Praise from Previous Celebrations

Everything in planning (reservation, registering) went smoothly. Workshop offerings were so interesting that I wish we could have done four instead of two!. I would definitely attend another Celebration!!

There was NO way I could give up a whole weekend to attend Celebration VII in Burlington! It was certainly not something that was feasible for me, a 37-year-old wife and mother of two children with a full-time job and many commitments within the church. With some coaxing by church friends Kris Galasyn and Laurie Mooney I was convinced to join a carpool of women from my church, and as the date approached, I wondered what was I thinking--how could I give up this much time? The ride from Maine flew by as Kris, Laurie, Lynne Siulinski, Meredith Jordan, and I shared stories and got to know each other better. From the moment I walked into the registration area I could feel the amazing spirit and energy. Nearly one thousand women: all there to grow and learn and worship. The weekend was filled with shining moments, useful information, and inspiring messages. I returned to my husband, children, job, and church renewed in spirit and with a better sense of the wider UCC community.

Around the time I graduated from college, my mother and I began the tradition of an annual mother-daughter retreat. It has been a wonderful way for us to move beyond simply filling each other in on our daily lives and really getting to know each other as adults. Mom invited me to Celebration VII after finding out about it at her church. What impressed me most was the planning that had to have gone into the weekend: our every want and need was anticipated and taken care of, from quiet time to discussion to snacking to supporting the global community. And the music! Singing with over 900 other women is a moving experience; I was in tears more than once throughout the weekend. There was time to take walks (though we had to wear long johns!), time to meet and chat with other participants, and time for just the two of us to talk and share. It was a powerful, strengthening three days. In the doldrums of a gray, cold winter, our experiences at Celebration VII made me feel alive and new, and that spring definitely was on its way.

Celebration VII was the 3rd or 4th one I attended. It was a challenge for me because I just had major foot surgery in December and couldn't wear shoes very often. You know what??? I felt comfortable enough to just walk around with slippers and was able to put my foot up in an empty chair most of the time. I also decided that I was always doing workshops to take information back to the church and this time it was a weekend for me as well. I joined the choir for the first time and what an experience!! I guess that was what inspired me to volunteer for the next one. Now it is time for Celebration IX, and I am on the task force planning the whole event.

The first Women's Celebration I attended was in Portland, Maine. I lived about 25 miles north of Portland so I drove back and forth to the Celebration each day. In the evenings on my way home I had the windows down, and I would sing all the music we had sung that day. I was filled with the Holy Spirit! On Sunday, after we had communion, the minister said, "A fire has been ignited in you that will never go out. You will go places you never thought you would go and do things you never thought you would do." Boy was she right! I am now serving as co-chair of the Publicity Committee for this coming celebration, and I know that the Holy Spirit is always with me guiding me to do God's work. At the next Celebration in Portland I stayed at the hotel where all the events were going on so that I wouldn't miss a thing. I have attended every celebration since going to that one in Portland. Now my sister and my Circle of Friends (7 women ages 50-90) attend with me. We carpool to Vermont and share hotel and gas expenses to make attending this event more affordable. You are neither too old nor too young to experience the Holy Spirit moving among the women at these Celebrations.

Having missed only one of the Celebrations I am looking forward to attending Celebration IX in Portland. It is such a moving experience for me to be in the midst of hundreds of UCC women all singing, praying, and sharing together--an experience that I will forever remember.