ICE 2007 Winter Retreat

The first ICE retreat of 2007 was a huge blessing and encouragement to the ten ICE associates who gathered a couple of days before the Calvin Worship Symposium. We enjoyed times of worship, sharing, learning, praying for oneICE-cicles in Michigan another and brainstorming for future collaborative projects.

We had representatives from organizations such as Prairie Bible College (Canada), Bethel University, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Heart Sounds Int'l, Greater Europe Mission, and Artists in Christian Testimony.

Following the retreat, the ICE Board met to discuss and draw up plans to implement many of the ideas that came out of the July ICE meeting at Bethel and the Winter Retreat brainstorming session. This was an exciting time of strategic planning for the future; thank you for your visionary input!

We are grateful to Anne Zaki (our ICE liaison with CICW) for making the Calvin facilities available, for the scholarships provided to overseas ICE-icles, and for including ICE associates at the elegant and delicious banquet for international guests! We were also grateful for the challenge from the Word by Ron Man, who led us in contemplating the role of Christ in our worship. Here are some responses from the retreat:

• It was great to be with you all last week--personally encouraging and revitalizing, and a great opportunity to refocus. Thanks for making us feel so welcome!
• A wonderful time of getting to know and put faces to the people we've been talking to and praying with online for years!
• ICE - the coolest warmest retreat!
• I was tremendously refreshed by the retreat. Ron's challenge to us from the Word was a huge blessing, and your prayers for me after I shared really ministered to me. I went back to my ministry tasks with renewed energy and vision.... thanks!
• Fabulous retreat! I really got to know some great guys; what fun!