Representative
Rachel Sonnenberg |
Canadian Region 2022 Report
My ultimate hope and prayer for the women of the CLBC is that they will continue to be sustained and rest assuredly in the hope they have in our Savior Jesus Christ.
2022 Events
April 2022 - Ladies Lunch during CLBC AGM weekend. Lunch on the Saturday during the CLBC AGM went really well last year. We had 18 ladies join us at Haggar’s Café inside the Norsemen Hotel. This was a nice time of fellowship for ladies across the CLBC to get to know each other better and help build a growing sense of togetherness within our women in the CLBC.
June 2022 - CLBA Biennial WMCLB Day of Equipping. We did see a decrease in the number of Canadians in attendance because there were still several levels of covid-19 restrictions between the US and Canada regardless of vaccination status. As all border restrictions between the two countries have been lifted, it's expected for Canadian women to have an increase in attendance come 2024 Biennial.
October 2022 – Pastor Wives Retreat. This was a wonderful time of rest and fellowship for all who came. We had 5 pastors’ wives out of 8 so I think that was really well attended. Although we would love for all of the wives to be able to attend, it was still a special time with those who were there. We met in Red Deer at the Rust House since there were no Saskatchewan wives that were willing to come. Usually this retreat has been at Cyprus Hills Provincial Park Lodge but we had it in Alberta in hopes that more Alberta wives would be able to come. This is a great retreat to come together and study the word, support one another, pray for one another and just grow in community together. The dates for the 2023 Retreat are October 26-28, 2023 and those dates have already gone out to the wives.
I think the events that we were able to have in 2022 were all well received, and are all things I am looking forward to continuing in 2023.
I have been trying to get to know our women’s ministries more and get a feel for what our CLBC women want our bigger umbrella of women’s ministry to be. There were two consistent themes that arose out of my inquires, (1) yes women like to gather and do things, but (2) almost every church that I was able to speak to someone from (mostly which is pastor wives) have the sense that their women do not feel overly connected to the larger CLBC church body. Although this may not be anything we want to hear it is helpful to know where at least some of our women are at. Obviously if our women feel disconnected to the larger body of the CLBC then this will dictate what they do and do not want to do with our Women’s Ministry. I think this is why having even seemingly small events like a ladies’ luncheon during AGM can be so important and help build steps towards growing a larger sense of community and care for one another.
One of the things I would really love to see happen is a CLBC Women’s Retreat, but there are so many things to consider. With all our retreats/family camp, etc. the geography of all of churches is always the issue. Also finances is a consideration for something like this and exciting news is that Women’s Ministry of the CLBC officially has a budget line in the 2023 CLBC budget! A retreat isn’t something that we absolutely have to do, maybe it could be a 1 day event – but the goal for this upcoming year is to increase our ladies' events.
The more I get to know about the WMCLB, the more it is clear that CLBC operates very differently with women’s ministry than the other regions. The CLBC is in a very different position than most other regions because not only are we a region, but we are also our own church body so it not necessarily bad that we operate differently, but is just something I am getting to understand better as I attend WMCLB meetings and interact with the other regions.
Proposed 2023 Events
April 2023 – Ladies Lunch during AGM
June/July 2023 – Family Camp Ladies Fellowship Time
October 26-28 – Pastors’ Wives Retreat
CLBC Women’s Retreat Day/Weekend
I love getting to help organize and encourage our women in the CLBC! Thank you for allowing me to serve in this way.
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21
Blessings in Christ, Rachel Sonnenberg, Grace Lutheran Church, Okotoks Alberta
2022 Events
April 2022 - Ladies Lunch during CLBC AGM weekend. Lunch on the Saturday during the CLBC AGM went really well last year. We had 18 ladies join us at Haggar’s Café inside the Norsemen Hotel. This was a nice time of fellowship for ladies across the CLBC to get to know each other better and help build a growing sense of togetherness within our women in the CLBC.
June 2022 - CLBA Biennial WMCLB Day of Equipping. We did see a decrease in the number of Canadians in attendance because there were still several levels of covid-19 restrictions between the US and Canada regardless of vaccination status. As all border restrictions between the two countries have been lifted, it's expected for Canadian women to have an increase in attendance come 2024 Biennial.
October 2022 – Pastor Wives Retreat. This was a wonderful time of rest and fellowship for all who came. We had 5 pastors’ wives out of 8 so I think that was really well attended. Although we would love for all of the wives to be able to attend, it was still a special time with those who were there. We met in Red Deer at the Rust House since there were no Saskatchewan wives that were willing to come. Usually this retreat has been at Cyprus Hills Provincial Park Lodge but we had it in Alberta in hopes that more Alberta wives would be able to come. This is a great retreat to come together and study the word, support one another, pray for one another and just grow in community together. The dates for the 2023 Retreat are October 26-28, 2023 and those dates have already gone out to the wives.
I think the events that we were able to have in 2022 were all well received, and are all things I am looking forward to continuing in 2023.
I have been trying to get to know our women’s ministries more and get a feel for what our CLBC women want our bigger umbrella of women’s ministry to be. There were two consistent themes that arose out of my inquires, (1) yes women like to gather and do things, but (2) almost every church that I was able to speak to someone from (mostly which is pastor wives) have the sense that their women do not feel overly connected to the larger CLBC church body. Although this may not be anything we want to hear it is helpful to know where at least some of our women are at. Obviously if our women feel disconnected to the larger body of the CLBC then this will dictate what they do and do not want to do with our Women’s Ministry. I think this is why having even seemingly small events like a ladies’ luncheon during AGM can be so important and help build steps towards growing a larger sense of community and care for one another.
One of the things I would really love to see happen is a CLBC Women’s Retreat, but there are so many things to consider. With all our retreats/family camp, etc. the geography of all of churches is always the issue. Also finances is a consideration for something like this and exciting news is that Women’s Ministry of the CLBC officially has a budget line in the 2023 CLBC budget! A retreat isn’t something that we absolutely have to do, maybe it could be a 1 day event – but the goal for this upcoming year is to increase our ladies' events.
The more I get to know about the WMCLB, the more it is clear that CLBC operates very differently with women’s ministry than the other regions. The CLBC is in a very different position than most other regions because not only are we a region, but we are also our own church body so it not necessarily bad that we operate differently, but is just something I am getting to understand better as I attend WMCLB meetings and interact with the other regions.
Proposed 2023 Events
April 2023 – Ladies Lunch during AGM
June/July 2023 – Family Camp Ladies Fellowship Time
October 26-28 – Pastors’ Wives Retreat
CLBC Women’s Retreat Day/Weekend
I love getting to help organize and encourage our women in the CLBC! Thank you for allowing me to serve in this way.
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21
Blessings in Christ, Rachel Sonnenberg, Grace Lutheran Church, Okotoks Alberta