Friday Five: Big Event Topics

We're on our way! 37 participants will join our presenter, the Rev. Carol Howard Merritt on Carnival Inspiration, departing this Saturday for a cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. Carol will lead us through a study of her book, Reframing Hope: Vital Ministry in a New Generation.

But even though we're just packing our bags, we're already thinking about next year's cruise and envisioning future topics and presenters. Let's use this Friday Five as a survey of the ring. Please share five topics and/or presenters you might like to see for future Big Events.

If you play the Friday Five at your blog and would like visitors, be sure to share a link here, using the following formulation:

<a href="the url of your blog post goes here">what you want the link to say goes here</a>

For a complete how-to, click here. I'll be on my journey to Tampa, but will try to check in with you along the way.

Late Monday Query to all RevGalBlogPals

Friends, I'm in the midst of a RevGalBlogPal visit to St. Casserole and fear Monday got away from me. Meet and Greet will be back on the 3rd Monday in January.

Meanwhile, we're going to start planning for our 2011 Big Event as soon as possible in hopes of having enough lead time to attract grant support. If any of you have grant-writing experience, I would love to hear from you in the comments or via email. We hope to do this as a land-based event in the summer, but other details are yet to be determined.

Meet and Greet

Meet and Greet today comes to us from the Grand Canyon, where a few of us journeyed following the BE 2.0. It seems appropriate to share with you some of the highlights of our conference with Wil Gafney on the topic of Women Prophets:Daughters of Miriam.

Day One: April 16
We arrived throughout the day...and found our rooms around courtyards like this one:


Some of us arrived early enough to walk the labyrinth....notice if you can, the ground squirrel who made her home under the labyrinth...


And here is the view beyond the labyrinth....


The first night we gathered after supper and share the creation story of RevGals...a delightful email trail of blogger comments. Afterward we entered our worship space

for an evening prayer led by Wil. Most of us, who had travelled far, and been up many hours went to bed after the worship. A few of us stayed up awhile longer enjoying spicy salsa and chips with a little wine or "pop."

Day 2
We gathered after breakfast for morning worship and then our first presentation by Wil. She led us through an interesting discussion on who is a prophet...and finding women in the texts of the Bible, even when it appears that women aren't there...We did some small group work looking at the various kinds of "prophets", a bit more group discussion, and then broke for lunch. (See Wil Ganey's book, Daughters of Miriam, Women Prophets in Ancient Israel, for more infor).The afternoon we had free time. A number of us went into "Old Scottsdale" and did some shopping at the ....some of us bought knitting supplies for the first time while others decided to try and up our knitting technique with more complicated patterns.

We reconvened with Wil for an evening study session followed by evening worship. Some of us stayed up late playing cards....(what were you playing???)

Day 3:
We had sabbath time on Saturday morning. Some of us walked the grounds, others chose to go back into Old Scottsdale. We gathered in the afternoon for more time with Wil looking at the begats in 1 Chronicles and listing all the women named in chapters 1-8...we also broke into small groups and choose a story in scripture about a woman and recorded it using just the pronoun "she" and the verbs associated with the woman's story: so, "She said," "she bowed," "she spoke," etc....and during our small group work we enjoyed this courtyard:

and some flowers in the area:


Following our time with Wil we had a short break and then reconvened for a group photo:


After the photo we had dinner and then spent a relaxing evening around a

the night was cool, the fire was blazing (that's Wil in the background, if you can see her), the wine flowed (well water and "pop" too), and the conversations delightful.

Day 4:
As I write this it is Saturday night. Sunday morning we will gather for a closing Eucharist written by various members of those attending. Afterward seven us are loading into two cars and heading north to the Grand Canyon. The rest will be taking the shuttle back to the airport and heading home. If this is posted as written it means I have not been able to add anything further about our BE 2.0 since Saturday night.....but I will update as possible.

All I can say is, it's really been wonderful. Thank you to those who helped create this wonderful blog ring and for the inspiration to bring us together for the Big Events. There is already conversation about next year: where (East coast? Southeast?), what (cruise? retreat center, a personal home), when (how many weeks after Easter, 1 or 2?)....but whenever, whatever, wherever....plan to be at the BE 3.0....

From The Big Event

RevGalBlogPals Big Event 2008 Update

Thy Grace is Sufficient

The Myth of Superwoman as the Enemy to Self Care

Led by Mary Marcotte

March 27, 2008 thru March 31, 2008

What if grace really is true?

We tell those we serve over and over the good news of God's grace – and then behave as if God – or at least the portion of God's people we serve – will love us more if we work harder/ better/faster/longer.

Come away for a time of spiritual reflection marked with laughter – and perhaps a few tears -- as we share our journeys as Christ's servants. We will confront some of the stereotypes that bind us so that we can be free to live into the higher calling and blessings of the gospel. There will be time for group conversations, small group discussions and personal journaling.

The retreat will take place on a cruise out of New Orleans, leaving Thursday, March 27 and returning Monday morning, March 31.

For a brochure with all travel details and a biography of our presenter, please e-mail will smama. There is still space available. The price of the retreat consists of the cost of the cruise and your travel to and from New Orleans, as well as any additional excursions you might choose in the port of call, Cozumel, Mexico.

There is no registration fee. The program expenses are being covered by RevGalBlogPals, Inc. For information on joining the non-profit group, please follow the links in the sidebar.

Quick Big Event Reminder

Today is the deadline for making the first $25 deposit to be part of The Big Event! Please go here to find out how. Can't wait to see many of you again and to meet others for the first time!

Your Input Needed for Big Event!

Dear RevGals Ring Members:
Your input is requested! We need to know how many of you are able to commit to the Big Event as we have planned it (with an initial deposit date of October 13).

We have already polled the Corporation members and do not need those responses again (unless you are changing your answer!)

Please respond YES or NO to this message by Friday, October 5 at this address: revgalblogpals@gmail.com Be sure to include your name and email address!

After much searching, the Big Event Planning group has found the most practical and affordable option to be a four-day cruise, departing from New Orleans on March 27, 2008, with a sail time of 4:00 p.m.

How did we reach this decision?
Retreat centers are typically outside of major metro areas and require an hour or more drive from major airports. We wanted to keep the cost as low as possible, so we started looking at hotels in major cities (similar to conference venues). Most of these required more advance notice than we have and also required large deposits well in advance, which the corporation is not in a position to make.

A cruise meets our goals of putting us all in one place for fellowship and renewal; providing (at no additional cost) meeting rooms for the many sessions we plan to have, and giving us the opportunity for personal time. All meals will be provided and (if flying to New Orleans) it is a major hub airport that offers fairly low flight costs.

We recognize that many of you will be applying to use clergy study leave time and/or funds for this event. It will be clearly titled and the schedule organized to demonstrate that the purpose and scope of the event are for Clergy self care and nurturance. We believe that we can provide materials that can be shown to a Pastoral Relations committee or similar body to explain that self-care preventsburnout/illness (not to mention misconduct).

We look forward to hearing from you!

The Big Event Planning Committee

***************************************************

DETAILS
Ship : Carnival Fantasy
Port: New Orleans
Port of call: Cozumel, Mexico with 2 days at sea

Inside Cabins: Total cost $432.12 per person
includes:
$270.00 cabin
$122.12 port& gov tax
$ 40.00 pre-paid tips

Oceanview cabins: Total cost $482.12 per person
includes:
$320.00 cabin
$122.12 tax
$ 40.00 pre paid tips


PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL PRICES ARE PER PERSON AND BASED ON TWO PERSONS IN A CABIN. Transportation to and from New Orleans is NOT included.
Travel insurance is available, with price based on age of passenger and cost of trip.
ALL SAIL DATES ARE MARCH 27, 2008 this is a 4 day cruise
ALL SHIPS SAIL AT 4:00 PM
Meeting rooms are available for all days
ALL PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE UNTIL RESERVED AND DEPOSIT MADE.
This price includes all food, tea, coffee, juice and water (in a pitcher), ship board entertainment, games, weight rooms etc.
Does not include liquor, tips for liquor, gambling, soda, bottled water, beauty shop, massages, shopping, internet access, ship to shore phone calls, etc.
Passports as of now are not required until June, 2008...THIS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE...as it has changed so many times in the last two years. A PASSPORTIS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED.

****************************
Here is the payment schedule:
Deposit due October 13, 2007 - $25.00 per person
Second Payment due November 1, 2007 - $150.00 per person
Final (balance) due January 5, 2008

To make reservation, must have
FULL LEGAL NAME
DATE OF BIRTH
MAILING ADDRESS
HOME AND CELL PHONE NUMBERS
EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBER
Decisions to be made include: roommate arrangements, inside or oceanview cabin and dining time for group (choose from 6:15pm, 6:30pm, 8:00pm, or 8:30pm. )
For more information on the ship:
Carnival Fantasy Cruise Ship
http://www.carnival.com/Ship_Detail.aspx?shipCode=FA

Questions? comments? you know what to do!!

Extra! Extra! Big Event In the Works!

Those of you who are members of the RevGalBlogPal corporation should have received an e-mail a few moments ago with a request for you to vote in a straw poll on the Big Event location.

If you didn't receive it and you are a corp member, you may go to our Google group to review it (under "Pages.") If you are not able to get in, please e-mail our main address (revgalblogpals@gmail.com) and be sure to include your preferred e-mail address so that I may check my records and be sure I have you logged in correctly...and also
send it to you.

Then, back to the Preacher Party!

RGBP Big Event News Update

Ask The Matriarch will not appear today so that we can bring you this special RGBP News Alert!

The Big Event planning group:

Facing the camera are--

Natalie (Take My Hand), Reverendmommy, Songbird, Quotidian Grace and Mary Beth.

Facing away from the camera are--
St. Casserole, Cheesehead and Will Smama).
Pictured meeting at New Hope Methodist Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia on Tuesday.

(Photo by: Questing Parson)

Mark your calendars for:
MARCH 27-MARCH 30, 2008.

This is the weekend of The Big Event. The date was chosen because it is the week after Easter, which is usually a good time for most RevGals to take a break from their regular schedules.

The group agreed to find a location for the event near a major metropolitan area with good airline service in order to minimize travel costs and logistical concerns and that has some members of RGBP Inc. in the vicinity who are willing to assist with the plans. During the next couple of weeks members of the group will research locations in several cities based on these criteria and suggestions that we have received, exchange the information and then choose a venue.

Relationship building and spiritual development will be the focus of the Big Event. Instead of having a keynote speaker and workshop format, we are looking for someone who will lead some group devotional time or guided meditations and offer spiritual development/formation training for those who are interested.

Plenty of time for interest groups to meet together and for those attending to have recreation and fellowship time are priorities as we begin planning the details of the meeting. Since we may need to obtain outside funding to make the event possible and since many RevGals may want to use continuing education allowances to attend, we will include activities that will make the event eligible for grants and to use continuing education allowances.

We'll post more information about the Big Event as decisions are made.

Ask The Matriarch will return to its regular schedule next week. Woo-hoo!