Dear Friends,

NEWIM’s purpose has remained the same for the last 35 years. We are dedicated to strengthening women in ministry by providing opportunities for spiritual enrichment, personal connections, and resources. Primarily we do this through contemplative retreats, relationships that form as we participate in small groups, and resources made available on our website. During a time in America when everything in churches seem to have been disrupted and Christians are deeply divided by politics, serving in ministry has become doubly challenging. We see the need women have to be spiritually strengthened, to go on retreats to reconnect with Jesus, and to be connected in meaningful relationships. So we have been working diligently to do our part to be God’s arms of love and support for his women.

2023 GOALS

Beyond our usual goals to be offering: 1) excellent retreats, 2) opportunities for women to form safe friendships, 3) new resources, as well as helping new women find NEWIM, our Leadership Goal Teams have been working since the Leadership Retreat in 2021 in self-directed teams to advance NEWIM in three strategic areas: Broaden Engagement and Enhance Participation, Intentional Inclusion, and Safe Connections. Each team completed their work this year.

The Board also focused attention on: What can we do to invite and train younger women to find a home in NEWIM? Dr. Julie Smestad (MABS and DMin, Dallas Theological Seminary) shared her research with the Board. Watch her presentation. She gave a wonderful overview of what connects with women (20-40 years old) and some specifics about what we can do to encourage them. We’ll continue to ponder the question and work to bring in young women leaders who can be blessed by NEWIM’s retreats, relationships, and resources and then, as God calls them, they can join us in leading ministries to bless others.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO ADVANCE NEWIM’S GOALS AND STRATEGIC DIRECTION

This has been a year when God threw open the doors for expanded ministry and guided us (often behind the scenes in surprising ways) as we sought to follow his lead, one conversation at a time.

NEWIM-Fuller Spiritual Formation Cohort. After several months of discernment and prayer, we entered into a partnership with Fuller Seminary’s Center for Spiritual Formation and in August 2023 began our first NEWIM-Fuller cohort. The 10-month program includes 4 retreats, weekly reflections, and meeting monthly in small groups. We use Fuller’s curriculum and NEWIM’s women acting as participatory small group leaders/mentors.

Over the summer we trained the small group leaders (Jill Austin, Heidi Glynn, Traci Martin, Betsy Stowe and Christy Wold,). Twenty-four women are participating across 10 time zones including 5 states, Romania and France. August 17-18 was the first virtual retreat facilitated by Luann Budd, cohort leader. Initial feedback underscores the value of this program in strengthening women in their walk with the Lord. The relationships formed within the cohort’s small groups during the first two months have become a lifeline for many. Everyone in the cohort came to the Springs Retreat in Three Rivers, California, November 8-10. 2023.

A new Springs team has been praying, planning, and working together to offer a Springs retreat in Santa Cruz in January, expanding NEWIM’s ministry into the Bay Area and northern California. Women at The Springs in Three Rivers in April gathered around the new team and prayed a blessing over them.

NEWIM in the SE Region of the USA. Also through months of conversations and prayer, Traci Martin, executive director of Fresh Perspective Ministries, and her team were invited to become a part of NEWIM. We share a common our love for Jesus and heart for serving women in ministry. As Traci was praying at the Springs Retreat in Three Rivers, God seemed to ask her a question: Why are you recreating the wheel? They voted to sunset their nonprofit organization and transition to being part of NEWIM. Traci now serves on NEWIM’s Board and brings her passion for serving women. She and her leaders are all participating in the spiritual formation cohort, they are taking the lead with our social media and editing the NEWIM newsletter. They all live in the greater Atlanta area and will focus on supporting women in ministry in the SE region of the US. They offered a half-day retreat this December and will host a Springs Retreat in Savannah, GA in February. We prayed a blessing over them at our Springs Retreat in November.

Retreats

Springs Retreat - Three Rivers - March and November, 2023

Twenty-six women gathered for our retreat at St. Anthony’s Retreat Center. The Lord was so gracious to us. We had huge storms and lots of flooding just two weeks before our retreat, and the threat of more storms during our retreat. But God! We had lovely weather as we arrived and it only rained at night. We were able to enjoy the wildflowers and be out in nature to receive God’s gifts to us in the beauty of his creation. Our theme was “Remain in Me” - and during our chapels, we explored various verses from John 15. Women wrote how he met them during their retreat. Several of us have commented on how lovely it is to retreat in a location that is set apart to holy things. This photograph made us smile. At St. Anthony’s, even the wild turkeys walk the prayer labyrinth.

Pastors’ Wives Retreat - February 2023

Darlene Derby, Betsy Stowe and Christy Wold hosted five pastor’s wives for a wonderful weekend in the mountains. We had opportunity to spend a few hours alone with the Lord, as well as lots of time to share, pray, laugh, eat, and worship together.

Pastors’ Wives Reunion

Pastors’ Wives Retreat, Newport

Women thoroughly enjoyed their time together. One wrote: “The timing on this weekend was straight from God. I feel so seen and loved by Jesus to be invited for this time away. It has been so long since I have spent uninterrupted time with Jesus. It is hard to describe the powerful and intimate ways He met and encouraged me, knowing exactly what I needed at this moment in time. I have been restored and refreshed, as well as having gained new trusted and treasured friends and sisters in Christ who understand what it is to be a Pastors wife. I do not know how to ever thank you and all the people involved that made this retreat a reality."

Writers’ Getaway, November 7-8, 2023

Cindi McMenamin and Kathy Collard Miller led the Writers’ Getaway once again. Eight women left encouraged to write for the glory of God.

South Africa Retreats

Glenda hosted three Beautiful Women retreats in Cape Town. Each one was sold out. She reports that women are longing for time to be with the Lord. NEWIM-US was able to send Glenda funds for a new computer this year as well as $2500 in sponsorships for her retreat. At each retreat at least 10 women were first-time attendees and found the time of being in worship and the Word to be transforming.

After 17 years of affiliation with NEWIM-US, because of South Africa law and their constitutional law, requires Newim of Cape Town to change their affiliation to a local NPO in South Africa. So as of 2024, they will have a new constitution and will be operating and ministering under the name of Beautiful Women Retreats SA.

One Day Retreat

Bakersfield, CA Aug. 26, 2023 Sue Sabaloni hosted women at her home for a full-day retreat.

Half Day Retreats

Modesto/Oakdale, CA Gatherings. Jan. 20, May 12, Oct. 6, 2023. Christy Wold and Becky Austin hosted women at Christy’s home for a morning of refreshment. Their purpose is to refocus women on who we are in Christ, be strengthened for our current circumstances, provide space to hear God's truth wash over us and provide time for prayer. Various materials are provided. It’s a lovely time and women really enjoy being able to retreat together.

Advent Gathering, “Light of the World,” Farmhouse in Atlanta, GA. Thirteen women registered for this half-day retreat at the beginning of Advent. Only two of the women, besides the team had participated in any type of silence with the Lord. Every woman felt it was amazing how refreshed they could be in such a short time. Every woman read her Bible most days, but time of just sitting with the Lord was not something they did. Everyone asked to know when we have another similar event. Traci Martin wrote the devotional guide.

Relationships - Small Groups

Aging Faithfully Small Group

Jill Austin hosted a six-session conversation discussing the book: Aging Faithfully—The Holy Invitation of Growing Older by Alice Fryling. Twelve of us met from all over the country every three weeks to talk about each chapter of the book. Alice joined us midway through. Watch her presentation.

Prayer @ 2 on Thursdays

Kim Bagato led the prayer group every Thursday on zoom. Women shared personal requests as well as prayed for NEWIM. It has been a wonderful point of connection for women spread out across the United States. Kim stepped down from facilitating the group in Dec. but we will continue to meet weekly.

Reading Books with Friends on Zoom

We read three books this year and usually had under ten women join us to discuss them. At The Foot of the Snows is a modern missionary story about a family’s journey to northwestern Nepal. They live among the Kham people, learn their language, and eventually translate the Bible so they can read for themselves the good news of Jesus Christ. We all thought the book was excellent, captivating at points, although not for children.

Tish Harrison Warren, Prayer in the Night, explores themes of human vulnerability, suffering, and God's seeming absence. Tish shows us through her story how to find joy in our grief by choosing to focus on God’s love for us. NEWIM’s Book group enjoyed reading this book.

In All My Knotted-Up Life, Beth Moore tells her story, including that she is a survivor of sexual abuse. The group was aware that this book is controversial for some. We were inspired by Beth’s courage to stand up for what she believed was right.

Writers’ Group - First Saturday of the Month on Zoom

Kathy Collard Miller leads the group of writers in discussing work that is submitted for critique and Kathy answers everyone’s questions about writing and publishing. It’s an encouraging time as women find support and affirmation to pursue their writing projects.

New Resources

We have some wonderful new resources! Kim Johnson has done an amazing amount of work creating resources and handouts for Marriages in Crisis. Everything was vetted by NEWIM’s attorney and is on our website. When Kim and I did some online searching, we found almost nothing to help women who find their marriages are falling apart. Women, especially those who are married to pastors, have no one to talk to if their marriage is struggling. They will so benefit from the work Kim has done.

We also have some new guided silent retreat handouts: He is Worthy by Pam Cashion, Rest and Receive by Laura Murray, Abiding in Rest by Betsy Cockrell. Two additional resources: The Prayer of Lament in the life of David, Job and Jeremiah, and a List of Advent Devotionals are now in our Free Resources page.

Safe Spaces Goal Team has completed their work. They created a helpful guide for what is needed to create safe small groups which is now available on our website and as a handout. (Kim Bagato and Kathy Collard Miller)

Intentional Inclusion Goal Team will continue to work to create a helpful resource for how to Lead Diverse Small Groups and Teams that will bring together the insights we’ve gleaned over the last 18 months. (Becky Austin, Cathleen Lawler, Luann Budd, Christy Wold, June Chambliss)

The Increase Engagement and Broaden Participation goal team wrapped up their goals with a review of the website and a recommendation to create an informational postcard that can be given to women interested in NEWIM and as a resource to distribute to groups, colleges, etc. Through the times of meeting and discussion, it was affirmed that the website has excellent resources and is easy to navigate. The consensus was that in addition to relationships and personal sharing about NEWIM, a tangible resource for sharing would be helpful, in the form of a postcard.

There is a new comprehensive list outlining all of the steps involved in beginning a Springs Retreat.

Marketing and Social Media

Over and over, we hear women say, Why don’t I know about NEWIM!?! So, we are working to get the word out. Traci Martin and Leah Fuller are posting on social media almost every day. It’s been quite a challenge to grow our followers/subscribers. NEWIM also advertised in Just Between Us (Jill Briscoe’s magazine) Spring and Winter issue.

Analytics

All of NEWIM’s social media channels and NEWIM’s newsletter show increases this year over last. We continue to post new videos and work hard to make sure if someone is trying to find an organization for women in ministry, they’ll find NEWIM.

YouTube: NEWIM’s videos had 2,833 views (+91%); 286 hours watch time (+293%); 31 new subscribers. Luann’s interview with Tammy Tkach was the top watched video with 930 views. Alice Fryling’s conversation with the Aging Faithfully group had 155 views, and the online retreat segment, Writing a Letter to Jesus, had 146. Visio Divina and Dr. Julie Smested’s videos were both viewed 132 times.

Website: 11,728 visits (+41% yr/yr); 8,902 unique visitors (+34% yr/yr); 19,205 page views (+49% yr/yr)

NEWIM.org continues to be on the first page of google searches for silent retreats.

FaceBook/Instagram: Kim Bagato stepped down from leading Newim’s social media team late last Spring after serving for five years. Traci Martin has been creating content since June. Leah Fuller continues to faithfully post to all of our channels over 200 times last year.

Monthly e-Newsletter:

There are 1,019 people who receive our e-newsletter and 43% open rate, meaning that about 430 people open the e-newsletter to read it. Kim Bagato resigned her position as lead of the social media team and newsletter editor in June. We are so grateful to her for the work she has done to give NEWIM visibility on every platform and bring encouragement to NEWIM subscribers month after month. The theme this year was characteristics/attributes of God. Many NEWIM leaders wrote lead articles focusing our attention on drawing near to God in openness and trust. Traci Martin took the lead in creating NEWIM content for posting on social media by Leah Fuller. Patricia Arps, Leah Fuller and Luann Budd have been editing the newsletter since Kim stepped down. See 2023’s newsletters here.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Kim Johnson, Darlene Derby, Kim Bagato and Becky Austin completed their service on the NEWIM Board. In March we honored them for their years of service, and welcomed the new Board members: Traci Martin, Director of Engagement (Atlanta, GA); Heidi Glynn, Director of Spiritual Care (Chandler, AZ); Betsy Sanford, Secretary (Rochester, NY) and Audrey Holifield, Treasurer (Sacramento, CA).

The Board members are spread across the U.S. and in northern, central, and southern California which is wonderful as the ministry is expanding geographically as well. We held a virtual Meet & Greet in May so women could meet the Board. We have served as pastor wives, executive pastor, CEO of nonprofit organizations, and women with careers in the secular workplace and missions. Each of the board members are participating in the spiritual formation cohort this year and attending two Springs retreats. https://www.newim.org/board-of-directors We know from experience the challenges of ministry and feel so grateful that the Lord has brought us together to serve women who are ministering to others.

We want to especially thank Darlene Derby (Bookkeeper), Leah Fuller (Social Media), Patricia Arps (Document and Newsletter Editor), and Kim Bagato (Prayer on Thurdays@2) for their behind-the-scenes tireless, weekly and sometimes daily, volunteer work this year. It’s a joy to serve with each of you.

I so appreciate your partnership, prayers, and generous contributions. Donations in 2023: $32,036. THANK YOU.

The Lord seems to have opened doors for us to be a benefit to more women which is so amazing to me, and at the same time, he’s added a few family things to my plate (and to a few other women’s plates) so we have less time to be working on NEWIM at the very moment the ministry needs more time. I guess it’s the Lord’s sense of humor. All I can figure is he has women in the wings waiting to serve. If you are one of them, please give me a call!

Sincerely,

Luann Budd, President