Cozy Mountain Lodge - Recap!

Fall Retreat - Cozy Mountain Lodge

We had another beautiful retreat at Covenant Heights with the gals from our church and other Covenant churches around the state.  

We learned about the foundation we have in Christ and the different "rooms" of our heart.   We also got the opportunity to put together soup bags for victims of the fire in Colorado Springs:

                                                                                                 Service Project:

My Log Cabin:

I have never had bad weather at Fall Retreat and this weekend didn't disappoint.  The fall colors were perfect!  We even got the chance to hike and take pics: 

  

I got to meet new women and deepen my current friendships.  I am always encouraged by the women who come along with me to retreat!  We had a great group of women.  We laughed, we played, we worshiped, we reflected.  God is good!

Our Group from ACC:

Don't take my word for it!  Read the beautiful reflection of one of the women at the retreat: 

The beautiful changing aspen leaves provided a perfect setting for the retreat to Covenant Heights. I went to sit outside by a small lake on the last morning. The wooden bench creaked while I breathed some cool mountain air. My eyes wandered over the water, pines, aspen and sculpted edges of Long’s Peak…

I’d been struggling to understand my place in the world. I wondered what significance my life carries and why my roommates seemed to leave me behind so frequently. They were supposed to be my closest friends and that is what made the loneliness of the past 8 months so poignant. I was living with them, but I might as well have been living 50 miles away and alone.

A few months ago, I decided enough was enough. “I’m going to church,” I thought. Bible studies on my own were great and I felt very connected to God. I was able to hear His voice clearer than ever. But that did not curb the loneliness that gnawed on me. I kept asking God to change them or me or both.

Soon after those prayers, I read a passage that described how God is capable of turning rocks to water (Psalm 114: 7-8). I thought it was beautiful and made me think about the difference between a heart of stone and one like water. But how do you love others when your heart feels more like a pile of abandoned ashes?

Retreating for some “rest and comfort” with God, Scripture and fellowship sounded like a good start.

As I sat on the bench after a full and wonderful weekend, I admired the colorful trees whose leaves shivered in the air and the stoic mountain sides. I realized that everything was here because of God; from the lines cut into the sky by the mountains to the tiny veins in an aspen leaf, everything was made with perfect attention to detail. The complexity of God and Creation washed over me and I relaxed in awe. If he is aware of every detail in nature then He is definitely aware of me – aware of teaching me how to be like Him. He’s performing some miracle alchemy that turns ash or stone to water, to something beautiful.

I left Covenant Heights feeling as though I had gained a foothold in a great community, feeling accepted and hopeful, rested and comforted. Praise God.

What a thoughtful reflection! This was a much needed break for me and I got to spend it with a great group of women!  

~Kinsey Ringenberg~

Women Ministries Chair

Fall Retreat at Covenant Heights

Last weekend 14 women from our church had the opportunity to go to Covenant Heights in Estes Park for our Midwest Conference Fall Women's Retreat!  We had a great time of teaching, rest, fun, and fellowship!  Ruth Hill, the national Covenant Women Ministries director was our speaker.  She did an incredible job of teaching us about our identity in Christ.  She taught us that we as women are accepted, precious, loved, and chosen.   Cheryl and Kinsey both did a great job giving their seminars!

Saturday afternoon we had the opportunity for free time.  Some of us napped, hiked and shopped.  Check out these pictures from Lily Lake:

Our wind blown look:

View from Camp:

Group pic:

Our friends from camp:

Several women from our church took a step of faith and came not really knowing anyone.  That is a difficult thing to do!  For example, Glory, a new member at our church, took the weekend away from her husband and three kids to come up to camp.  She felt God's tugging to come and took a step of faith to come to the retreat not knowing any of us. The following is her testimony from the weekend:

I went to the Women’s Ministries retreat a bit scared but with an open heart. I moved to Colorado six months ago. My husband and I have just become members of the church; I had heard about this retreat for a few weeks but was skeptical because I really did not know anyone at the church. My thoughts were – “How am I going to go there without knowing anyone? I’m going to feel left out and all alone." I had asked my husband if he thought it was a good idea and he said for me to go that he would take care of the kids. I really needed some time alone with God and thought this would be good for me. I really needed to know where God was leading me.

During this series of messages God spoke to me in many ways; first by reminding me that “I am accepted” with the first message. I have often felt that I would not be accepted by anyone if they became aware of my past. But I was reassured that I am accepted by God because He called me by name and He has a purpose for my life. The second message reaffirmed my worth because “I am precious” in God’s eyes. I had issues when I looked at myself in the mirror because I often believed the lies of the enemy who constantly told me that I was not worth anything; that I was not beautiful that I was ugly because of the things that had happened in my life, but I learned that in God’s eyes I AM PRECIOUS! Then the following message really hit me when the sermon was titled “I am loved” because I often thought that God could not love me after all the things I had done, but God in his mercy loves me just as I am. My sins have been forgiven just like the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears. I am a new creation of Christ all of my sins have been washed by the blood of the lamb! On the final day I acknowledge that “I am chosen” –I believe God is sending me on a special journey all I have to do is be willing to do His will.

I recently learned that Women’s Ministries will be working with abused women. The program is called Advocacy for Victims of Abuse (AVA). Having been through this situation I would like to become an advocate. This is something that is close to my heart.

I have to say that the women at this retreat made me feel more than welcome. At every meal someone would ask me to come join them because they wanted to get to know me. My God is a wonderful God! I felt right at home with my sisters in Christ.

Thanks for sharing, Glory!  We hope that her testimony will encourage everyone to think about coming to retreat!  This fall retreat was one of the best retreats up at Covenant Heights! Join us next year!

Fall Retreat

Fall Retreat

Our Fall Retreat will be held at Estes Park on September 17-19th!

The Theme is GRACEBOOK - What's your Profile?

We are Precious, We are Forgiven, and We are Chosen - Presented by Ruth Hill

A native of Bellingham,Washington, Ruth Hill attended Seattle Pacific University and graduated in 1972 with degrees in psychology and education. She continued her studies in education at the University of Washington. In 1972 she and her husband, Brad Hill, were called by the Covenant to serve as missionaries to Congo (then Zaire). During nineteen years of service there, she taught high school, trained couples for pastoral ministry and was very active in women's ministries. In 1991, the Hills moved back to Bellingham to serve Bellingham Evangelical Covenant Church for the next eight years. Ruth Hill has served on mission boards at the conference and denominational level. In September 1999 she was called to serve as Executive Minister of Women Ministries for the Evangelical Covenant Church.

Cheryl Meakins and Kinsey Ringenberg from our church will be giving the breakout sessions.

Guard Your Heart - Presented by Cheryl Meakins

Cheryl has been a Christian for over 20 years. God has been her healer. Through growing up in an abusive home to a struggle with depression in college and even a marriage on the edge of divorce, God has shown himself to her as “Abba.” His pursuit of her life has been her joy. Her career paths have varied from stay at home mom to Occupational Therapist and is now venturing into Christian writing and speaking. She is currently the Women Ministries Chair at Arvada Covenant Church; the heart of her calling. Visit her blog: http://www.meakinsspeak.wordpress.com/.

Weighty Issues – A Christian Perspective on Obesity and Eating Disorders From a Medical Point of View presented by Kinsey Ringenberg

Risky Business – A Christian Perspective on Teenage Sexuality From a Medical Point of View presented by Kinsey Ringenberg

Kinsey Ringenberg became a Christian at a young age. As a teen she had several medical conditions, including anorexia nervosa, which were the basis for her decision to make the medical field her mission field. Kinsey obtained her B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies at CSU before she completed her Masters of Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Shortly after graduation in 2008 she joined Indian Crest Pediatrics in Westminster. Kinsey believes that God has called her to this field so she can encourage others in making good life decisions by basing her advice on Biblical principals. Kinsey is married to Luke and they attend Arvada Covenant Church where she is the Vice Chair of Women Ministries.


Come join us for an amazing weekend in the mountains, fellowship, and teaching! There will be time to hike, enjoy Estes, have alone time away from the business of this world, and deepen friendships! Please check out the following website for all the details:
http://www.covenantheights.org/Events/Womens_Retreat.html.
See you in Estes!