Women have shouldered many responsibilities over centuries and have found strength woven in community. Have you ever wondered and reflected on the many individual, family, societal, and cultural “hats” carried by our biblical elders like Ruth, Naomi, sisters Mary & Martha, Elizabeth, and Lydia, to name a few? What must it have been like for Mary, Jesus’s mother, to navigate through the cultural expectations of being a pregnant teenager, wife, mother of Jesus? How can these women of yesterday inform us today, given the professional, familial, and cultural hats we decide to wear? What can we learn from our elders, as we carry the hats of today?
Within the sacred community of other women, participants will be invited to acknowledge their own “hats” — ones that are heavy to hold, those that may need to be delegated or re-tooled, and others to be elegantly celebrated. Guided by the Holy Spirit, we will acknowledge what is and prayerfully envision what could be, as we form a sacred retreat day community with other women at God’s altar.
Through gentle interactive group conversation, guided reflections, contemplative spiritual practice of Visio Divina, and moments of solitary journal writing, retreatants will be invited to pause and notice how the Holy Spirit welcomes each individual as they are. Bring a journal for your personal writing, doodling, capturing God’s whispers. Handouts will be provided. Lunch is included. Guided by Rev. Sandra Dorsainvil.
Rev. Sandra Dorsainvil is an ordained minister with the American Baptist Churches, USA. She serves as a ministry coach and women’s group retreat facilitator with the Center for Career Development & Ministry. Rev. Sandra offers ministry coaching accompaniment to clergy and BIPOC women through her private consulting agency, CONNECT-SD, LLC. Her bilingual abilities in English and French and experiences living in Africa, Europe, and North America offer a unique cross-cultural approach to clients and organizations. She has graduate degrees in pastoral ministry from Boston College and in rehabilitation counseling and psychology from Boston University. She has completed all course requirements at the Mindfulness Coaching School and Level 1 of Group Spiritual Direction at The Shalem Institute. Rev. Sandra brings over 35 years of human services, including mental health and disability advocacy, group retreat facilitation, and pastorate, national, and international ministry engagements. Rev. Sandra is a published author of several books in English and in Spanish. The ministry of deep listening and presence is a core element in her work, and she makes sure participants in her retreats and one-on-one coaching sessions are seen, heard, and covered in prayers.