DESIGNED IN GOD'S IMAGE
Q: What are you doing here?"
A: "I know the speaker and I wanted to hear her share."
Q: "What are you really doing here?"
A: "(Pause) I'm here because I need help..."
That is how speaker, Michelle Copithorne, challenged women
at the Alberta Women’s Retreat at Sylvan Lake on May 24-26. She asked us to
share with a partner about ourselves to break through the head versus heart
dilemma. For where the head and heart meet, there is the soul, and we were at
retreat to do soul work. The theme was "Designed in God's Image", a
challenging thing for most women. In a culture obsessed with appearances, women
are bombarded with images and advertising that remind us of our many
inferiorities. Well, at least the inferiorities we think we have. Copithorne,
through sharing her story, led the group through activities and discussions that
went past the head and entered the heart.
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| Speaker, Michelle Copithorne |
There is something sacred about a gathering of women,
especially an intergenerational gathering of Christians. Being on the younger
end of the spectrum, I was little nervous going to a retreat where there
wouldn't be many or potentially anyone my age. But there has been something
missing in my life since I moved back to Alberta. I couldn't define it before,
but after this retreat, I think I know. It is sisters in
Christ meeting and worshipping together, just women. "Women
have the gift and ability to go deep and go deep fast" I'm not sure
who said that during the weekend, but it was true. There were 51 women on
retreat, and I never saw someone sitting on the outside. Alone yes, but alone
by choice; on the outside no, everyone was included. And what a wonderfully
diverse group we were, with ages ranging from 20 to 80. Women from the Edmonton
South Sudanese Mennonite Church, from the Calgary Chin Church, Holyrood, First
Edmonton and First Calgary, Bergthal, Lethbridge, Foothills, women from the
Lethbridge and Edmonton VS Units, and more friends from other places. I knew more
women than I thought I would, but I left knowing them better and with new
friends. "It was nice to have a
group of younger women to be with, as a part of this weekend. We felt so
welcomed by all the women at retreat.
The variety show, giant dutch blitz, and games -- all were inclusive of
every person, age, race it didn't matter". Said Melissa Bueckert,
summing up for a group of young women.
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Tabitha Mut (on left)
from South Sudan |
There were four sessions over the weekend. Saturday
morning session featured singing and sharing. Many people were touched by the
sharing of Tabitha Mut. Tabitha is a recent immigrant from South Sudan, she
arrived in Edmonton on March 20. "God chose our path here [to Canada].
Black and white we are together, our skin is different but our voices are the
same. Our God is the same,” she said through a translator. Tabitha is a
spiritual leader, a deaconess, and performs baptism rites. She is a remarkable
woman, and even though she speaks no English, was able to communicate and laugh
with us.
The phrase "where two or three are gathered,
there God is" came to my mind, but I think we have to change it to say "that
where 51 worshipping women are gathered, there the Holy Spirit will be
also". Singing, laughing, crying and praying, this was the heart work done
through the weekend. These were the soul activities we did together. Self
reflection, building each other up and praying filled our cups to over-flowing.
Sunday morning as we closed our worship with more sharing, Theresa Powoe from
Holyrood church shared, "When we
left Liberia to come [to Canada], I mourned my sisters. We would have retreats
there as well, 500 women gathered together to worship and praise God. I had
been told that there wouldn't be anything like that because everyone in Canada
was too busy. I am so thankful to be here this weekend, as I have found the
sisters I left behind."
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| Theresa Powoe from Liberia |
There are more stories to tell, but you will have to
find them. Ask around at your churches, find someone who went, and make plans
to come next year. To those who attended remember what Michelle said in one of
the sessions: "That God loves you at least as much as the person who loves
you the most." Yes we ate tummy bread, but we left full of heart bread.
Michelle Copithorne lives in Cochrane, AB and attends
Foothills Mennonite Church.
Joani Neufeldt is a member of Lethbridge Mennonite
Church and lives in Coaldale, AB.
The retreat was planned jointly by Alberta Women in
Mission (AWM) and interested individuals from Mennonite Church Alberta (MCA)
with the hope of bringing together women from existing AWM groups and all MCA
churches.
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| Giant Dutch Blitz |
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| Intergenerational fellowship |
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| AWM display table |
Schedule:
