2021 Retreat: Serra Retreat Center for July 26-30, 2021

Pastor/Spouse Retreat is CANCELED due to Coronavirus. I am sorry to share that the 2020 Pastor (Spouse) Retreat scheduled for June 1-5 in Malibu will not be happening. Serra Retreat is not yet open, and it is unlikely that they would be able to host us at that time. So with regret the 2020 retreat will not be held. We will look for an opportunity to gather all of you for a few days of rest and renewal at some point later this year. You are all working so hard in this time. Please take care of yourself in the midst of this crisis.

Pastor and Spouse Retreat – June 1-5, 2020

Monday lunch through Friday morning

Hopefully you already have the dates of June 1-5 in your calendar to join colleagues in Malibu, CA, for the 2020 retreat. Cost remains $100 per person, and leadership has just been confirmed. We are excited to be joined by Joel Peña, pastor of Alpha y Omega Church of the Brethren in Lancaster, PA. Joel will present in Spanish and English around the theme of Digging inside of our Iceberg/Excavando dentro de nuestro Iceberg and will invite us to think about emotionally healthy spirituality. Retreat for all ministers serving as pastor or chaplain, and their spouses in PSWD.

Jeff Strogen will be returning for his second year at the Pastor and Spouse Retreat 2020 leading our embodied spiritual time to take the group on two different “birding” experiences. These will get us out of our seats and into the world, opening our eyes and ears to sites and sounds we often miss in the world around us. Jeff is a Middle School math and life science teacher, and an active birder who has led many groups into times of discovery. He enjoys the people and space at PSWD Pastor (and Spouse) Retreat which he has come to enjoy as the spouse of Dawna Welch, Pastor of Spiritual Formation at the La Verne congregation.

The Serra Retreat Center in Malibu, California (interactive map). Event cancelled due to Covid19.

2020 Review

Pastor/Spouse Retreat, originally to be held from June 1 – 5 in Malibu, CA was cancelled due to COVID-19.

2019 Review

2019 event details

Flyer in English & Spanish: 2019 Pastor/Spouse Flyer (PDF)

The 2019 Pastor/Spouse Retreat was held at the Serra Retreat Center in Malibu, California (interactive map). It is located 45 minutes from the Los Angeles & Burbank airports. This retreat was meant for your spiritual and physical health. The Ministry Commission of PSWD takes it as our mission to care for the women and men who have answered God’s call to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our churches and faith institutions.

Daniel Topf was the resource leader for the PSWD Pastor (Spouse) Retreat, May 28-31, at Serra Retreat in Malibu. Daniel is currently working as a regional representative of the missions agency World Team and studying for his Ph.D. in intercultural studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena. Prior to coming to California, he spent time in China, Singapore, and India as a student, manager, and teacher at a Bible school. In total, he lived and worked in Asia for over ten years, and he is passionate about unreached people groups, theological education, and the global Pentecostal movement. Nonetheless, the biggest recent news is that on September 29, 2018, Daniel got married to his beautiful bride, Annali (currently interim pastor at Glendale COB). Daniel is a native Spanish speaker and provides leadership in both Spanish and English.

Jeff Strogen lead our embodied spiritual time taking the group on two different “birding” experiences. These got us out of our seats and into the world, opening our eyes and ears to sites and sounds we often miss in the world around us. Jeff is a Middle School math and life science teacher, and an active birder who has led many groups into times of discovery. He enjoys the people and space at PSWD Pastor (and Spouse) Retreat which he has come to enjoy as the spouse of Dawna Welch, Pastor of Spiritual Formation at the La Verne congregation.

PSWD 2019 Moderator Bob Morris lead our opening time of worship on Tuesday evening. Bob is the pastor of the Glendora congregation and invited the PSWD to explore Jesus’ words in John 15:5 “Apart from me you can do nothing.” The event was financially supported by the Ministry Commission of PSWD. Registering for that event implied a promise that you faithfully participates in the activities listed. Ample free time was always available for your own faith journey, health, and recreation. The only cost to the Pastors / Chaplains was a minimal registration fee of $100 per person and the cost of your transportation.