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Retreats

Touch the Hem of His Robe And Be Renewed

Half- Day, Day-Long and Weekend Retreats

Tailor-Designed to Your Needs

Incorporating the vision and intention the host group has for the retreat,

Olivia Woodford will design and facilitate a retreat

 built around one of five themes (see below) related to women in scripture.

 

The retreat may include most or all of the following:

  • Dramatic presentations of vignettes from one or more of Olivia's plays

  • Related scripture readings

  • Discussion of themes that emerge from watching the dramatic presentations

  • Dialogue of the socio-political culture of 1st century Israel and the role of women in Jesus’ ministry

  • Small group discussion around questions where participants explore how scripture and the content of the retreat is relevant to their personal life and journey of faith 

  • Time dedicated to prayer, reflection, and/or journaling 

  • An accompanying PowerPoint presentation

  • For weekend workshops:  participants can be invited to write a brief monologue of a woman in scripture with the opportunity to share it aloud with the group

Retreat Theme Options

Women on the Fringe

Contemplation of the various unnamed women in the gospels who are disenfranchised, impoverished, and play a pivotal role in a gospel story

Participants will explore themes of  judgment and compassion for self and others, and what a leap of faith has looked like in their life.

Dramatic presentations will be selected from the play, Hearing the Call.

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Women of the Passion (During Lent Only)

An in-depth look at the women were at the Cross, the Burial and for the Resurrection. 

Participants will explore their relationship with the Passion of Christ and the meaning it has in their lives.

Dramatic presentations will be selected from the play, The Heart of the Cross.  

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Fullfillment of Faith

(During Advent or in January only)

An exploration of the events that led to Jesus' birth

and the faith of those who played a role in God's promise being fulfilled. 

Participants will explore their faith in God and the presence of miracles in their lives.

Dramatic presentations will be selected from the play, Faith:  A Mother's Story.

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In Search of Mary Magdalene

This retreat can be shaped around one or more themes:

  • the nature of Mary Magdalene and how she has been viewed over the centuries

  • the role of women in Jesus' ministry and within the religious culture of 1st century Israel

  • A contemplation of what Mary and the other disciples experienced following the Ascension and the first steps of the early church.

Participants will explore how their devotion to Christ translates into service.

Dramatic presentations will be selected from the play, A New Dawn

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Life and Motherhood in Abraham's Time

Illuminates the Genesis of three religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam) through an exploration of the cultural setting that forms the backdrop for the relationship between Hagar and Sarah. Abraham's wife Sarah and his concubine Hagar.  As these two women were proclaimed  in Genesis as "The Mother of Nations," we will explore how the rivalry between them echoes through time into our culture today

Participants explore themes of faith, tolerance and forgiveness as they contemplate how Sarah and Hagar show up within their lives.

Dramatic readings will be selected from the play, The Mother of Nations.

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