Pam Christensen shares with Erik Cave about her passion for Disability, Accessibility, and Inclusion ministries in the church. Pam talks about her passion for the church to reach and include people of all abilities.
Listen in while a group of young adults chat with NextGen Director for the PacNWC, Erik Cave, about the recent Emerge retreat. They share their reflections on the retreat and why they are so excited about future retreats.
Jill Riley and Pastor Katy Andlovec talk about Katy’s call to ministry and God’s work through her life while pastoring at First Covenant Portland. Katy is excited about the children and youth in the church and is passionate about them sharing their gifts with the larger community.
Jill Riley catches up with Amy Muia, the Associate Pastor of Congregational Care at Bethany Covenant Church. It is a wonderful conversation about her work with the incarcerated, in congregational care at the church, and things she loves to do. Don’t miss this inspiring and encouraging conversation.
Join Jill Riley as she catches up with Greg Yee. Together they talked about Greg’s favorite memories of growing up, family, sports, and ministry. Don’t miss this great conversation.
Bruce Bruns, Pastor of Milwaukie Covenant Church, in Milwaukie, OR shares his ministry journey with us. He also shares what things help to define who he is and what he is passionate about. Let’s welcome Bruce to the conference! https://www.facebook.com/bruce.bruns
by David Robinson, Lead Pastor, Cannon Beach Community Church
On March 28-30, twelve Covenant pastors and ministry leaders from the Pacific Northwest Conference got away “to a quiet place” on a three day contemplative retreat just before Holy Week. A Quiet Place, sponsored by the PacNWC Ministerium, was held at Mount Angel Abbey, in Mount Angel, Oregon. Pastors came from Oregon and all over Washington to attend this retreat, including some who drove six or seven hours to attend.
The retreat sessions explored ways to pray the Psalms, practice lectio divina, and live by a Rule of Life. I offered a picture of a vineyard trellis system as an image of how a Rule of Life provides the structure our lives need to bear much fruit, as Jesus promises in John 15. Retreatants affirmed the importance of reviewing, revising, or refreshing their Rule, and seeking new ways of living daily according to a Rule of Life. Retreatants were invited to attend any of the monastic worship services each day, known as Liturgy of the Hours, including Vigils, Lauds, Midday, Vespers, and Compline.
We enjoyed sharing life together over excellent meals at the beautiful, newly renovated Abbey Guesthouse, and stayed in elegant Guesthouse private retreat rooms. We also enjoyed time together basking in the sun over craft beverages at Benedictine Brewery, a short walking distance from the Abbey.
Those who came to A Quiet Place Retreat expressed gratitude for having time. We were grateful to join with others who shared a common interest in contemplative life. Retreatants enjoyed getting to know Benedictine monk, Brother Cyril, who offered rich insights into spiritual contemplative disciplines from forty years in the monastery. We also celebrated ecumenical dialogue and unity in Christ, as we explored shared spiritual vision and practices between Catholics and Covenanters during informal conversations with our Benedictine brother.
A Quiet Place Retreat provided sweet time for quiet prayer, study, reading, taking walks, spending time in the beautiful monastic library, naps, enjoying a cup of coffee at the Abbey Coffeeshop, browsing the Abbey bookstore, or walking stations of the cross on the Abbey grounds. We hope you’ll consider joining us in 2024 on A Quiet Place retreat.
Rollie spends some time with Jill Riley explaining how National Covenant Properties can be of benefit and great help to churches in our conference. Contact Rollie for more information. He would love to talk with you. You can also email him. For more information on National Covenant Properties.
Jill Riley interviews Pastor Jeff Palmberg about his ministry and art in the Methow Valley in Washington. Palmberg shares how he got into art and how God uses that for His glory.