“I've encountered God's mercy anew." 

"Thank you to all who helped organize the prepare for this retreat.  A real blessing to us as a couple.  I needed to hear what I was told.  I was in a lot of pain...physically, emotionally, and spiritually." 

"We are going to promote SCR.  This is a must for all clergy couples." 

"We all need the time for renewal in mind & spirit.  When we feel broken, we need somewhere to go.  Thank you for this gift and for your prayers." 

"I recognized that I carry shame and Jesus wants to carry it for me.  He loves me."

"Shepherd's Canyon Retreat is a positive support.  A safe place."

"EXCELLENT, and ‘extremely respectful’.”

“I felt a very close connection with both Phil and Cherryll. Each had a special way

of drawing me out and meeting special needs I have.”

“Very helpful; asking probing and effective questions; very empathetic.  Both seemed to understand well where I was coming from.”

“I thank and praise my God every day that I was given the opportunity to be blessed by the ministry of Shepherd’s Canyon Retreat. I am able to look at my life in such a more positive point of view now, and I wish we’d had this ministry available to us 10 years ago.”

“I am able to see my gifts and offerings towards ministry in a new light. The counselors both showed me what gifts I have….We got to see where we are at (as a couple) and how we can move forward.”

“I felt strongly respected and worthwhile.” “I really appreciated Pastor Art and his ministry (chaplain) to us. Without the spiritual element and that affirmation, I don’t think I could have felt the safety I felt in opening up.”

“Shepherd’s Canyon Retreat has been a turning point in my relationship with God, my husband, my family, and my church involvement.”

“Amazing. God allowed areas of my life I didn’t realize I was hurting in..to be exposed. I am so thankful!”

Please summarize your experience of SCR in one sentence: “Influential, insightful, helpful, needed.”

“SCR brought new life-changing insights to my professional, personal, and marital life.”

 “caring, loving, Christ-centered nurture for hurting pastors & spouses.”

“I will encourage folks to come to SCR because it is a good resource to work at difficult life-issues in an intensive manner and in a setting that promotes self-introspection to mediate and grow in our weakness areas.” “This was positive and rewarding”.

“I feel many of my husband’s needs were addressed and this has helped me better understand how I can be a better partner in walking by his side.”

“I feel more relaxed and refreshed. I have new friends. I feel more hopeful towards the future.”

“SCR was beneficial to me and to my wife…a week to relax, be restored, and be rejuvenated.”

“The location of SCR was beautiful, comfortable, and relaxing. The accommodations were excellent. Sharing a cabin with another couple provided new friendships. The lodge setting for sessions was especially helpful in facilitating communication. The counselors were well prepared, knowledgeable, organized and good communicators. They took time to talk with us individually. They joined us for leisure activities as friends. The program had a good balance of group, couple, and individual sessions.”

“This is such a wonderful, open environment where all feel welcomed and valued, never judged. Everyone is hurting, but we learn that healing can come in many forms and through many vessels. “

“We went to a place set apart for healing…healing in our hearts, in our marriage, and in my vocation. God blessed us profoundly with a life-changing experience. In a short span of eight days we met new friends who laughed, cried, and shared how God can move us from brokenness to restoration. That out of death comes life. We experienced resurrection power in this wonderful grace-filled place.” I was made to feel that I had worth and that I was worthy of concern."

"The 'welcome bag' from Plymouth church was heart warming."

Q: How well did you “connect” with the counselors regarding your issues and concerns?
A: They understood well “Bless be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love.”

"The SCR staff restored a sense of worth in me…that I was capable and loveable!"

"I felt as I was fully listen to and understood."

"This event was a breath of fresh air. It provided a safe community to share hurts and disappointments. It was a healing experience. Pastors need a place to turn to for a listening and non-judgmental ear. The investment to train

a man for ministry should be enough of an incentive to save a man in ministry for continuing work in the Lord’s Kingdom. It is possible to provide for a Kingdom Worker, as work unto the Lord."

"John and Patti were both excellent counselors and just great friends."

"I appreciated my one-on-one time with Patti while my husband met with John one-on-one. Our time

with all four couples was also very beneficial."

"The two topics John used for study, 'stress' and 'change', I felt, fit everyone’s needs whether it was challenges with work, marriage, family, etc."

"Shepherd’s Canyon Retreat was a gift to us—as a couple and as individuals. It came to us (by surprise) at a time when we were struggling with family and children’s issues that were tearing us apart, emotionally and spiritually, because of the stress and fear we were dealing with. As a pastor’s family it’s difficult to face our own issues and still 'be there' for our congregation’s needs and expectations. The Retreat gave us an opportunity to get away and refocus on God’s great love for us and our love for each other as husband and wife. Thank you for this gift!"

"Having an entire week to be able to step out of our current pressures and challenges and just spend time with my husband and other Christian adults gave me a chance to feel “normal” again and time in Bible Study and prayer has reaffirmed my faith in God’s goodness and faithfulness."

"God knew our needs as a couple and He provided for us through Shepherd’s Canyon Retreat."

"We had fun together and we, as a couple, needed to have fun with other Christians."

"When we first arrived at the Retreat our thoughts were that we were going to try to spend time alone—just the two of us—as much as possible. But, as the days went on, we found ourselves wanting and enjoying spending more and more time with the group (bonfires, etc). I look back and realize it was because of our Retreat Leaders were so great—they drew us all together!"

"This program helped energize and re-direct my ministry. I feel energized and re-charged. I truly feel as though I could do much better things for my God. This retreat was the rest and rejuvenation that I have needed."

"I realized that I am important to God."

On the role of the Chaplain: "Pastor Jim and his wife were awesome. He helped in the spiritual direction of our entire week. He continually helped us with the theme of spiritual aerobics. It was an awesome experience getting to know, enjoy, and love him. He was like a father-figure to me."

Re: initial contact with SCR: "I was impressed with the sense of urgency to address my needs."

"I feel that I will have friendships that will last a lifetime."

"The individual sessions helped me to see that I was defeating myself (spinning wheels). I needed to “let go” and “let God.” The only thing stopping me from success was myself. They showed me that God could use me mightily."

"We feel so blessed by the privilege to be with counselors and spiritual advisors who were qualified to help us realize our potential."

"The ratio of counseling and time for ourselves was perfect. We had time to relax and reflect on what we heard and how we could use it in our lives."

"Having true Christian counselors was just what we needed to put life back into perspective."

Re: follow-up: "The counselors entrusted us with their cell phone numbers. Who would have thunk!

Things I didn’t even know were bothering me came out and were dealt with.

Again I can never thank you enough for the opportunity to participate in the most awesome program for helping ministers. They are usually left to pick up the pieces after they are treated bad by the imperfect humans to whom they minister. To have an organization like Shepherd’s Canyon Retreat to care about the down trodden and stressed-out minister (and his wife) is a God-send. Thank you for letting God work through you and your organization. God bless you all.

From John Johnson, LPC, De Pere, WI,

received September 16, 2009

“It is too bad that the synods do not understand the stewardship in your program. Growing rich ripe fruit for the Lord in their worker training schools and then letting that fruit rot on the ground, when it is blown from the tree, is nothing short of sin. Shepherd’s Canyon Retreat

gently picks up that fruit, washes it and cares for it, places it back in a beautiful bowl in the center of God’s table, where it can once again enrich God’s people.”