Senior Pastors Retreat 2026

2026 Senior Pastors Retreat

January 25, 2026 – January 27, 2026
Beginning at 6:00 PM

Registration Cost: $300
Registration closes January 12, 2026

Focus:

Fresh Expressions are new forms of Christian community that emerge in the places where people already live, work, and gather. They often begin with shared interests or simple acts of hospitality. Over time, prayer, discipleship, and authentic community grow, and a new form of church unfolds—right where people are. This isn’t a program. It’s a movement of ordinary Christians living with Gospel intention, forming authentic relationships, and opening new pathways for people to experience Christ’s love.

Draft Schedule:

Sunday, January 25

4:00 – 6:00 PM         Arrival & Check-in
6:00 – 7:00 PM         Dinner
7:00 – 7:30 PM         Introductions & Welcome
7:30 – 8:00 PM         Opening Worship
8:00 – 8:15 PM         Announcements & Schedule
8:15 PM                       Social/Free Time

Monday, January 26

Breakfast on your own (snacks will be available during the morning break)

8:45 – 9:00 AM          Morning Devotion: Pr. Karen Young Trenne
9:00 – 10:15 AM         Session I – Why Fresh Expressions and Why Now?
10:15 – 10:45 AM        Break
10:45 – 12:00 AM       Session II – What are Fresh Expressions and How Can We Help Our Congregations Catch the Vision?
12:00 – 1:00 PM         Lunch (deadline for one-on-one sign-ups)
1:00 – 2:15 PM            Session III – Unearthing the Opportunities and the People
2:15 – 6:00 PM           Free-time
2:30 – 5:00 PM          1-on-1s with Bishop, Associates, Chaplain, Keynote, and Kathy
6:00 – 7:00 PM          Dinner
7:00 – 7:30 PM           Lutheran Planned Generosity
7:30 – 8:00 PM          Large Group Resource Sharing
8:00 – 8:15 PM           Evening Devotions: Pr. Karen Young Trenne
8:15 PM                         Social time and LPG hosts desserts

Tuesday, January 27

Breakfast on your own (snacks will be available later in the AM session)
8:45 – 9:00 AM          Morning Devotions:  Pr. Karen Young Trenne
9:00 – 10:15 AM         Session IV – Workshopping Ideas and Activating the Vision
10:15 – 10:45 AM       Break
10:45 – 11:15 AM        Q & A with Synod Staff
11:30 – 12:00 PM        Closing Worship
12:00 – 1:00 PM        Lunch
Depart

Our Speakers:

Shannon Kiser serves as the Senior Director of Fresh Expressions North America. She leads a team of mission strategists and trainers in the development and implementation of in-person and online training for mission innovation. She is on the pastoral staff of Riverside Presbyterian Church in Sterling, VA, a church that worships in two languages (English and Spanish), engages in several fresh expressions of church, and extends community hospitality through Ridgetop Coffee and Tea. An ICF-certified coach, Shannon coaches individual ministry leaders and pioneers, trains organizations to coach fresh expression initiatives, and coaches church teams through the process of adaptive change. Shannon lives in Springfield, VA, with her husband and is the mother to two young adult daughters. Shannon enjoys the outdoors, pickleball, gardening, traveling, and her neighborhood swim club.

Teaching Session Descriptions:

Session 1: Why Fresh Expressions and Why Now?
This opening keynote will paint a picture of the current missional landscape. We’ll explore why the old models of church alone can’t carry the weight of mission in today’s culture, and why Fresh Expressions of church offer a hopeful way forward. Pastors will be encouraged to see this moment as a Spirit-led opportunity to rediscover our calling to embody the gospel in the wild and wonderful spaces of everyday life.

Session 2: What are Fresh Expressions and How Can We Help Our Congregations Catch the Vision?
This session will give clarity and language for what Fresh Expressions are—and are not. Drawing from real-life stories, we’ll unpack the simple yet powerful practices that allow new Christian communities to take shape alongside existing congregations. Special attention will be given to how pastors can cast vision in ways that inspire, rather than overwhelm, their people.

Session 3: Unearthing the Opportunities and the People
Every congregation has hidden treasures waiting to be unearthed: untapped relationships in the community, laypeople with gifts for pioneering, and everyday spaces where the Spirit is already at work. This session will help pastors identify the opportunities unique to their contexts and the people God may already be stirring to lead. Together, we’ll discover how the soil of your local mission field is rich with possibility.

Session 4: Workshopping Ideas and Activating the Vision
This highly interactive session will move from inspiration to action. Pastors will workshop early-stage ideas for Fresh Expressions in their congregations and communities, while receiving coaching and feedback in a collaborative environment. Participants will leave with tangible next steps, practical handholds, and motivation to try at least one small, simple experiment in their local setting.

Our Chaplain:

The Rev. Karen Young Trenne has loved serving Jesus as a minister of Word and Sacrament since 1990. Most recently, she has been serving as an interim pastor with large congregations in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. She loves spending time with her family, as well as skiing and watching hockey in the winter and lake life in the summer.

Location:
Arrowwood Resort & Conference Center at Cedar Shore
1500 Shoreline Dr, Oacoma, SD 57365
Venue Website