Time to ‘Recharge’

Note: Following the posting of this story, a decision was made to postpone Recharge 2021 indefinitely. 

The past 18 months have been challenging and in many ways draining — especially for people working on the front lines of community and justice ministries.

Recharge 2021, sponsored by World Renew, is designed to provide a space where ministry leaders can receive encouragement, refocus on their mission, refresh themselves, and consider kingdom building beyond the church.

This free event is planned for Nov. 5 and 6 at The Edge Urban Fellowship, Grand Rapids, Mich., and participants are welcome to attend in person or online. But registration is required.

Recharge 2021 is especially designed for anyone involved with community development, fighting poverty, reconciliation work, or justice ministry.

The opening plenary session on Friday evening, Nov. 5, will feature a panel discussion on “What the global church can teach us about resilience.”

Saturday morning’s plenary will feature Rev. Pete Watts, supervisor for race relations and advocacy for the Reformed Church in America, who will speak on the topic of overcoming discouragement and burnout.

Watts will also present a workshop on contemplative prayer.

Other workshops that day include the following:

• “Longevity, Loving, and Leadership” presented by Theresa Slabbekoorn, executive director, Life Center.
• “Trauma Healing in our Faith Community” by Carol Bremer-Bennett, director of World Renew-U.S., and Mary Crickmore, a regional director for World Renew.
• “Encouragement from the Trenches: A Conversation on Justice, Race, and Finding God in Unlikely Places” with Rev. Reginald Smith, director of Diversity for the CRCNA, and Henry Bouma from The Navigators.
• “Legacy over History” with Pastor Troy Evans of The Edge Urban Fellowship.
• “Climate and Environmental Justice” presented by Rev. Kyle Meyaard-Schaap, vice president of the Evangelical Environmental Network, and Andrew Oppong, a justice mobilization specialist for the CRCNA’s Office of Social Justice.

Worship will be led by Jeremy Simpson, co-executive director and pastor for the Wesley Foundation, and Vanessa Alvarez, church and community engagement representative for World Renew.

Organizers said they are praying that this event will give participants “a place to recharge, regroup, and find encouragement to continue the journey of living justice, loving mercy, and serving Christ.”