More than 120 Adventist women in ministry met for a three-day retreat sponsored by the North American Division, April 1-4, at Pine Springs Ranch in the Southeastern California Conference. Duane Schoonard, an associate pastor at the Collegedale Adventist Church in Tennessee and an associate director of the NAD Ministerial Association, organized the event with the assistance of Debra Brill, NAD vice president for ministries.

The retreat attracted women pastors, chaplains, evangelists, religion teachers, Bible workers, conference departmental leaders, and students from every union in North America. In addition, ten women pastors and theology students flew in from Australia to attend. The GC Ministerial Association also sponsored one theology student from each college in North America.

“This is the first comprehensive gathering of Adventist women in ministry in ten years,” said Kit Watts, director of the La Sierra University Women’s Resource Center. NAD President Charles Bradford convened a group of about 35 in the late 1980’s in Takoma Park, Maryland. In 1991, a group of women clergy organized their own retreat at Glacier View Camp in Colorado. Later, Elizabeth Sterndale, director of Women’s Ministries for the North American Division, brought together a group of women pastors in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Guest speakers for the Pine Springs Ranch retreat included Dr. Madelynn Haldeman, retired associate professor of New Testament Studies at La Sierra University; Elizabeth E. Platt, professor of Old Testament at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary in Iowa; and Wanda Davis, director of pastoral care for Florida Hospital in East Orlando.

Seminar presenters included Hyveth Williams, senior pastor of the Campus Hill Church, on leadership styles; L. Jean Sheldon, assistant professor of religion at Pacific Union College; and Heidi Ford, associate editor of “Women of Spirit” Magazine.

Other highlights of the retreat included high quality worship events with music, skits, and readings, and three hours of free time  each day during which the women could get acquainted, hike and rest.