The Hands of Martha and Hearts of Mary Retreat!
/Three days of crafting, praying, and fellowshiping together.
A small group of women from Easley Presbyterian Church gathered in mid-October to enjoy the crunching of leaves as they made holiday creations and talked about the art of spending slow time with Jesus.
The scripture verses from Luke, where Jesus visits Martha and Mary, guided our conversations. We talked about the invitation for Martha to slow down enough to hear what Jesus had to say. The women talked about all the ways they busy their hands, taking care of others and acting out the love of God. We also talked about how it is a challenge to slow down enough to sit at the feet of Jesus, but with community, we can invite each other to be like Mary. And we can also ask each other to be like Martha to share in the spirit of hospitality when God is calling us to use our hands.
Suellen Holmes thoughtfully led the group through the steps for each craft, allowing room for personal style and skill to shine through. Even the women who announced early on that they didn’t attend the retreat with crafting skills left calling themselves crafters. The smell of hot glue guns lingered in the room as hands were covered in paint and glitter. As the few days together drew to a close and they started packing up, their cars were overflowing with new creations, and their hearts overflowing with love.
Ginna Lister, Easley Presbyterian’s Director of Christian Education, wrapped each person in a hug as they said, “See you Sunday!” Ginna mentioned early on in the retreat that this was the first event she was attending where she wasn’t in charge. She was, of course, instrumental in registering the group and advertising the opportunity, but once she arrived, she was encouraged to participate and be present. Ginna quickly found herself, a self-proclaimed Martha, with the invitation to be Mary and living fully into the nature of the retreat.
The women loved each other well as they told stories and asked for prayers. Some even brought their own craft supplies and instructions as they found more time to gather around the table. The three days were spirit (and glitter) filled and exactly what each person needed. The retreat started as a simple question from Ginna one hot summer afternoon and grew into the ideal fall retreat, guided by Suellen Holmes and Katie Henderson.
Suellen and Katie were just as pleased with the results of the retreat and the community they were a part of for those great three days. Fellowship is eager to continue these boutique retreat offerings for churches and community groups in the area. Whether it is spiritual nourishment, creative energy, or time spent on the lake, the staff at Fellowship Camp and Conference Center is eager to design and host your community's ideal retreat.
