once again, check the retreat schedule to see when you might want to utilize these extra services.

By the end of our time together, we hope you feel renewed and rested to step back into being pastoral leaders guided and strengthened by God's (and the fellowship of believers) presence. As the Message's translation says, "Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

If you have any questions or financial concerns, please feel free to reach out.

Grace and peace,
Rev. Casey Carbone
Director for Congregational Connection

casey@hudrivpres.org

Honor’s Haven

1195 Arrowhead Road
Ellenville, NY 12428

“At Honor's Haven Retreat & Conference, we believe that effective teamwork is crucial to the success of any organization… A beautiful refuge in New York’s Hudson Valley region, Honor’s Haven is nestled amongst 260 acres of lush gardens and rolling hills, surrounding a freshwater lake at the foot of the Shawangunk Mountain Range.”

The Rev. Dr. Kimberly Wagner

The Rev. Dr. Kimberly Wagner serves as the Assistant Professor of Preaching at Princeton Theological Seminary. She received a B.S. in Secondary Life Science Education from Miami University (OH), a M.Div. from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, and her Ph.D. from the Graduate Division of Religion at Emory University. Though she has served among the Lutherans and was educated among United Methodists, Dr. Wagner is ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Previous experience on the pastoral staff of a PCUSA congregation in Virginia helps fuel and inform her present scholarship and teaching. She is passionate about supporting students’ formation and helping clergy and communities navigate the realities of an ever-changing world and church. Her current writing and work focus on preaching and ministry in the midst and wake of trauma, particularly thinking about collective trauma, the role of the preacher, and the resources of our Scriptures and faith to respond to these moments. Dr. Wagner’s book, Fractured Ground: Preaching in the Wake of Mass Trauma (Westminster John Knox Press, 2023), offers guidance for preaching in the aftermath of communal trauma, including mass violence, natural disasters, and public health crises. 

The Rev. Dorinda Violante

Rev. Dorinda Violante began her professional life as a nurse. She received a BSN from Keuka College and a MSN from Lehman College. Upon working with families in the hospital and home setting, she soon began to realize that she wanted to be present with God's people in a different way. She began to serve Union Church, Newburgh, as a church educator and she discovered, with delight, the way the Spirit was tugging her. She received her MDiv from Union Theological Seminary (NYC) and has been serving God's people in the Hudson River Presbytery ever since. Dorinda is continually curious about the ways Spirit and schedule align and how we show up in the various places, spaces, and seasons of our life. With over 20 years experience in ministry, her roles have varied, ranging from church educator to retreat leader, spiritual director to chaplain, former Presbytery moderator, and current moderator of the Presbytery Council.

The Rev. Dr. Debbie Bronkema

Creative Writing Workshop

Rev. Dr. Debra J. K. Bronkema is the Director of New Worshiping Initiatives for Hudson River Presbytery. She earned her Doctorate of Ministry from Columbia Theological Seminary in 2011, with an emphasis in Creative Writing as a Spiritual Practice, and leads programs and retreats on this topic throughout the country. In 2018 Debbie published her first novel, Finding Manna, the story of a young woman searching for the life that is hers to live. Her book, Midweek Meditations is a collection of devotions, published in December of 2020.  In September 2022, Debbie published Writing toward wholeness:exploring creativity and spirituality, with Cyclical Publishing, a leader in Faithful Innovation. Since 2018, Debbie has been Pastor for the new worshiping community connect.faith, an online ministry where creativity, spirituality and justice meet.