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As we stare down the face of extended social distancing, we may be tempted to tear up our ministry calendars and suspend our women’s ministry team meetings. Please don’t! Now is the time to make plans for when you can gather together again.
Your women will be anxiously awaiting your next few women’s ministry events. You may even experience record attendance!
The Masterpiece Retreat Kit reviewed in today’s post could be precisely what the women in your church will need – extended time to connect with each other and God’s Word. Consider ordering the kit now so your team can quickly add an in-house retreat to the church calendar when you can meet in person again. Your team could even host this retreat virtually if you can coordinate the distribution of the Apprentice Sketchbooks.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I will receive a small compensation if you choose to make a purchase. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.
Planning a women’s ministry retreat is a LOT of work!
I’m always on the look-out for tools and resources to ease the planning process.
Recently I had the opportunity to review the new Masterpiece Retreat Kit by CTA, Inc.
The Masterpiece collection includes everything you need to plan and execute a Bible-centered retreat for your women.
(Even if you’re not hosting a retreat, the Masterpiece collection includes items that would make for great door prize gifts, speaker gifts, event favors, or volunteer thank you gifts.)
Every CTA collection is inspired by scripture. The focal verse of the Masterpiece collection is Psalm 111:2, “The works of the LORD are great.”
When we think of ‘masterpieces,’ our thoughts usually run to celebrated works of art, great athletic or literary accomplishments, and products of love. And not just those made by human beings: the Bible tells us, “The works of the LORD are great” (Psalm 111:2)… In this retreat, attendees will learn to see themselves as just that: God’s masterpiece. The devotions and discussions in the Masterpiece Apprentice Sketchbook are crafted to help women see their faulty selves and their humble activities as all part of God’s Kingdom. Jesus’ forgiveness freely flows as God works in their lives every day! – Page 4, Leader’s Retreat Planning Toolkit
I was quite impressed by the Leader’s Retreat Planning Toolkit. It is jam-packed with practical retreat planning information as well as details and instructions for each session. The authors even include icebreaker games, sample schedules (1 or 2 days), and service project ideas!
And for those that might want a little extra help or coordinating graphics, additional downloadable resources that coordinate with the Masterpiece kit are available online for free online. You’ll find a budget sheet, Ministry Message, bulletin cover, name badge, postcard invitation, flyer, water bottle labels, PowerPoint slides, cupcake topper, theme art, table tent, coloring page, wallpaper, and a notecard. You can view those resources here.
CTA does the hard work for you!
While you may wish to bring in an artist to lead the activity for session 1, you won’t have to hire speakers for this retreat. The retreat is built around the five devotionals and discussion sections.
You’ll want to break your women into smaller groups seating them at tables together. The guide recommends groups of no more than six women to allow every woman the opportunity to share and get to know one another.
You’ll need to purchase an Apprentice Sketchbook for every retreat participant.
Inside the Apprentice Sketchbook you’ll find:
- Preparing the Canvas – An opportunity for self-reflection before the event begins.
- 5 Sets of Session Notes – The Master’s Brushstrokes, Folded and Creased, Stitch by Stitch, Patched Together, Formed and Reformed
- Reflect and Respond Sections – to spur group discussion and provide an opportunity for women to respond in writing.
- Pick Up the Palette – an activity that coordinates with each session’s theme.
- Two at-Home Sessions – to reflect on the retreat and continue growing.
- A 5″ x 7″ sheet of stickers
- A coordinating pen
There is an ESV and KJV option so that you can choose the best translation for your group.
While you’ll only need the Leader’s Retreat Planning Toolkit for yourself and an Apprentice Sketchbook for each attendee, there are some other fun add-on items you’ll want to consider for your attendees’ swag bags and door prizes. Each piece is imprinted with the theme verse, Psalm 111:2.
You may want to order:
- Pink travel mugs
- Laminated zippered totes
- Beaded bookmarks
- Stacking cuff bracelets
- Clear accessory bags
- Journaling card and pen sets
- Colored pencil sets
- Notecards
You can view all of those items here.
My favorite add-on item is the bracelet. I love to wear God’s Word! The cuff style allows it to fit the various sizes of your women’s wrists. The pink travel tumbler comes in a close second!
The Masterpiece materials are affordable and high-quality. You will not be disappointed!
- The books have glossy covers, and the artwork is beautiful outside and inside of each book.
- The tote bag is laminated with a zipper and grommets on the handles – your women will be able to use it for a long time!
The creators of the Masterpiece collection know women want time to talk with one another and have chosen a format that allows for lots of interaction in discussion groups and during the creative activities. I believe your women will enjoy the interactive nature of the Masterpiece retreat as they get to know one another on a deeper level.
If God is leading your team to plan a retreat, you’ll definitely want to check out the Masterpiece collection!
One year ago: Women’s Ministry Themes
Two years ago: Bible Study Book Review: Lies Women Believe
Three years ago: Teaching Women to READ the Bible
Four years ago: Spring and Easter Table Talk Cards (Free Printable)
Five years ago: How to Plan a DIY Spa Event
Six years ago: Reno Project #1: Excessive Decorations
I’m looking to have a women’s retreat this fall, however, it will be in person (past COVID). Is there another option?
You can 100% do this same retreat in person. 🙂 That’s really what it was created for – this was just a suggestion for groups that were still meeting virtually at the time this was published.
I would love to use this planner to start working on our next Women’s Retreat!
I would love to have this planner to start working on our next Women’s Retreat!
This looks like a great resource! Thank you for sharing. Like many others, our women’s get-a-way in May was postponed. I am actually going with “postponed” because it allows for encouragement of what’s to come! We have something to look forward to…in person!
GB. Thank you do much for this. It is perfect for retreats. Thank you. God is good. To get help to set up a retreat is a real blessing.
We are actually planning a retreat for October 2020 (God willing!). This sounds like a wonderful resource.
Thank you Cyndee for your constant encouragement!
It sounds and looks wonderful. Truly the works of the Lord are great! It would be a great retreat for our women, young and old.
thank you so much. We are a new women’s ministry and would love this to use with our women.
I have led a Women’s Bible study at my church for five years. We meet on Thursday mornings. Recently, the younger women who work asked me to lead a study for them, which is on Thursday evenings. We were three lessons into our study when we had to close the church for the coronavirus. I would love to be able to use this material in a retreat for both groups together on a weekend. It would enable the younger women an opportunity to learn from the older women and vice versa.
I have been to retreats in the past, but since I have been the women’s director I have never led a retreat. It seems a little overwhelming to me???? But it has been on my mind the last two years.
The women that I lead are very disappointed that our regional retreat had to be canceled due to Carona. I have already started planning our own retreat for the fall. This would be great to help me do this. Thanks.
It’s been awhile since we planned one so this looks very helpful.
Blessings,
Wow what a powerful Masterpiece Retreat collection kit!!! As I was planning and preparing for a minister’s wives retreat this year, (I had to postpone for next year due to the corvid-19) I was seeking for ideas Theme and this kit is the right one. Thank you for obeying the guidance of the Holy Spirit in preparing this kit and also having this giveaway. Blessings to you and yours. I pray God’s divine protection over this and other outbreak.
This is a great idea! I have been wondering what we could do when this CoVid19 is over.
We start our Zoom meeting Bible study this week. Very excited!
This is great and once this pandemic is over, we are really going to need some Sisters in Christ time. Thank you for all you do. Looking forward to winning this wonderful kit collection!!
Great ideas Cyndee! Looking forward to implementing these ideas with both my church family as well as the community. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.
I love retreats, but they are usually too expensive for most of my ladies. This looks like something we can do, and Lord knows we are going to love getting together again.
This definitely looks like a study I would present to our women’s ministry group!
Thank you.
This looks like a great resource. Can’t wait to see it.
Sounds great as long as no actual artistic ability is required!
WE had to cancel our Spring Women’s Retreat and have already talked about planing a
Day Retreat when we are able to get back together. This would be a wonderful resource
to create a special Jesus Filled Day!
This looks like a perfect fit for our group! Great review. Thanks.
I would love to use this wonderful resource for ‘my’ ladies! Thank you for the opportunity!
This looks really interesting! I love how all-inclusive it sounds: all you need right there to plan a retreat. It also seems like it would be easy to implement quickly once all this passes us by.
Our group is all missing one another with this social isolation! This would be fantastic to rejuvenate and come together again, even if it isn’t within arms reach:)
This looks like a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with my sisters in the Lord when this current pandemic is over! We are His Masterpiece! I have been trying to instill in our women that we are His Daughters!
Would love to win! After this covid a retreat with all the women would be fun!