Journals
Posted on August 4, 2022 2022 Emerging Leaders’ Cohort – Lessons Learned Retreat
Nicole Cox

On July 29th and 30th, the Emerging Leaders’ Cohort members gathered for their annual Lessons Learned Retreat. The Lessons Learned Retreat is the first event the Emerging Leaders participate in as they start their two-year journey with their cohort. Due to Covid, this retreat was held via zoom, but that did not stop the presence of the Holy Spirit. The cohort members connected via Zoom from Georgia, Ohio, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Texas, Namibia, Pennsylvania, Maine, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and St Kitts.

 

Over this weekend, the young adults participated in spiritual practices, reflective writing, creative expression, and theological conversation. The retreat topic for this year’s retreat was “Are you in the right house?” focusing on how social norms and expectations can cause us to represent ourselves in an unauthentic way. How social labels can limit and restrict our actions and how we view the world and ourselves. But the words and actions we use when expressing ourselves are crucial in finding healthy ways to interact with those around us and within.  Cohort members were open and honest about different struggles, strategies, and actions to find and strengthen their unique voices.

 

It was a blessed time indeed!

 

 

The cohort members were honored to welcome Paul Rollet, a current Global Servant with International ministries serving in the Philippines with Compassion with the Poor, CWTP. The young adults welcomed Paul as he spoke to them about the importance of decluttering their mental mindset and filling their “house” with healthy items.

 

 

The photos you see throughout this journal are screenshots of the cohort’s check-in moments. These check-ins asked four important questions

  1. Who am I?
  2. What am I doing?
  3. What is my purpose?
  4. Where am I going?

Leadership used these questions to understand better where each cohort member is on their journey and how we as leaders can come alongside and walk with each of them during this chapter of their lives.

 

 

 

Please keep the Emerging Leader cohort members and its leadership in your prayers. If you or anyone you know is interested in being a part of the Emerging Leaders Cohorts or would like to learn more about the cohorts, please click on this link: https://internationalministries.org/emerging-leaders/or email elc@internationalministries.org.