Welcome Fall !

I usually hate to see summer end even though I love fall. This year I am anxious for this transitional season to end and full fall to arrive. We have had way too much rain for the summer usual and if it is not beach weather then I prefer fall weather to hot , muggy and rainy. I am looking forward to pumpkin treats, fall porches , honeycrisp apples, sweatery days, fires in the fireplace and the smell of crisp autumn air and fall candles.
I hope you and your family will get out into the fall of it all and do a corn maze, a bonfire, a fall walk, some hot chocolate and all that fall means.. oysters, cookouts, football and family gatherings. Our retreat will be right in the middle of fall so I am hoping for those Carolina blue skies and crisp autumn air for our weekend at Isle of Palms.
Last night we had our regular gathering of Joy ladies and as always, the fellowship and food were unmatched. We meet on the fourth sunday of every month and would love you to come and bring a friend.

Retreat Update

Our upcoming retreat is forming up to be a huge weekend.. 45 ladies are signed up to gather in love and joy to grow in Jesus and in relationship with one another. I hope your name is on the list but if not, we can still add a few. October 10 is the deadline for paying your full balance of 160.00. Many of you have made deposits and some of you have not so please contact me so I can move forward with plans for rooming and treats. Please keep me in your prayers as I tune into the Holy Spirit for inspiration and His messages for us.
Please contact me via email or phone to confirm your spot if you have not paid a deposit. dixie.roberts@hotmail.com  or 8438133185  . Hope you can steal away with us !

Come Away With Us ! 2014 Retreat

Hi Ladies of Joy,
The annual retreat is approaching.. Right now , I have 25 commitments, 10 pretty sures and about 6 ladies, I have not heard from but expecting to.. that means we will have between 30 and 40 ladies attending this year. Perfect size for our retreat center at Isle of Palms. If you have not paid your deposit or at least given me a verbal commitment, now is the time. I have to commit to rooms and meals earlier than usual. New management has brought a lot more structure to the planning. Please don't miss out, we need everyone there for it to be the best it can be !
 Thanks go out to Emily Beck for volunteering to lead our worship time this year. I am hoping Bekah and a few others will help with that . This is an answer to prayer as I have never liked using a cd for the worship time. Now waiting for the Lord to show me the songs to use to support His message for us.
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made... that is our theme... it encompasses many thoughts about us as humans, women and servants of the Lord. Please be in prayer as I go to Jesus for inspiration . I want to bring His message and trusting that it will meet all of us at a place of need in our lives.
We have a wonderful weekend planned... a great craft for everyone ... great fellowship. Hopefully, we will all know each other better after retreat.
The cost for the retreat is 160.00 per person. This covers 2 nights of lodging ( that is the minimum) all meals.. dinner Friday, breakfast,lunch and dinner Saturday and breakfast Sunday. It also covers your retreat kit. Please make a deposit as soon as possible.
If you have a preferred roommate, I need that info asap. You can email me at Dixie.roberts@hotmail.com 
Please use the next few Sundays to reach out to ladies of Calvary and personally invite them to the retreat. We have some new people and some that we just have never gotten to the retreat before...let's try to get everyone on board. I think a strong sisterhood makes for a strong church family.

Here are the names of those who have committed to attendance so far
Karen Boie   Nancy Beck   Emily Beck   Kathy Nagle  Dixie Roberts    Juliett Collins   Betty Bivens
Shannon  Gregg  Marlene Vatter    Bonnie Brunson   Terry Saunders   Ruth Swindell 
Sue Grant   RoseMarie Sarra  Jackie Grant   Sharon Brown  Cheryl McAnally  Charlene Alford  Sharon Brown Susie Smith Barb Davis Patty Meittzler 


Here are some who have attended in the past... let's encourage them to come
Sue Brinson   Laura Rayle   Bekah Roehle  Grace Duddleston  Mary Teston Gayle Bourne 
Tiffannie Clifford  Patty Tapp  Stacy Prutting   Leslie Moore Jeannett Schutt   Alice Schultz
Karen Leader  Sue Martin Eudora Alford ( lives far away now) Sandra Johannsen Pam Phelps recuperating from surgery) Elizabeth Forrester  

Shannon Weldon will be out of town and her mom Paula is keeping kids so they will not be with us   :.(    and Amy Plott will be nursing a newborn.. Hoping to pry Kelly Reser away from her boys for the weekend. Several new ladies are in the church now...so reach out !

Made this list from memory ( ever failing) so if you have paid or committed verbally and you are not on here ...don't panic..just email me.

You will be receiving more info on the retreat in your boxes...There is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board outside the boxes. Hope to see you there !! October 24-26

July has been a wonderful month

Hope you all have been enjoying the wonderful summer month of July ! Our family has been taking advantage of beach temps, cookouts and birthday celebrations.  From the church family, we have seen two large mission trips come to a close with wonderful memories made and many people hearing the gospel ! Joy  Fellowship is studying Ecclesiastes and we are  on chapter 6 ! Amazing how much King Solomon had all the same questions and ponderings that we have today. The Word of God never changes and as the King says, nothing new under the sun. If you have not been attending , don't let anything stop you from coming on the fourth Sunday of each month. Each lesson is one lesson within itself so you won't feel you are behind.
We will be posting a sheet in the hallway by the office for signing up for the October Retreat . If you have come on retreat in the past, you know how much fun it is and how much more you come to know your sisters at Calvary. If you have never been, you need a retreat ! Check your box next week for a flyer with all the details. Basically, it is October 24-26 at Isle of Palms. The cost of 160.00 covers your loding for two nights, meals and retreat supplies . If you have questions, ask Kathy Nagle, Marlene Vatter, Bonnie Brunson, Terry Saunders , Jeanette Schutt or me. We will be happy to share with you about our past experiences on retreat. More details to come.
I have been so happy to see the growth at Calvary...many new families...one we want to welcome.. The Glinka Family. If you have not met Greg and Charisma and their 4 beautiful children...make it a point to seek them out.  Also, Tim and Jackie Grant and daughter, Noelle have moved here permanently now and we are so happy to have them...I know Susan agrees !
Don't be a Sunday box checker...get involved ! There are so many ways to make friends,serve the Lord and grow at Calvary. Draw near to Jesus and He will draw near to you ! Time to deepen your walk ! Start with a little "Joy" !

Hot hot hot... it is hot. Hope you are all finding ways to enjoy summer and keep your cool. As I write, I am preparing to meet with you all at the june meeting of Joy Fellowship. We are studying Ecclesiastes and last month were unable to plow through the entire chapter 5. Today, we will be finishing that chapter and absorbing all that God wants to share with us through the writings of King Solomon.
Fall promises to be  quite busy for my family and intertwined in that is the preparation for our retreat October 24-26. We already have quite a few ladies committed to the weekend. To save your spot, please send in your deposit soon. The retreat at Isle of Palms is always a refreshing weekend with the purpose of deepening our love for one another and also our love for Jesus. This year, we promise to bring out the artist in you.
It is hard to believe we are already through half of 2014. So much has happened at Calvary and we are excited about all the new ministries and the building improvements. It is wonderful to be part of such a great church family. Invite your friends, everyone needs a great place to worship and a loving church family.