Members of the Christmas Valley (Ore.) and La Pine (Ore.) churches gathered for a spirit-filled weekend at the first REFRESHED retreat, held Aug. 25–28 at the bottom of nearby Paulina Peak.
The retreat, which included a special children's program, focused on positive living and its rippling effect on evangelistic outreach in the community and in our own families.
On Friday evening, attendees sat under a starry sky at candle-lit tables shaped into a large cross for an authentic agape feast. "To stand before both congregations in the quiet of the night, breaking the unleavened bread and drinking the fresh ‘wine' in the presence of the Lord under the stars that night — it was such a blessed experience, and words are few to describe it," says Jonathan Pawson, Christmas Valley and La Pine pastor.
Sabbath included the creek-side baptisms of La Pine's Susie Bashaw and Three Sisters Adventist Christian School (Bend, Ore.) students: Bethany and Tate Easterbrooks, Zoe Reynolds, Luke Darby, Jocelyn Griffin and Kristyn Taylor.
"To think we could have such a wonderful, spiritual and refreshing experience right here in our own 'backyard' is amazing!" says Martha Underwood, La Pine Church member.
