Women’s Spirituality and Fellowship

Review of 2007 Activities:

              We began the year with a Women’s Retreat at Mercy Center under the leadership of Olivia Robinson. This was so popular with the attendees, that a retreat reprise was held in April and was equally well-received.

              In March, we held a welcoming brunch and brainstorming session with the new members of our committee and developed some goals for the future.

              April featured a Spirit Doll-Making Workshop that was intergenerational and those who attended found it to be both great fun and deeply meaningful.

              May 30th was our annual tea, which was held this year at the wonderful home of Mary Jeanne Jones. There was a garden theme, with several Master Gardeners speaking on gardening topics and answering questions. This was a very popular event, attended by a great many of our church members.

              We assisted the National Synod by contributing dozens of cookies!

              In September, we hosted a book talk with Dani Shapiro, author of Black and White, which was both thought-provoking and fascinating. We look forward to her return when she publishes her next book in a year or so.

              October 20th, Karen Byrne, a docent at the Atheneum and a member of our committee, offered a tour of the Faith and Fortune exhibit at the museum, with a lunch afterwards. This was a sellout event, and she has kindly agreed to do another tour this spring.

              Welcoming the start of Advent with another joint celebration with Rocky Hill Congregational Church and St. Patrick/St. Anthony Church, we met at St P/St A for a meaningful interactive service and workshop, shared with the women staying at Catherine’s Place, a transitional housing facility for women, which added immeasurably to the evening. We also shared a simple meal together.

              Experimenting with a different format this year, we will hold our Women’s Lenten Retreat at the church on February 9th as a one-day retreat, under the guidance of our own Reverend Erica Thompson.

              Looking ahead, we will have a Family Movie Night on January 25th at the church, followed by a spirited discussion. We have a Rejuvenating Mind, Body and Spirit workshop planned for March 9th, led by soon-to-be member Noreen Reilly. New members will all be welcomed with a brunch, planned for March 2nd. And of course, there will be a spring tea, with the details forthcoming.

              Ongoing activities include yoga and the women’s prayer group that meets weekly. Further plans include a Habitat Women’s Build, a walking tour of the churches of Hartford and a Taizé service.

              The key challenge for our committee is to address equally well the programmatic elements of both Women’s Spirituality and Women’s Fellowship. In the coming year, our goals include increasing awareness and refining a clear message of our mission within the church membership as well as developing further opportunities that allow for spiritual exploration and nurturing.

Respectfully submitted,

Ruth Hofstatter