Women’s retreat set at Hope Church

How to Go

What: “The Grace of God” Women of Hope Retreat

Where: Hope Church, 5980 Wilmington Pike

When: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14

Cost: $15

More Info: (937) 434-7095, www.hopeindayton.org

At Hope Church in Dayton, the letters in the word GRACE stand for “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.”

And that is the theme for the upcoming Women of Hope Retreat scheduled for September 14. Karen Ward, a certified lay speaker and Stephen Ministry leader, will be presenting three messages about the grace of God. The event will be in Hudson Hall at the church on Wilmington Pike.

“Prevenient grace means that before we’re even born, God is working on our lives. We may not know Him yet, but he still grants us grace,” said Ward, who has been married to John Ward for 37 years and has two grown sons, Justin and Joshua.

Ward is an experienced Christian speaker, and has been a member of Hope Church for more than 20 years. She worked as a church office administrator for 15 years. She has spoken at banquets and seminars, filled in for vacationing pastors, and started women’s Bible studies. Her passion is to encourage people in their relationship with Christ.

The retreat begins with 8:30 am registration; 9 am welcome/prayer; 9:10 am ice breaker; 9:25 am praise and worship; 9:40 am introduction/prayer; 9:45 am Prevenient Grace; 10:30 am group time; 11 am break/snack; 11:15 am Justifying Grace; and another group time at noon. At 12:30 pm, lunch will be served after prayer; then a 1:15 pm game; 1:35 pm Sanctifying Grace; 2:20 pm group time; 2:55 pm closing; and 3:30 pm dismissal.

“At the end of the retreat, my hope is that the women will understand more about God’s grace and how it impacts their lives,” said Ward, who lives in Springboro.

The atmosphere for the event will be comfortable and casual, so participants only need to bring a Bible, notebook and a pen. The lunch menu will feature homemade soups, salads, and desserts.

“Hope Church has been having women’s retreats for as long as I can remember, and I arrived 33 years ago,” said Mindy Kessler, Women of Hope president who has organized the past three biennial retreats. “This is going to be a great opportunity to learn about the grace of God, and enjoy a day with other women who want to learn more about it too.”

For more information or to register, call the Hope Church office or visit the web site. The deadline for registration is September 8. The $15 fee covers both lunch and a snack. Hope Church has two worship celebrations. The first is a more traditional service at 9 a.m., with a contemporary gathering at 11 a.m. Sunday School classes are scheduled for 10 a.m.