Our Spring 2022 retreat in Mundelein, IL was a joyful and meaningful reunion! 60 Ecumenical and Disciple Fellows gathered simultaneously for our first in-person retreat in over two years, which included worship, wise practice conversations with Rev. Dr. Sarah Griffith Lund (Bethany alum and current Board member) and Rev. Julian DeShazier (Bethany alum), sustaining and renewing contemplative practices, and perhaps the most meaningful of all - reconnecting with friends, colleagues and mentors. We have deeply missed the heartfelt conversations around a dinner table and long walks, sharing life and ministry together in ways that virtual retreats couldn't replicate.
"It’s been 2 and a half years since our last in-person Bethany Fellows retreat, and it was a celebration to be together again. I’m grateful for the time to laugh, to breathe, for silence to wander around in. It’s a gift to be surrounded with friends who I love and who show up in all of this with me. Shoutout to a week in “Chicago” for filling my spirit and for being a place to celebrate the goodness."
- Rev. Daniel Lyvers, First Christian Church, Bowling Green, KY
"Thankful to God for rest, retreat, mentorship, and friendship at @thebethanyfellows retreat this week."
-Rev. Katherine Wright, First Christian Church, McKinney TX