2026 Schedule

PLEASE NOTE – this schedule is subject to change and updates as we get closer to the retreat.

reNEW 2026

October (15)16–18, 2026

Theme: reASSURANCE

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called. Ephesians 1:18 NLT

THURSDAY – SUNDAY ATTENDEES

Thursday, October 15, 2026

4:00–5:00 pm – Thursday Arrivals Check-in with reNEW registration (Main Building / Tea Room)
4:00–5:00 pm – Thursday Arrivals Check in books reNEW Book Table (Second Floor Sun Porch)
4:30–5:15 pm – “Meet & Mingle” (Farmhouse Dining Room & Sun Porch)
5:30–6:30 pm – Dinner for Thursday arrivals (Marie Louise / Montfort Dining Room)
6:45–8:00 pm – Workshops:

How Not to Write a Novel, Lessons Learned the Hard Way – Lisa Larsen Hill (Farmhouse Meeting Room)
Finding the Soul of the Interview – Wendy Murray (Litchfield Room)
10 Ways to Navigate the Speaker/Writer Life – Cindy Saab (Heritage Room)
Write Tight Workshop* – Lori Roeleveld (Sophia Room)
8:15–8:45 pm – Evening Devotion and Prayer – Jennifer Drummond + Rachel Britton (Second Floor Sun Porch)

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2026 (Thursday Arrivals & Full Retreat)

7:00 am – Early Morning Coffee/Tea (Second Floor Hospitality Room)
7:15–7:45 am – Morning Prayer – Jennifer Drummond + Maggie Rowe (Second Floor Sun Porch)
7:45 am – Prayer Labyrinth (Outdoor Grounds)
8:00–9:00 am – Breakfast (Marie Louise / Montfort Dining Room)
9:00 am–12:00 pm – WRITING SESSION (Heritage Room)
9:15 am–11:15 pm – reNEW Book Table Open (Second Floor Sun Porch)
9:15–11:45 am – Appointments (Auditorium)
9:15–11:45 am – Spiritual Direction Appointments (Dailey Room)
9:15–11:45 am – Headshot Appointments (Sun Porch / The Farmhouse)
9:00 am– – Labyrinth (Outdoor Grounds)
12:00–1:00 pm – Lunch (Dining Room)

All day until 2:30 pm – Self-planned writing time (Heritage Room)

FRIDAY – SUNDAY ATTENDEES

Friday, October 16, 2026

1:00–3:30 pm – Friday Arrivals Check-in with reNEW registration (Main Building / Tea Room)
1:00–3:30 pm – Friday Arrivals Check in books reNEW Book Table (Second Floor Sun Porch)
2:30–3:45 pm – Early Bird Workshops in Campus Gathering Rooms:

Social Media and AI 101: How to Cope When the World is Changing – Edie Melson (Heritage Room)
Write Your Life: Building a Memoir – Wendy Murray (Litchfield Room)
Putting on a Show – Heidi Chiavaroli (Farmhouse Meeting Room)
Write Tight Workshop* – Lori Roeleveld (Sophia Room)

(* repeated workshops)

4:00–5:15 pm – Welcome and Keynote with Director, Rachel Britton (Auditorium )
Writing Accomplishments Celebration
5:30–6:30 pm – Dinner (Marie Louise / Montfort Dining Room)
7:00–8:15 pm – Gathering: Worship and more (Auditorium)
Keynote: Writing Truth in Times of Deception: Lessons from Nehemiah. Lori Roeleveld
8:30–9:00 pm – reNEW Book Table (Second Floor Sun Porch) – Author signings and photographs

From 8:30 pm – Self-planned writing time (Auditorium/Heritage Room)

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2026

7:00 am – Early Morning Coffee (Second Floor Hospitality Room)
7:15–7:45 am – Morning Prayer – Jennifer Drummond + Laurie Devernoe (Second Floor Sun Porch)
7:45 am – Prayer Labyrinth (Outdoor Grounds)
8:00–9:00 am – Breakfast (Marie Louise / Montfort Dining Room)

9:15–10:30 am – Workshops:

Ten Steps to Editing Your Fiction – Heidi Chiavaroli (Farmhouse Meeting Room)
Thriving in Your Calling: Mental Health Strategies for Christian Communicators – Laurie Devernoe (Sophia Room)
Stewarding Stories: Writing with Care When Others Trust You with Their Words (Part 1) – Luke Redington (Level 3 Conference Room)
Your Voice Matters: Podcasting with Passion and Purpose – Deb Dufek (Litchfield Room)
Build the World You Love—for Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and other Outside-the-Box Genres – Edie Melson (Heritage Room)
10:45 am–12:00 pm – Workshops:

Fiction as Both Sacred and Profane – Wendy Murray (Litchfield Room)
Writing for Children – Meadow Merrill (Farmhouse Meeting Room)
Stewarding Stories: Writing with Care When Others Trust You with Their Words (Part 2) – Luke Redington (Level 3 Conference Room)
What Every Christian Writer Needs to Know about Spiritual Warfare – Lori Roeleveld (Sophia Room)

12:00–1:00 pm – Lunch (Marie Louise / Montfort Dining Room)
1:15–2:30 pm – Read What You’re Working On led by Marla Darius and Paula Sorrells-Beene (Farmhouse Meeting Room)
3:00–5:00 pm – reNEW Book Table
3:00–5:00 pm – Free Time – Visit Litchfield/fitness class
3:00–5:00 pm – WRITING SESSION + APPOINTMENTS:

Writing Session (Heritage Room)
Appointments (Auditorium)
Spiritual Direction Appointments (Dailey Room)
Headshot Appointments (TBD)

5:30–6:30 pm – Dinner (Marie Louise / Montfort Dining Room)
6:45 pm – Group Photo (Farmhouse Porch – weather permitting)
7:00–8:30 pm – Gathering: Worship and More (Auditorium)
Keynote: When the Dream Takes a Detour – Edie Melson
8:30–9:00 pm – reNEW Book Table (Second Floor Sun Porch) and social time
8:45–9:45 pm – Night Owl: His Messengers – Myra Ingargiola (Dailey Room)

All day until 7:00 pm – Self-planned writing time (Auditorium until 3 PM Heritage Room after 3 PM)

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2026

6:00–8:00 am – WRITING SESSION (Auditorium)
7:00 am – Early Morning Coffee (Second Floor Hospitality Room)
7:00–7:30 am – Morning Prayer – Jennifer Drummond (Second Floor Sun Porch)
7:30-8:00 am – reNEW Book Table Closeouts (Second-Floor Sun Porch)
8:00–9:00 am – Breakfast (Marie Louise / Montfort Dining Room)
9:15–10:30 am – Workshops:

Discover, Define, Develop, Defend Your Voice – Lori Roeleveld (Sophia Room)
Helpful Habits of a Fiction Writer – Heidi Chiavaroli (Farmhouse Meeting Room)
The Beauty of Collaborative Writing – Maureen Miller (Level 3 Conference Room)
Blogging for Writers Today – Edie Melson (Heritage Room)

12:00 pm – reNEW Book Table Closeouts (Second-Floor Sun Porch)

10:45–11:45 am – Keynote (Auditorium)
Worship and Communion with Rev. Mike Rowe

12:00 pm – Bag Lunch, Check Out and Goodbyes (Marie Louise / Montfort Dining Room)

*repeat workshops – offered twice