And if you still have a hard time sleeping, then come to Koinonia!!  Breathe the air.  Stare at the trees.  Sit by the water.  Walk in the woods.  Warm yourself by a fire.  Read a book.  Listen to your music.  Let us serve you with food, with prayer, with plenty of quiet time.  We will pick you up at the bus station in Monticello or the train station in Port Jervis.  We will not be so busy that we cannot take care of you.  When you are with us we want you to relax, rest easy, get up late, go to bed early, sleep. This is what God gives to us.

 

Here are some things to report:

 

• We are seeing more and more people using the Camp.  If you are considering a retreat, please get it on the schedule (register@koinoniany.org) and then talk to us about how we can help you plan.  

 

• Now that we are open and have paid staff, our goal is to keep us open!  So, I have to say that your gifts are important and necessary.  Please continue to be generous.  And, THANK YOU for your past gifts!

 

• FYI. As Board President, I pay for my room when there for things like the rededication weekend; my wife and I also make financial gifts throughout the year. When the Board meets “as a board”, we do not ask them to pay for their room, but a contribution is always welcome.  Volunteers and staff make regular contributions.  We are all working together, and we invite you to join us if you have not already.

 

• We are close to completing strategic planning, and now we are turning to our capital campaign.  We are very pleased to announce that Dr. Anthony Geraci, current and Transition Board member, at our recent retreat volunteered to chair the campaign!  This is such good news.  Anthony is the head of neurology at the North Shore LIJ hospital system. He will be retiring mid December and then will have more time to devote to this important task.

 

• I have been talking with a couple of key people about ideas for mid-week retreats.  For example, how about 3-4 days in January or February to study the Easter Vigil texts, and then imagine or illustrate them through visual art, the use of Legos, or playful video.  In 2019 my family and I told the Ezekiel story of the dry bones. We filmed it with an iPhone in a nearby cemetery.  How fun it was to see young Silas and Ardith on cue spring from behind a gravestone when “the bones began to rattle.” Another family used their bathroom tub to tell the story of Noah and the Flood.  We will let you know about the retreat.  If you have other ideas, please do share them!

 

• The Strategic Planning Committee continues to meet.  The weekend of September 17-19 the Committee met with Board members and set a vision and goals.  Then we asked who will “champion” the goals.  The response was wonderful.  The Board has not yet met officially to adopt the vision and goals (the mission statement remains the same) but as soon as we do, we will recommend them to you and ask for your comments.

 

• In a previous newsletter, I asked you to complete the sentence, “Koinonia is….”  Responses included, “retreat and family center,” “homecoming,” “a ministry,” “my sanctuary,” “a refreshing respite from regular routines,” “a place with God,” “renewal,” “remembering who we are,” “connection,” “an outdoor youth ministry,” “an escape,” “a resting place,” “heaven on earth,” “a place to grow,” “a challenge,” “a people, a place, a way of life,” “conference center, camp, community, sanctuary.”  You have another idea?    

 

We look forward to seeing you at Koinonia!!

Rev. Bob Wollenburg

Board President