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Gather & Grow

Rebuilding the Family Economy

Gather & Grow
  • Events
  • Our Story
  • What We Do
  • The Family Economy
  • Resources
  • Give
  • Family Discipleship

Fall Family Retreat

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    Location
    Life21 Church
    2100 Jefferson Road Northfield, MN

    Date/Time
    Date(s) - Saturday, November 12, 2022
    9:00 am - 3:30 pm

    One of the goals of Gather & Grow is that after each gathering we leave families dreaming bigger dreams, seeking God for the vision He has for their family.

    In the busyness of the day-to-day, we hope this Family Retreat can stop the train and give you time to think and dream about where your family is heading. It is time to slow down, hear some thoughtful talks, and dream with your family about what you want your future days and years to look like.

    The topic this year is “Covenant Families” and we are bringing in pastor and author Ray Simmons as our guest speaker. Ray has written about covenantal blessings found in scripture and studied how families can work together to create lasting communities and societies blessed by God.

    This is a full-day event for the whole family. There will be time to work on your own family vision as you consider questions like: What are we aiming towards? What has God called our family to do? How can we build stronger families and stronger communities for the days that are to come?

    * Catered lunch is included from Gran Plaza Mexican Restaurant (donations appreciated)
    * Event will be held at a nearby church in Northfield, MN
    * Nursery Care is available for ages 0-5 years old.

    Schedule:

    • 9:00am – Doors Open – Coffee & Fellowship
    • 9:30 – “Nonperishable People” – Rory Groves
    • 10:15 – Family Breakout: Crafting Your Family Vision
    • 10:45 – “The Meaning, Purpose and Power of Covenants” – Ray Simmons
    • 11:30 – Lunch
    • 12:30pm – “Family Compacts: Covenanting with God for your Family” – Rory Groves
    • 1:00 – Family Breakout: Our Family Compact
    • 2:00 – “Beyond Covenant Families: Christian Community and Civilization” – Ray Simmons
    • 2:45 – Benediction and Closing
    • 3:30 – Event Ends

    Speakers


    Lt. Col. (Ret.) Raymond Simmons is a military strategist, pastor, and author of The Confessional County. His is also founder of The New Dunedin Project: a deliberate Christian settlement in the upper Midwest. He lives with wife and eight children.

     


    Rory Groves moved his family from the city to the country several years ago to begin the journey towards a more durable way of life. Rory and his wife Becca now reside in southern Minnesota where they farm, raise livestock, host workshops, and homeschool their five children. He is the author of Durable Trades: Family-Centered Economies That Have Stood the Test of Time.


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    This is the first cut bouquet I made all season. I This is the first cut bouquet I made all season. It took the threat of frost to get me out there! Elsie is good about cutting flowers to bring inside, but I think I had this in the category of ‘not-totally-necessary’…you know, with lots going on with kids and a farm. But that was the wrong category! I enjoyed cutting the flowers and arranging them so, so much (which shouldn’t be a huge surprise since I’m my mom’s daughter…) Anyway, we were suddenly motivated to keep these beauties alive a little longer so we covered the tall celosia late last night and woke to a site very much like ghosts in the garden. But it was just flowers tucked in for the frost.
    Elsie said to me, “mom, my history text book has Elsie said to me, “mom, my history text book has ideas for family projects and usually I just read about them and move on, but this one wants us to make a model of Stone Henge with Rice Krispie bars and I think we should probably do it.” I told her this was a good catch. Her education would suffer if we missed this project…
    It was discovered a few weeks ago that the same Sa It was discovered a few weeks ago that the same Saturday Alden turned 7 was the same Saturday we were butchering 90 chickens. Obviously a chicken birthday party was coming our way. 🎉🐓🎉 I blogged about the whole thing: family-scale butchering and this epic hen cake. www.thegrovestead.com
    My very favorite part of our Gather and Grow Farm My very favorite part of our Gather and Grow Farm dinner fundraiser was my dad praying before the meal. Which is saying a lot because the night was without a hitch, the kids played beautiful music, the people gathered were salt of the earth and the food was fantastic. Rory and I gave a presentation telling stories and sharing pictures. But man, when my dad prayed I could feel a peace fall on the room. He was asked in the moment, mostly to get him to stop talking to the caterer…but then he started to pray and you know, I grew up hearing him pray every Sunday at church, each time we ate, and every night when he tucked me in. But it had been a while. And it was so special to have his blessing over the whole night. I just don’t want to ever forget that.
    Tonight we have our annual fundraising dinner for Tonight we have our annual fundraising dinner for Gather & Grow, and I thought I’d extend the invitation to give and support this two-year-old ministry. The Lord is doing a mighty work, turning the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers. We are going toe to toe with the some@pretty huge cultural giants saying the trade of relationships and intact families for material wealth and consumption was a poor trade. It has left us yearning for community, friendship and meaning. Which is where the family economy comes in. I could write a book right here- but Rory already has! 😅 So just know that we need partners in this work. You will  be joining an effort that is just beginning. It’s exciting! Go to gatherandgrow.us and on the Give page you can join as a Giving Partner. (And I’ll send you a copy of that book!)
    Gather & Grow
    Rebuilding the Family Economy

    P.O. Box 326
    Northfield, MN 55057

    Gather & Grow Ministries is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible.

    “We urge you, brothers . . . to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”

    —1 THESSALONIANS 4:10-12

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